The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-11-06
THE CITY OF ADRIANOPLE.
Ancient Town for Which Turks and
Bulgars Contend.

portance in European Turkey. Con-
stantinop!e and Salonica alone taking
precedence over 1t. 1t is the capital OF
the vilayet bearing the same name and
has played an important part In Turk
ish history. That Adrianople is de-
serving of the name city is shown by
/ the census of 1905. which seven years
ago estimated the population at SO.-
COO. About half of this number are
Turks. while the remainder Is a con-
slomerate lot of Jews, Greeks. Bulgars
and Armenians.
! In appearance Adrionaple is thor
oughly Oriental. fact which often
surprises the tourists. For the most
part the city is a mass of ancient wood
en- structres with narrow streets
winding in and out. There are. how
ever. some modern buildings which
by comparison reveal the sordid gen.
eral appearance of tho place. The
| city. of course, has its better sections.
Filled with relics Of old Turkey,
sights of great interest to the visitor,
the most prominent building for the
tourists view Is the ancient Mosque of
Sultan Selim II. Although smaller than
the famous Hagiasfa at CONSTANT
r.ople the mosque Of the third city is
acknowledged to be the most magnifi-
cent of its kind and not generally
known except to the Turks themselves.
The constant espionage to which the
traveller In Adrianople is subjected
and the general unrest which is felt
IN the city at all times Is responsible
for the mosque remaining in obscur-
ity. The city Is practically under mar
tial rule most of the time and the
authorities are usually taxed to the
utmost to preserve order. The very
fact that the railroad. which covers
the 1877 miles to the capital away to
the southeast. is regularly policed by
troops adds to the continual feeling
Of insecurity which never fails to hold
the visitor.
The Mohammedan has reached al
most the top notch of desire after he
has said prayer in the mosque Of
Turkeys ancient capital. Only a visit
pilgrimage to Mecca or presence In
Constantinople when the Padi-Shan
goes by are higher In the Turks am
hilton.
AS vantage point in war the forts
OF Adrianople are considered most i'm
portant. The guns Of the city COM
rnand the chief position near the Bull
aarian frontier. and their occupa-
tlon by hostile force means a strong
foothold for the enemy. The arma-
raent of the stronghold is the most
modern thing In the city. for the
strategic prominence OF the position
was not lost sight Of by the govern
rnent. The city occupies both sides
OF the Tvnja river at its confluence
with the Martha, which Is navigable
to this point In winter and spring.
Enos is the nearest city reached by
the waterway.
Among the better buildings Of Adri-
anople are the Idadieh school, the
schools Of Arts and Crafts, the Jewish
Communal school. tho Greek college.
Zappeion, the Imperial Ottoman bank
and tho Tobacco Reggie. Then there
IL theatre. while palaces for the
perfect OF the city and the army off,
GERS have been provided.
Being the headquarters OF the Sec
ond Army corps Of the Turkish army
and the Defence Works Commission
the government has erected spacious
barracks and a military hospital for
the troops. There is also a French hos
pital located there. The more distin-
guished buildings Of old Turkey To-
Gated in Adrianople in addition to the
Mosque OF Seaim III. are the Eski
Seria. a half-ruined palace OF the for
mer sultans. and the bazaar OF Ali
Pasha.
Adrianople suggests it's modern
Ideas in the suburban sections to a
large extent and this condition itself
suggests the European invasion.
There are Ave suburbs in all. Kiretch-
hane and Yilderim are on the left
bank of the Martha. Kirjik stands on
a hill overlooking the ancient city.
The last two are almost entirely peO-
pied by the Greeks. while Kiretchhane
contains she dwellings of a large Bull
garian population. These quarters.
Tor that is just what they amount to.
encourage the clique spirit i'm Adrian
OpIc, and This, With tho npVer-c 70 nd