The Detroit times., 1912-08-17
JERUSALEM TO HAVE
TELEPHONES, TROLLEY
AND WATER SYSTEMS
Enterprising Spirit of American
Colony is Making Holy Land
Progressive
FARM LAND IS FERTILE
Believed That Ancient Populous.
ness of Jericho Valley May
Be Restored
FARM LAND is FERTILE
BIZ THE RELIGIOUS RAMBLER.

turn 10 simple, apostolic socialism OF
the part Of Christians. Apparently
oil have failed after rather short lives
EXCEPT that OF the interesting Ameri
can colony In Jerusalem. which hai
continued In existence for more thar
80 years, and today numbers over
hundred members.
Apparently, this is completed!
successful instance OF community life
where all things are held in common
Yet there is not socialist in the en-
tire family" as the members pre-
fer TO call themselves Incidentally
they are introducing many American
ideas into the Holy Land, and their Ell
fciency causes them 10 be called up
on by foreigners and natives alike
They maintain the only one-prict
store in Jerusalem. sud are notable
commercial successes.
The range OF the activities OF this
community Is amusing, as we'll as
amazing, extending from the baking
OF a mince pie &c the discovery, dig
ging and delivery OF an ancient sar,
cophagus or other antiquity Their
latest bit OF enterprise is the begin.
ming OF q telephone system over the
city OF Jerusalem For the first time
In all its long history the Holy City
hears the tinkle OF the telephone bell
and it's a Bell telephone al that,
The new court house az Jerusalem has
been connected with tho old scrai,
and the system is 10 be extended I'M
til, first, all official points, and then
business houses and residences are
supplied with telephones
The mania for improvement is TAX
Ing fast hold of Jersualem. At pres
ent II has only cistorn wator TO drink,
and the American colony is consider
ing the project OF supplying the city
With & water system. There are ru-
rnors OF a trolley limo 10 be estab-
iished outside the city walls-within
the city proper, with It's narrow, pre-
cipitous and vaulted streets, there is
no room for street car service, and
probably camels and donkeys will
have to suffice for transportation for
long time TO come Outside The city
walls, however there are opportuni-
ties for profitable railway lines.
Steam Roller is Used.
Without realizing that be was sug-
costing thoughts OF a political con-
vention to an American, one OF the
members OF the colony, Mr.. Maurice
Goldenthal, who is now In America.
said that the American colony had
imported a Chicago steam roller for
Jerusalem. It's use has been confined
entirely, however, TO the highways
outside the city. to the great I'm
provement OF transportat ton.
Mr. Goldenthal talks enthusiast
ly about the agricultural possibilities
of the Holy Land, substantiating
much that the Zionists nay, although
he himself Is Christian. The Amer
lean colony itself has been able 10
get eight crops Of alfalfa In a year
Just outside OF Jerusalem, and down
In the Jordan valley, where agricul-
ture Is possible all the year around.
they secure II crops Of alfalfa year.
Experimental cotton growing was
tried on a small scale, and without
government concession or co-opera.
ton. down near Jericho, and II was
found that the cotton plant became a
permanently growing tree, aud cotton
is today growing on trees in the Jor-
dan valley Mr. Goldenthal believes
that the ancient populousness VI the
Jericho valley may yet again be re.
stored. and us yearround products
proved methods OF transportation
The worid-atlarfe knows nothing of
sweet lemons. a peculiar Gelicacy that
abounds in the neighborhood o: Jer
icho. The traveller who crosses the
Jordan with his saddle-bags literally
stocked with sweet lemons. as can
testify, will not sigh for any foun
tains, Most travellers count these
mn rafR NM IL
oranges
Hunting Treasures OF David.
Jerusalem has not yet got over the
stir created by the attempt made,
more than q year ago by "A British
syndicate TO penetrate under the TEN.
pie area and under the dome OF the
rock itself In search for the treas.
ures Of David. This story reads like
bit OF Rider Haggard flction--ex
cept In Its denouement-although
myself have seen the expedition -
work
A professor IN Finland thought ne
had discovered In an ancient Jewish
chronicle the cryptogram locating
and describing the treasures OF David
and Solomon, underneath the rock OF
the Holy City. In some OF the numer.
Gus subterranean passages with which
Mt. Zion is threaded He Interested
an English syndicate, which was
lured by the prospect OF two hundred
million dollars worth OF treasure
and Il In turn secured extraordinary
rights from the government
Elaborate digging was conducted
oyer many months. but nothing OF
great value was found In ORDER 10
set under the temple rock It became
(. necessary 10 bride the sheikhs in
chsfgc and many other officers ,Stup.
Idly. however, the work was under.
taken at y time Of pilsrimage- xhan
there were many visiting Iaoslems IN
the city, and when religious feeling
ran high.
ffie efforts Of eNeaPateFs- we're
discovered. the native oflela,s were
thrown into prison. and for several
days the Christians I'm Jerusalem were
IN terror or = massacre Rumors Few
through the Bazars. and merchants
shut unathcir shops and Christians
--aongbt their retreats and arms The
syndicate has for the present been