The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-02

~ volts, first against the Turks
and then against the Austrians,
the scene of the assassination of the
Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir
apparent to the thrones of Austria and
Hungary, and his wife, the duchess OF
Hohenberg, is thus described by a
writer for the National Geographic
society:
One of the beauty spots of the Bal
kans is that occupied by the Bosnian
capital, Sarajevo. 1t is built upon
the River Miljacka, a small tributary
of the Bosnia, and spreads over both
slopes Of the narrow valley to the
rugged hills. Partially oriental, and
wholly set in the green and emerald
of its gardens and neighboring we'll
wooded hills. Sarajeyo is frequently
called the Damascus of the North
The city lies in the southeastern cor
ner of Bosnia, 1872 miles southwest of
Belgrade. With a growing population
of $4,000 and a thriving commerce
and industry, it has been fast losing
Its eastern character reconstructing
the old Turkish city to conform to the
purposes of western progress.
Sarajevo is an important CONNER
cial entrepot, distributing center for
Bosnia, Herzegovina, Dalmatia and
Montenegro. It's large bazaar is ia
vorite market place for the peasants
of the whole province, while its COM
mission houses conduct the exchange
of Bosnian agricultural and mineral
products with the manufactures of
other parts of the empire. 1t has pot
teries, silk mills, tobacco factory,
and a large individual, or house in
dustry, which produces fine embroid-
cries, rugs, embossed and filigree
work
Sarajevo was founded in 1862 by the
Hungarian, General Cotroman, and
was enlarged by the Turks and Sc
lected for their administrative Bos-
nian headquarters. Follosing the
Austrian occupation of 1878, it was
largely rebuilt and has been steadily
increasing in prosperity. It's inhabi-
tants are mostly Serbo- Croats.
Bosnia a Fertile Land.
Bosnia is land of wooded noun
tains and fertile valleys. There is
very little unproductive land within
its confines, for what is not in grain,
fruit, or meadow cultivation is pasture
land and forest. Moreover, Bosnia IS
rich in minerals, which include coal,
iron, copper, chrome, manganese, Gin
ma, zinc and mercury. Gold and silver
were worked among its mountains by
the Romans, and, in those days, it
was celebrated for its richness in
these precious metals. It has, also,
valuable salt mines and marble quar-
iries.
This province, however, is chiefly
agricultural. More than 80 per cent
of the population is engaged in farm
ing the country according to the most
Anticipated of methods. Much of the
fruitful land remains uncultivated.
The chief European cereals and fruits
are raised. Tobacco Is one of Bosnia's
'best-known products, and many dis
eliminating smokers in all parts of
the world insist upon the Bosnian
leaf, This tobacco, however, does not
compare in richness with the product
of American, Cuban or Australasian
fields. 1t has a pale, yellow leaf,
and has a spicy fragrance similar to
that of burning autumn leaves. Dried
plums and tobacco are two important
items of the export.
The province has an area Of 1910
square miles, and a population of near
iy 100000. This population is but
little mixed. There is sprinkling of