El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-17
SMYRNA is REAL
ETERNAL CITY
DE old WORLD
More than 5000 Years Old,
Often Renews Its
Youth.
OFTEN DESTROYED;
ALWAYS Is REBUILT

-ASHINGTUN. April 17.-De-
M scribinE the Turkish city OF
Smyrna, which has been
bearing the bruut Of an alleged at
tack in the near east the National
Geographic society says
SMYRNA has occupied its place upon
the map for more than 5000 years and
through all this time it has retained
its ancient name, its mixed character
o. east and west, and its significance
in the world of trade From the first
il has been a rich produce exchange,
q great caravansary and an important
harbor. receiving merchant fleets under
every Tag. Known TO the olden Greeks
as The First City Of Asia it sur
wives. in the present, the greatest city
in Asia Minor and the second port OF
an extensive empire
While Ephesus, AIiletus, Sardis'
Afagnesia. Pergamus and Halcarnas-
sus have faded away, smyrna mas con-
tiuued il s story Of untirlng centuries
1t has risen superior TO every STRESS
remaining today what il was yeSter-
. day, as lasting as Mount Pagus at It's
back. The rise, Splendor ana decay
OF great empires have formed Dul
1nCmentary episodes in this cltys life,
whose history stretches from the l1th
century before the birth Of Christ down
TO the present day. 1t, most truly, de
serves the title OF Eternal city Tor
il. like the phoenix Of mythology, has
ever renewed its nerveless age by
more magnificent youth
Destroyed By Lydians.
Smyrna was founded by Aeolian
Creeks upon the natural outlet Of an
important trade route 1t grew rap
IDLY into wealth and power, and early
took the lead among the cities OF
Asia Minor. Ionisn Greeks conquered
the city in the seventh century B. c.
and under these masters 1t played
leading role in the IOnean league. cal
clans captured and cOnscienUOusly
destroyed Smyrna in 515 3. c Their
endeavOrs were so thorough that there
remained but a village until after
the Macedonian conquest Alexander
the Great caused the city to be rebuilt
and il was laid out with eXtravagant
magnificence- Among the many beau
uifuI buildings OF this new city was
the HOmereum, where the poet, homer,
was WOrshipped as a hero The Seleu-
cidae declared the city sacred and in
violable-
Becomes World Center Of Art
In the days OF Roman conquest. ]
Smyrna was the great world center ;
Of art and learning, somewhat the I
Paris OF that early age The Romans,
who treated the city well, called il |
The Oasis of the Muses. and the
GTaces- For many generations,
Smyrna was the proudest Asiatic po-
session Of the Byzantine empire Of the I
east In 1902 IL was destroyed by the
MOngols Of Tamerlane and such Of its I
inhabitants as could be found were
killed. When it fell to the Turks, !
Smyrna received another nickname. 1t Z
was called The Eye of Asia Minor
The city lies at the head of the 4.
gulf Of Smyrna some 200 miles south I
vest Of Constanttnople, with which it 4
Is now connected by rail There is a
population Of more than 250.00O Of 4
which about One-half is Greek, one Z
fourth Mohammedan, while Arme- I
mans and Jews make up the greater /
part Of the remainder. There were !
also a large number Of European resi- I
dents before the war, who, in the or
der Of their number, .-ere French Eng
lish, Italian, Swiss and German. Greek /
is the language of greatest currency.
the most useful tongue for the visit 4
ing foreigner.
Divided Into Five Sections.
Smyrna was divided into five quar- I
tiers. for the Turk, the Jew. the Ar 4
menian, the Greek and the European !
The Turkish and Jewish quarters were J
devious. overcrOwded, squallid and for 4
bidding The Armenian and Greek sec
tons were well built, with wider and
cleaner streets, and Of more satisfying
appearance The European section
was Smyrna's glory. Here was the
finest thorOughfares. the most fupos- /
ing buildings, a sharply contrasting
cleanliness and the lovely water front
The strange organization OF the CITY
has given occasion for the deveIoD-
ment Of a curious municipal govern
ment The Christian and Jewish
communities have separate elected 2
councils, which are presided over ny !
their respective religious heads.
The trade Of Smyrna is large. The ]
greatest part Of this trade is in tbe {
hands Of the English. It has an an {
nual import of about 81, 0OO. 600 and an /
annual export OF nearly $50. 900 O06