Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-10-16
BULGAR|ANs USING.
v|D|h To MAKE AN
ATTACK ON ENEMY

| (also spelled Widdin and Widin), from
which the Bulgarians have made an at
tack on the Rumanian town of Calafat,
| is one of the most prosperous grain
ports on the right bank of the Danube
below Belgrade" says today's war
geography bulletin of the National
Geographic society.
Situated in the northwest corner OF
the kingdom of Bulgaria, 100 miles
in an ir line southeast of the Serbian
capital of Belgrade, 100 miles north
west of Sofia, and 10 west of Buchar-
est, this city was, before the outbreak
of this war, center of activity for
trade between Austria and the Balkan
states.
"Vidin is a natural stronghold be-
cause of the extensive surrounding
marshes formed by the numerous
small streams flowing into the Danube
at this point. The Notifications were
RACED following the Russo-Turkisn
war of 1S77-7S, but they were recon-
strueted during the Serbo-Bulgarian
conflict of 80 years ago. Portions of
the old wall and four of its nine towers
still encircle the old town, but the
newer section lies along the bank of
the river
"An interesting element among the
city's $4,000 inhabitants is a settle
ment of Spanish Jews, 1900 in number,
descendants of a small colony which
fed from Spain during the inquisition
of the 10th century. The Turks resid-
ing in the town number nearly $1,000
Beautiful iligrees Manufactured.
while the trade in cereals and
fruits, the considerable fisheries, and
the numerous breweries afford liveli-
hood for the majority of the Vidinese,
the city is chiefly noted for the beauti-
full filigree work in gold and silver
which is manufactured here.
Like most of the towns and forts on
the Danube in the vicinity of the Hun
garian border, Vidin suffered sorely
from the tides of Turks and Christians
as they swept through and over it in
tie 18th century In the Austro-Turk-
ish struggle of 1929 it was captured
by Louis, margrave Of Baden, one of
he most celebrated generals of his day,
but it remained in his hands only one
year, for in the succeeding campaign it
was recaptured by the Ottoman forces
which also re-took Nisch and Bel
grade.
''Vidin was given its place in the sun
by a VIGOROUSLY ruthless but remark
ably efficient chieftain of the Krjalis,
Pasvan Oglu, who here established an
independent state in 1894. The Krjalis
were disbanded Turkish soldiers and
desperadoes who defied all constituted
authority and who during the last
half of the 18th century wandered
through Bulgaria preying upon peas
ants, Staying, robbing, burning all who
were so unfortunate as to stand in
their path. Pasvan Oglu amalgamated
these bandits and highwaymen, and as
their leader established himself at vi
din, where he was able to defy and de-
feat three Turkish armies sent against
him. He erected handsome buildings,
maintained order within his own capt
tai, levied taxes and even issued spec
lex cionage When he finally submitted
tc superior force sent against him the
Porte deemed it wiser to reinstate him
as governor than to displace him with u
less forceful subject. With his death
in 1907, vidin's importance waned.
"Of this period and the suffering
which the ryalis inflicted upon the sur
rounding country vivid picture has
| been preserved in the memoirs of y
bishop of Vratza, who wrote: My do
cese has been laid desolate; villages
have disappeared, burnt by Krjalis and
Easvan's brigands'
| Scene Of Many Battles.
/ "Tn the Pusso-Turkish war of 1877