Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-03-31

Y
becomes a bleak complex of
" " gorge and mountain is
traced the present boundary
line between the Russian Caucasus and
Turkey in Asia, and the largest city
and the all-important fortress on this
strong natural frontier is Erzerum,
which guards the one convenient way
through the ragged heights to the fat
lands of Mesopotamia and the lower
hills of eastern Asia Minor, and which
recently was captured by the Russians.
The beginning of history finds this
city military station and a point of
considerable strategical value; it is
the Armenian fortress of Garin Kalakh
of antiquity, the Arabian raiding base
Of Kalikale, the Byzantine frontier
post, Theodosiopolis.
The Russians have twice decided
wars against Turkey in their favor by
capture of Erzerum, and each time
. Erzerum has been handed back in the
peace arrangements, says writer for
the National Geographic society.
While the attacks of the Russians
against the fortress in 1877 were I'M
successful, their occupation of the
town during the arn3istice of February,
! 1873, finally brought the Turks to ac-
! cept the terms of peace. The assault
and capture Df the fortress by the
! Russian general, Paskevich, in July,
1929, decided the campaign in Asia.
Erzerum bars the roads from Kars
and other points on the frontier.
These ways follow the valley of the
Aras river through the high noun
tains and from Erzerum branch north,
west and south. North of the fortress,
leagues of impossible mountains ex-
tend from deep in Turkish Armenia to
beyond the Russia border. To the
south, an equally mountainous coun-
try is broken through by rare, miser-
able trails. In the extreme south, near
the Persian-Turkish border, one of the
best Of these routes into Turkey leads
through the country near Lake Van.
Fine Setting but Dirty City.
Situated at the eastern end Of an
open, treeless plain, 80 miles long and
II miles wide, and surrounded on all
sides by lofty mountains, steep to
their bases, Erzerum enjoys a splen-
did setting. Within the town, en-
circled by an earthen enceinte, how
ever, appearances are cramped, unfa
Vorable, and gloomy. The streets are
many sizes too small according to the
western measure, and they lack utter
ly in stability of direction. Moreover
they are badly drained and dirty, ant
the houses by their side do not ado
cheer with their old, UNMARRIED facade.
of dark gray volcanic stone.
The town has always enjoyed {
fairly prosperous transit trade, fol
it is on the main overland route from
Trebizond to northwest Persia and tt
the trade centers of the southern eau
casus. A good road leads from Ere
rum down to the coast at Trebizond
and the journey can be made by car
rlage in five or six days. The plac
has also been noted from early time
for the quality of it's brass and cope
work. Wheat, barley, millet, and veg
etables are grown in the countr
around, and sheep are pastured. TIL
population of the town is $4,000, O
which one-quarter is Armenian.
Hamadan, the Treasure City.
Another interesting city that ha
fallen into the hands of the Russian
is Hamadan, the treasure city of tn
great Achaemenian kings, identife
with the resplendent Ecbatana OF tn
Greek writer's. The ancient city lie
1873 miles west-southwest of the PEI
sian capital, Teheran.
All vestiges of the by-gone glory G
the place have been destroyed, say
alone famous but battered stone io1
: which lies in somber, mutilated desC
lation fat upon the plain near the roa
: leading to Ispahan. The old lion ha
| lasted through all the ages of Ham;
dan, guardian genius of the town
for 1t was set up as a talisman to prt
tect the walls of the city. The lion
fate and the city's fate were connecte
in prophecy that the city and it's De,
. pie would be safe so long as the lilo
J was not thrown down or broken. Th
tailsman today enjoys a superstition
veneration; mothers bring the
babies to kiss the hugh carven fac
and pilgrims place offerings of ston
: before it. According to one tradition
! the lion was set up to frighten ava
} the severe winters of Hamadan.
/ The name of the city can be trace
= | back to earliest times, and it near
literally "a place of meeting of man