Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-09-17


plain lying between the Danube and
the Black Sea, where German AMI
Bulgarian forces recently began their
important drive northward, is describ
ed in the following war geography
mulletin issued from Washington by
the National Geographic Society:
when the low-lying, treeiess,
largely fend-and-swamp province Of
Dobrudja was ceded to Roumania in
1878 and in exchange this nation was
despoiled of the rich, thickly populat-
ed province Of Bessarabia which had
been a part of her domain since it had
been taken from Russia after the
Crimean War, the Roumanians believ-
ed more than ever in their ancient
proverb, Guard me, o God, against my
friends, for against my foes 1 can
guard myself In the 80 years which
have interviewed, however, Dorbrudia
has taken rapid strides, thanks to the
advances in agriculture and to the
prosperity of the several Black Sea
ports of the province. So striking has
been the development of the region
that at the conclusion of the Second
Balkan War in 1913, Roumania de-
manded as her share of the spoils
from Bulgaria an enlargement of this
formerly despised area. Including this
newly acquired territory the Dobrudja
now embraces nearly $500 square
miles, with a population Of 100000,
made up of many elements-Bulgacs
Turks, Roumanians, gypsies and Jews.
by an ironic whim of fate, Rou-
mania paid her expenses of the war in
which she acquired this recent addi-
ton to Dobrudja and secured the cap
otal for it's development from the
proceeds of a loan of 100000. 600 francs
floated in Germany just prior to the
outbreak of the great European con-
flict. Under the improved conditions
this section now produces important
crops of cereals, tobacco, sugar beets,
vines, and mulberries for silk worms.
Bounded on the north and west by
the Danube, on the east by the Black
Sea, and on the south by Bulgaria,
Dobrudja is of great strategic i'm
portance, a fact recognized by the
Romans who defended this region IN
tie south by Trajam's Wall, a double
rampant extending from the Black
Sea, at a point near Constanza, to the
banks of the Danube. The present
Roumanian- Bulgarian frontier is some
GO miles southwest of this ancient
wall, and extends from the river TO
the sea distance of 100 miles in an
airline.
THE earliest mention of the Do
bdurja region is as the home of the
Geta and the Dacians (Pliny explains
lat the former is the Greek name and
the latter the Latin for the same
tribe). Herodotus speaks of this peo-
pie as the bravest and most honorable
Of all the Thracian tribe and credits
them with having attempted to stay
the march of the Persians under King
Darius in the 9th century before the
Christian era.
One of the most picturesque stories
of the ancient inhabitants of Dorddja
is related in connection with an expe-
dition against them headed by Philip
Of Macedonia. The great general was
beseiging one of the principal towns
of the tribe and just as he was about
to give the signal for an assault the
gates we're thrown open and long
line of priests, clad in white robes and
playing Tyres, marched out and came
into the camp of the enemy. So i'm
pressed was Philip by this sight that
he snared the city and took Media, the
daughter of the Celtic king, as his
wife. Thereafter the Getas were al
lies of the Macedonians in their cam
paign against the Scythians. By the
middle Of the fourth century B. C. the