Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-05-24
The Jerusalem Express.

In the tumult of the world war inc
opening OF the broad guage railway
from Cairo to Jerusalem last July pass
ed 1quite unnoticed. 1t is one OF the
greatest improvements which Gen.
Allenby's army has 3eft behind II, and
in its way. il is one of the greatest
events which. outside of the opening
Of the Suez canal, the near east mas
known
1t is now possible TO enter a sleep
ing car at Cairo station any evening at
dinner time and to reach the little null
side station. below the Bethlehem road,
which is the railway terminus OF the
Jerusalem line. at O'Clock the next
afternoon. In former times the over
land route from Ismailia to Jerusalem
via Ell Arish and GAIA. took three
weeks at the least, and was not only
highly expensive, but also rather dam
gerous OF course. there was an al
tentative route, which took one by sea
in a coaster from Port Said TO Jaffa.
and thence by the Turkish meter
guage railway to Jerusalem. The short
est time in which this could be man
aged from Cairo was about 36 hours,
but it was as odoliferousiy uncom-
Portable as are all Turkish means OF
travelling.
The scenery along the new line Is
the best that the Holy Land affords.
In a well laid double track 1t starts
from Kantara on the Suez canal. where
| il connects with the old road from
! Cairo and ckirts the sea to GAIA, which
| is the gateway to Palestine.
According to the present civilian
| schedule of trains soon to be institute
ed. night prevents one from seeing tho
splendid new swing bridge across tho
! canal at kantara, or the quiet grave
yards and the toylike blocff ouscs on
| the vast Sinai desert.
At dawn one secs the fairylike plan
| tations of the GASES ard Khan Yunis
Before breakfast GAIA is reached, with
its broken white houses and It's trench
! SCARED fields. The morning is spent
in gradual approach to the hills OF
Judea.
Before luncheon one enters the orch
ard area. where as far as the eye car
see, ora nge plantation cUytr the com
try. Soon the engine pants wheel
ingly up rugged and rocky valley be.
J tween the mountains. ;sy4 O'clock tnt
tableland.is reached. and presently thu
train shows into The Jerusalem ter
} minus. and one enters a waiting con
, veyance for tea at the New hotel, Jer
| usalem.
One can not contemplate the spec
tacle of the new rail ray, and the dif
ficulties which beset it's construction
+, without acquiring chang I'd view q
army organization. There is too muci
of a disposition abroad to beIittle arm
les. Civilians who nave never com
. into contact with arnies tr a,my lii
are the chief offenders IN mis- 'espnc
) Take the historic wastes of Sinai des
< ert Today you will find in them hug
, camps which stretch for miles, laid OF
in perfect order. Splendid roads. thor
ough and complete sanitary arrange
;. ments, plentiful and good food, and a
the other necessities for : huge arm.
0 have been carved. out Of a wilderness
8 into which, two years, ago. only tn
5 most intrepid. traveller yentured.
5 All thru the burning day an endles
5 stream of motor loiries. lied Cros
vans. equipment vans camcls. soldier
9 Arabs. Bedouins, Egyptians. motorcy
Giles. etc. pass over the new road
n w dtcIp "'tiSH W. ySdIS f1SO ssSdo a.
!, where, today is to be hid everywhcr
( Tseer is Plentiful. Wet and CRY car
= teens are numerous, where almost any
thing can be bought. And one mary
to think that brief two years ago ii
British army found nothing here b'
empty desert.
!, Gold and Silver Hiden in Polish Sol
J A colossal amount OF gold and 81
4 Yer lies hidden in Polish soil. accord
!. ing to latest arrivals here from WA
& saw. 1t was placed there by peasant
K and landowners when the German j.
!: vasion began.
Much offthe buried treasure was To-
" when Germans cleared PoIand.s wood
a Marked trees. used to desiEnate q
10 location of the precious buried mets
lie were chopped down and taken To- &c
50 many to be Slsed in making airplane
Is Then they blew UP the stnmps.
10 The Poles btained their gold wn
so the Russians began their retreat o