The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-04-12

Womon 0ueenty Carriage.
of any system Of reforestAtion, has
practically denuded the mountains of
the whole land.
Once more to cover the mountains
and hills with pine and cedar End oak
would be a simple task II carried on
Systematically.
In 1880. because Of massacras. the
European powers insisted that these
mountains be made autonomous. And
following that date this little district
became a living demonstration of what
good government will produce and Of
what the people Of the land are c&pa-
BILE of becoming.
The steep mountain sides were tNf.
raced to height of 1000 feet ard
planted to olives, figs and vines. Taxcs
were low, safety to persons and prop
erty secure good roads built and kept
In repair. The people constructed
more comfortable homes and sent their
sons to schools and college.
The story Of the achievements n
the Lebanon during the 60 years vt
autonomy would be thrilling narrA-
tive itself
Nesting at the base of the Lebanon
in Beirut, many-tinted city pushed
out into the setting sun by tie
pressure of this famous mountain
range. This range, Just east Of TIE
city and robblng 1t of the early mora
ing light, towers to $500 feet In Q
beautiful peak, whose snowy heights
form the crystal screen upon which II
projected the rose glow of some OF
the worlds most colorful sunsets.
Names Long Forgotten.
The backbone of the city stretches
to the west from a low alluyial plain
which almost makes Beirut an island.
The wharves are to the north, look
Ing away from the more famous bvt
inferior ports of Tyre and Sidon To
the south, and toward lie other Phoe-
nician ports of Tripon and Alex-
andretta and Seleucia, all Of which
have old Phoenlcian names long since
forgotten by the inhabitants. Berytus
was the name Of Beirut.
The streets are narrow and full Of
life. The buildings are kalsomined In
various hues, ugly near at hand, but.
truly Turneresque from q distance.
From the harbor there rises cog
wheel railway which connects the an
cient city of Damascus to the sea coast
1t was this French railway and the
French harbor which gave Beirut It's
prominence as a port and few indeed
are the Palestinian tourists who have
not passed over this road while leav.
ing the worlds Oldest city, green
oasis in the midst of the tawny desert,
and the Cyclopean ruins of Baalbek.
to return to the ship for home.
The mountains offer various sum-
mer resorts for the city Of Beirut and
the green masses of the foothills arc
dotted with pretty Lebanon villages
from which thousands of Syrians have
set out across the sea as did the
Phoenicians from the same port. but
to lard in America instead of beside
the chalk cliffs of Albion. where tin
was obtained In ancient times.
The population of Beirut Is mixed
and the holidays many. Some of the
churches are wealthy though the
mosques are generally small.
During the war whole sections Of
the city were RACED to make way for
new roads and thoroughfares and the
center of the city is becoming less and
less picturesque as the days go by. The
seller of sweetizeats, carrying his
swaying tray on his head and his rude
tripod on his arm. no longer has to
look up like a dying Gaul while bal
ancing his load in the midst of build
ings whose awnings and balconies
strove to rob him Of his livelihood.
"What your soul desires" he shouts
rs he tries to work up appetites to the
buying point. and the seller of cool
Ing drinks with great ball of Leban-
on snow stuck above his highly col
ored bottle cllnks two brass bowls to-
gether In way that is more nearly
related to the sound of clinking Ice
In cocktail mixer than any adver-
tisement for sickish syrups has any
right to be.