San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-08

IF the pools of Solomon were a miracle
in ancient times, they were almost as
great a puzzle in our own day.
Only the latest researches have helped
US to comprehend how great was the task
of the engineers of nelrl.' three thousand
years ago in constructing these triple
reservoirs, which We're o insure the water
supply to Jerusalem in the time of its
wiscst of kings.
The excavators Of the Palestine Ex-
poration Fund had tried in some fashion
to ascertain the secret of these remark
able pools, but they made only begin
ming, which has been followed up by
Professor Slousch, Of the School of
Archaeology, so that he might ascertain
the sources Of the perennial water sr0ply
which flowed into these pools. These
three reservoirs, lying about mile and
2 quarter from Jerusalem. and a mile and
a half TO the southwest of Bethlehem,
were skilfully planned in valley, 20 as
to utilize the natural stone walls of the
mountains, filling out the gaps with solid
masonry. The highest of the pools is 1877
yards long, and 7G yards wide, and %
feet deep at its lower end. The central
POOL is 141 yards long, from % to 50
Jards wide and IS feet deep. The lowest
and finest of the three is 1914 yards long,
40 to SO yards wide, and as feet at its
deepest part.
These pools are the answer which Solo
mon gave to the question: "How will you
supply Jerusalem with water during the
long dry season; how will you keep the
gardens Of your great palace green and
flourishing, no matter what the weather
may be-"
It must have been while he was build
ing that gorgeous palace, called the
blouse Of the Cedars Of Lebanon" which
took twenty years in the construction.
that Solomon bethought himself Of the
very difficult problem Of the water supply.
In the book of Ecclcyiastr.. We read:
81 made me gardens and parks. and /
planted trees ir them o. an kinds Of fruit;
made me pools Of water. 20 water there
with the wood that brucath forth trees"
QI:5-GD.
This hook Of Erc,c-ia-fo- bear t-e
name Of King solomon rs author % i j.
most natural 20 -.r reference 20 the
great reservoirs IN this passage. This OK
plains the reason for designing thr-e
pools, for the extensive gardens sboU, the
palace Of Solomon had 20 hc watrfed. and
there is a long dry season in Palestine.
much Ike that Of California. Moro than
that. Solomon wished 20 provide for ,hc
water supply for the Tempt and for a'i
Of the inhabitants Of his capital city. so
he had to devise means Of keeping these
huge cisterns well filled, and mere surface
drainage would not suffice
To the astOnishmp nj Of tho modern cz-
cavators. who have had 10 follow up the
little stone conduits leading 20 the pools
and keeping them filled. il was found that
the engineers employed by King Solomon
had performed the very srdUous task Of
tracing the mountain streams 10 their
sources and tapping them there 50 that
the maximum amount of water was
secured with the least possible waste Of
the precious fluid. Sometimes they went
miles to get at the fountain-head, but the
result of this long labor was shown in the
perennial streams that flowed into the
pools and kept them always filled, no mat
ter how long the dry season lasted.
The task was especially difficult be-
cause il was not tha simple matter Of lay
ing iron pipes which were unknown al
that time, but each conduit had 10 be
built carefully of stone, and all Of the