Evening star., 1928-04-05
ILLFATED SMYRNA
ONCE MORE INRU|NS
City With bad Luck" Record
Has Been Wrecked by
Earthquake.
Smyrna. which holds world record

SMYRNA, which holds a world record
for bad luck, is in ruins again.
Six wears labor to raise smyrna
from her ashes has been set at naught
apparently. by an earthquake says a
bulletin from the National Geographic
Society.
FIRST reports indicate that the Turk
tSh quarter. which alone escaped the
IRE of 1929. has been shaken down.
One Of the finest harbors III Asia
Minor has encouraged men TO reoullo
Smyrna after every calamity. turks
call the city The Eve Of Asia. because
1t is the port through which Asia Minor
looks west To the Mediterranean, 10
Athens, to italy and 70 New YORK.
Golden Gate" Wonders Cited.
"One vaunted experience IN the Near
East is TO sail ST dawn through the Is
mile wide Golden Gate OF Smyrna :
hs~bor and watch the Sun rise over
Srsv. PagoS. setting aglow the red roofs
C;rclinc the rlarcsn of the bay Usually
steamers are lined along the stone quay,
with their bows pointing landward.
From that quay, reported severely dam
sEed the steamers load Smyrna hgS
from the Mcn6eTe River valley. Sultana
rsisinS, Turkish tobacco and TURKISH
rigs.
sSmvrns is one of the oldest cities
in the world, but il has slight appear
ence Of antiquity. Containing all ma
tionalitieS. Smyrna is Of no nationality,
SMYRNA produces nothing. but eX-
changes everything
From the ruined fortress on Mount
Pages the harbor and the quarters
srread under the eye. There is the
Turkish quarter. with minarets and
black-green SpearheadS of funereal cy-
press trees. the Frankish European
Quarter. with newer, finer buildings;
the Greek quarter. American quarter
and the Jewish ghetto. All oi them
except the Turkish quarter still carry
the black scars OF Smyrna's fire,
Once Greek Colony Under Turk Flag.
Before the World War Smyrna was
the unofficial capital Of the large Greek
colony living under Turkish dominion
sr this region C4recianS prospereo by
producing the figs. ralSlns and rugs
to be sold bv their countryYnen in the
United States. After the World War
Smyrna province was awarded to
Greece. but the Turks recovered strength
and routed the occupants. When the
Greek Army took TO its boats. vast
horde of Greek refugees crowded INTO
Smyrna While they waited for ships
fire broke out. penning the mass on
the quay between the waves and fiery
furnace. At least 10000 lost their lives
that terrible night.
In The six elapsed years Smyrna has
gradually recovered. The camel trains
again trail down 10 the city. and now
they are accompanied by honking
American cars. New movie theaters
line the quay where the ilorse-drawn
trolley car has resumed service. Turks
come down 10 drink coffee at the tables
on the water front before going 70 see
Wild West thriller. -Four American to-
bscco companies have resumed business.
An oil company and school contribute
10 the American colony.
L. S BUYS Figs and Tobacco.
"In return for American motors.
movies, gasoline and education, Smyrna
SENDS US principally figs and tobacco.
The orderly delcateSsen figs in the for
eigEl-iabeled boxes are from Smyrna.
That is. the boxes are from Smyrna.
while the figs come from the l50-mlile-
long agricultural paradise Of the Men
oere Valley. The river that made IL
gives the English language the word
'meander' Along the valley grows the
Smyrna fig. which has been introduced
into California Some years the export
fg crop brings the equivalent Of $1,000
600 IN Smyrna.
yet fate has never permitted Smyrna
% consider its inherent riches-trade.
hsrbor. Climate and rainfall Greeks.
hsce6onisns. Romans. Tatars, Genoese.
knights Of Rhodes. venetians and Turks
have tramped on one another's heels