Evening star., 1936-05-03
Adds AbAbA HELD
EASY PREY T0F|RE
Prevalence of "Shanties," F."
Lack of Water Seen
Chief Hazards.
BY the Associated Press.

NEW YORK, May adds Ababa
is what Americans would describe as
sranty town-always a general fire
has been one of the greatest fears Of
the population.
All water, except what little may be
obtained from few poor wells, must
be carried into town from surrounding
hills.
In anticipation of such fire emer-
eency as developed in Adds Ababa to-
dav. the Belgian police directors had
scores of huge water barrels kept fllled
at various points. One old-fashioned
pump engine is the sole fire-fghtlng
apparatus.
The American Legation is in the
most dangerous position OF all Iega-
tions in a fire. 1t is less than mile
from Star of Halle Selassie Square
the center of town. Grass-thatcheo
tukul houses, which flames would turn
into a raging inferno in 1ew
minutes, surround the legation grounds.
Grounds Are Not Large.
These grounds are not large. stand
ine at the top of one Of the many
hills on which Adds Ababa is built.
In the center is the gray stone
legation home, opened only two
months ago when Acting Minister
Cornelius Van H. Engert's wife, MS
two little children and a governess
arrived in the capital from Egypt.
After eight months separation tne
Engerts were reunited because tney
believed all danger was over LOT tino
wear. A few days later they saw the
first Italian plane.
Four naval radio operators, sent ny
the United States Government 10
operate its new radio station, the most
nowerful in Ethiopia, lived IN oar.
racks with their monkey pets oehino
the legation home.
Vice Consul William Cramp mas
been living in house in the heart OF
town. Except for the Seventh-Day
Adventist Hospital. the American mis-
sions in the region are a safe distance
from the city.
The Sudan Interior Mission, headed
by DR.. Tom Lambie, Is about . lliiies
IN the southwest and the First Prespy-
terian Mission, headed by DR.. John
Cremer of Grand Rapids, Mich. IS
about s miles to the northwest. Sew
eral American women and chliofen'
including Dr.. Lambies wife, are at
the missions.
Hospital in Hollow.
Tho Seventh-Day Adventist Hospl-
tai. under DR.. George Bergman OF LOS
Angeles, is in hollow between tiie
railroad station and the old palace.
This palace, built by Menel1k, con-
sists of several cheap, wooden frame
structures which would be an easy
prev to fire. A dozen lions and leop-
ards are kept in iron-barred wooden
cages at its entrance.
Even in the European section OF the
town-the central part-practicaly all
buildings are ramshackle, one-story
huts, They were built by Greeks,
Armenians and the Italians before the
latter left the country at the outbreak
of the war The three largest forelgn
populations, they virtually monopolized
business.
Surrounding this part Of town are
several tukul villages, even more easily
DESTROYED by FIRE Several monuments
and triumphal arches in the capital
are actually made Of cardboard on
wooden frames.
Stone buildings are rare. One is the
new palace built by Emperor Halle
SelaSsie.
Largest Town in Nation.
Adds Ababa is by far the largest
town in Ethiopia, with a population
generally estimated at $4,000 since the
outbreak of the war At least 5000
foreigners remained there after hos
tilities began, mostly Arabs and In
dians.
Adds Ababa Is one Of the newest
towns in Ethiopia. The Empress Taitu,
wife of Menelik II, selected it as the
capital because she liked the health
giving mineral baths Of Filowa, now
the site of the American Seventh-Day
Adventist Hospital. Taitu gave the
new capital its name, which means
new flower"
Carnations, roses, lilies and a va
riety OF other flowers which flourish in
the gardens of the town justify the
name. The city lies in one of the
most beautiful natural settings Of any
capital, on group Of rolling hills al
most entirely surrounded by ever
green -shrouded mountains.
The high altitude, more than 5000
feet, makes it difficult for many whites,
especially those with delicate hearts,
to remain long in Taitu's town. Be-
cause of the rarified air, ordinary colds
are difficult to cure and often develop
into pneumonia among the white pop
ulation.
Fine Climate Enjoyed.
The usual tropical diseases are vir-
tually unknown in Adds Ababa, which
normally enjoys a fine climate. Sud-
den heavy showers pound like trip
hammers on the tin roofs with which
most houses are covered, but otherwise
there is usually bright sunshine. The
temperature drops sharply at night all
the year around.
The finest buildings are the gray
stone new palace, the italian Hospital
and the Italian Legation. All the lega-
tions, except the American, are in the
hills in the eastern outskirts of town.
They are considered a safe distance
from probable air bombing targets, but
the British and French have built
elaborate underground projections for
foreigners.
The American Legation, located on
O beautiful hillside on the opposite
side of the town, is dangerously close
to the post Office and one Of the three
Ethiopian radio stations. likely bombing
targets. A small dugout, by no means
bombproof, was built on the legation
grounds, but many Americans decided
q long time ago they would seek refuge
In the British Legation, If 1t became
necessary