Show THE POOLS OF SOLOMON After Centuries of Disuse They Again Supply Jerusalem Detroit Free Press III About half way to Hebron In south southern ern era Palestine Pale are located the Interesting Pools of Solomon Even In this ad advanced advanced advanced age of engineering these reser reset reservoirs cannot but excite Interest for the ingenuity exhibited in their construe construction tion These The e are the pools of which Solomon spoke when he said I made me pools of water to water therewith the wood that forth trees They are similar to three small akes lakes The length of ot the first te le feet the breadth is 3 feet and the depth ITS 1 feet The third Is the largest and meas mess measures measures ures urea feet in length and antl ITS liS feet in breadth Wide stone steps lead to the bottom of the tank tankA A little channel above the cistern sup supplies supplies plies piles the reservoirs through an arched conduit with water from a hidden called the sealed fountain Looking into this channel one sees the spring water ater gushing from rock to rock Not far off ot are the Gardens of Solomon watered by a pretty rill till These gardens are two miles in length and supply the Jerusalem market with fruit even to this lay day It may be of ot interest at this time when the Zionists are attracting to so much attention to the agricultural aims of the race to know that in this ancient garden a colony of Jews JeS are the cultivators tors tore of the land under the guidance of English superintendents and though at first it seemed likely that this scheme might be a failure time has proved that doubt need no longer be entertained In regard to their success as ss agriculturists By means of these immense reservoirs re and their aqueducts water was con conveyed in those ancient days all the i way to Bethlehem and Jerusalem Jern lem as the sole water supply This was a work worthy of Israels greatest kin king Solo Solomon Solomon Solomon mon For many years these aqueducts were out of use on account of their need of repair but within the last year or two they have been put into condition for use and are a great boon to the dry and waterless city of Jerusalem In a country of such lIuch Intense heat hoot and andin andIn andin in a city containing so dense a population populatIon tion Hen for whom the only supply of water was the uncertain rainfall during au autumn autumn autumn and spring an abundant supply of water to the city of Jerusalem lias haS been a crying need for years Wealthy English philanthropists had from time timeto to time offered to renew these conduits but their suggestions were never wel welcomed we corned by the sultan who was ever ready to receive the price they were willing to pay for these reparations but not to allow them to take the matter in hand themselves Finally impelled by the extreme scarcity of water In Jerusalem during a year filled with epidemic diseases the Turkish ministry of ot public works deter mined to begin the work of reconstruct reconstructing ing these ancient water conduits of Sol Sot Solomon Soloman omen oman up to Jerusalem Jeru The defective earthen pipes were to be supplanted by Ly iron ones and contractors were engaged to supply tons of iron pipes The water course was to be discharged to toward toward toward ward the southwestern end of the city into two large reservoirs securing water weter enough for tor the whole population he be total expense in this work was estimated at francs franc Thus it is 10 now floW toe ios lo sible to convey to the Holy City dally daily 2560 2500 cubic meters of water Of this they proposed giving 1000 meters fr frE of charge to the poor of Jerusalem and their precious gift is distributed it tt the mosque of Omar and the holy sepulcher and wherever pilgrims are in the habit of ot gathering In large numbers num nL The new nw conduits join the ancient aqueducts of and are carried through a tunnel meters in length The inauguration of this work was an unusually interesting event It took tiek place In the presence of the civil i rd nd military authorities and the clergy To give the ceremony an air of solemnity two sheep beep were slaughtered in the out gate of the fountains fountain and by this oct net I ct the work was consecrated con by this thle their lr most moet solemn offering This km long needed amelioration to The city of or Jerusalem is Ia a great boon End s nd blessing to the inhabitants for tor now new JK W they can enn enjoy pure water as no expense or great effort to themselves instead of suffering for lack of it is heretofore and living in dirty and unhealthy surround surroundings surroundings ings inea due to the scarcity of this precious fluid the absence of ot rain and the ex ox expense pease pense pen e of getting water brought in by peasants bearing stone water pots on their heads and walking barefoot for miles from Ute tile springs of neighboring villages The country in the vicinity of these pools la III hilly and green and luxuriant Here are olive trees and vineyards flourishing in abundance The air is delightfully cool coot and refreshing fra fragrant fragrant fm grant with the aromatic odors of or the many shrubs and herbs growing on the roadside The sky is usually a perfect perfectly ly cloudless blue |