Leslie A. Davis

“ Freight rates are, of course, extremely high at all times, being many times greater than the rate from the country of export to the port of arrival in Turkey and often amounting to much more than the original cost of the goods. This region can never make much progress commercially until transportation conditions are remedied by the building of railroads, and this is not likely to be done except with foreign capital and assistance. ”

“ The price is advancing each year as the supply is getting scarcer and the wood brought from greater distances. There is no way by which coal or wood could be brought here from other places. The recent discovery of a deposit of coal in the Paloo region, two days’ journey from Harput, aroused hopes that this problem might be partially solved, but the coal has proved to be of inferior quality and hardly worth bringing here. ”

“ One advantage that American firms have in doing business here is that a large number of Armenians from this district have been to the United States. They have become familiar with articles of American manufacture and are useful agents in advertising their merits. Most of them understand English. Some of them buy small shops in the market and start in business for themselves. They naturally favor American goods. Others engage in some trade in which they employ American tools. ”

“ Among other articles for which there is some market in this district, only a small portion of which now comes from the United States, are bicycles, canned fish, clocks and watches, drugs, glass and glassware, lamps, lanterns, needles and pins, petroleum, second-hand saddles, shoe polish, soap, stationery, toys, and wooden shoe pegs. The sale of drugs is rapidly increasing, due partly to the many Armenians here who have become accustomed to their use in the United States, and also to the American hospitals in the district, all of which maintain public dispensaries. ”

“ The American cabot “A” is well known in Turkey and is extensively used both in the army and among the people. Any cabot to be sold here must be cheap and durable. There is also a good market for calicoes and prints. Calicoes must be unstarched and prints must be of fast colors. Bright colors with large flower designs are preferred; prints having animal designs would not sell here. Large quantities of yarn are used, especially in the region of Arabkir, in the manufacture of a cotton cloth called “manoosa,” which is made and worn throughout Asia Minor. ”

“ As much of the region between Samsun and Harput is very fertile and at the present time it is impossible to export the crops because of lack of means of transportation to the coast, the people were looking forward to a new era. ”

“ There are a number of small silk factories and most of the production of this industry is used locally, but usually some cocoons are exported each year to Marseille and some silkworm eggs to Russia, Persia, and Roumania, while raw silk goes to several of the other Provinces of Turkey. ”

“ There is no market worth seeking in this district for such articles as automobiles, electrical or other machinery, engines, motor boats, musical instruments, or office furniture, though there is an occasional isolated purchase. ”

“ The Government has been making some effort, however, to introduce modern farming implements, and maintains in all the principal cities in the interior of Asia Minor supply stations where they are sold at cost and free instruction given in their use. Only the cheapest and simplest kinds of implements can be sold. ”

“ There was only about half an average crop of almonds, grapes, apples, pears, and plums. The price of almonds, however, is only 9 piasters an oke (13 cents a pound) , about half the usual price, because none were exported. The crop of apricots was about average, and the peach crop only a little below the average.
Lack of Fuel—Machinery for Artesian Well.
The lack of fuel is one of the greatest problems of this region. The only wood obtainable is scrub oak sapplings, all of which has to be brought here on the backs of donkeys from a distance of two or three or even four days’ journey. ”

“ There are no manufacturing establishments or industrial enterprises of any importance and no business houses of any size in the entire district. The only stores are small shops or booths of one room, seldom more than 10 or 15 feet square and usually even smaller than that. ”

“ There is a limited market for hardware and for simple carpenters’ and blacksmiths’ tools, such as axes, hammers, hatchets, drills, files, planes, screw drivers, saws, hinges, locks, latches, staples, chains, wire, wire nails, knives, forks, spoons, pocketknives, scissors, clippers, currycombs, small coffee mills, and meat choppers. ”

“ Parasols are always carried by the higher-class Turkish and Armenian women, principally for the purpose of concealing their faces. Bright colors are always chosen.
Some improvement is to be noted in the styles of women’s dresses. Woolen dress goods are now sold here. Medium qualities of durable material sell best. ”

“ Local bankers estimate that nearly $1,000,000, or $10 per family, comes into this one Vilayet annually from emigrants who have settled in the United States. The importance of this revenue to the poor people here can be appreciated from the fact that the average family lives on about $150 a year. ”

“ The imports into the Vilayet of Mamouret-ul-Aziz from other parts of Turkey during 1014 were valued at $487,060, compared with $833,700 for 1013. The imported articles and their value for two years were as follows:
Effect of War on Export Trade. ”