Joseph (Yussef) Effendi Bey Moutran

Joseph Bey M outran This man is the son of the former he was born at Baalbek in 1855 From an early age he shewed a great inclination for public affairs and an unshakeable attachment to the government In 1880 private affairs summoned him to Constantinople for some time there he made the acquaintance of the most influential diplomatists of the Empire whose favour he was able to secure Five years afterwards he again proceeded to Constantinople where he devoted himself to the service of his country and his Sovereign It was then that his brilliant career began In 1888 he obtained a grant of the dues of the port of Beyrout and of the steam tramway of Damascus He became at the same time grand officer of the Medjidie and knight of the Legion d honneur In 1889 he obtained also for 99 years grant of the Damascus Hauran railway His talents and his devotion acquired for him the particular confidence of his Imperial Majesty the Saltan who honored him with the order of the grand officer of the Osmanie with the medal of Imtiaz only accorded to the principal men of the state Two years later he became an officer of the Legion d honneur and obtained several other decorataons of foreign Powers In 1893 he obtained the grant of the great railway of Damascus Homs Hama Aleppo Biredjik on the Euphrates the length of which is 600 kil The special interest of the Sublime Porte made Paris the residence of Joseph Bey where he gained the respect of the French nobility His house became so to speak the rendez vous of the most celebrated people In 1894 he requested and obtained the hand of Mile Fany daughter of general Ciro military governor of Briancon Their marriage was celebrated with exceptional splendour and solemnity His Holiness the Pope deigned himself to bless the marriage by sending his pontifical blessing by a telegraphic despatch to the couple But the star of Joseph Bey Moutran after having shone with the most brilliant magnificence suddenly waned Some months after his marriage while returning to his native country which he had served with all his powers he stopped at Cairo where he had the misfortune to lose his beloved wife owing to a sad accident This loss affected him so much that he could not be consoled he contracted a terrible malady which brought about his death in 1895 in Paris despite the unwearied care which his parents and friends bestowed on him His Majesty the Sultan condescended to express his regret to Habib Pacha his father and to assure him of his lofty protection at the same time transferring to his name the grants which had been in his son's name and conferring on his brother Bechid Bey the position which Joseph had enjoyed in Paris

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