As early as 30 years ago, just like now in Pristina, there is a big difference in the situation of the Serbs. 30 years ago, Serbs in Pristina were richer. The whole market at that time was in their hands. The colonial goods were brought from Belgrade or Peshta, places where the Turks did not like to go, and even so they did not know anything about trading. Some [Turks] live on the income of their manors, while others, poorer, sell tobacco and pipes. From the trades 30 years ago, the Turks only worked as barbers, saracs, butchers, farriers and trays, while their guilds, except that of butchers, were privileged only for Mohammedans. The whole market and other trades were reserved for Serbs.

30 years ago, on market days, the Serbian language prevailed in Pristina, because the Serbs of Kosovo had not moved much, as they had moved after the Serbian-Turkish war of 1876, 1877 and 1878. Now the Albanian language is heard more than the Serbian language. . One, therefore, the fact that the number of Serbs has decreased in Kosovo, has influenced that there are fewer in Pristina, and the second is that the new railway has brought Pristina closer to Thessaloniki, has influenced that the Turks also learn trade, and especially after the arrival of immigrants from Nis and Leskovci, who, in terms of trade, distinguish many of the Turks from Pristina; because immigrants are worth more as entrepreneurs, unlike the Turks of Pristina. [...]

The fact that the Turks [Muslim Albanians] in Pristina 30 years ago had nothing to do with trade speaks of the fact that in 1873, when the railway passed through Kosovo, they revolted against it and did not allow it to pass near Pristina, therefore the train station for this [city], the biggest in Kosovo, is moved some 8-9 kilometers away. Now the Turks have become aware, and as early as January 8, 1892, during the time of Mutesarif Bahri Pasha, they held a conference in Pristina, where they agreed to ask the authorities to build a railway in Pristina, for which the residents themselves - the people of Pristina - will build it. with their own finances, but they have not been successful in this. [...]

Muhammadata has about 15 old and new mosques, some of which were once churches. They have several primary schools and a kindergarten - a semi-gymnasium.

The famous Jashar Pashë Gjinoviqi, who destroyed many churches and monasteries in Kosovo, lived in Pristina. His mansions are still maintained. One of them was burned 25 years ago, and it was the oldest. An administrator now lives in his guest house, who oversees the properties of Jashar Pasha's descendants, who live in Istanbul, and to whom someone sometimes comes when the income from the property needs to be collected.

I have been introduced to Fuad Beu, one of the grandsons of Jashar Pasha, I have been to this guesthouse twice, and the last time was in 1897, when Fuad Bey's younger brother, Ibrahim Bey, was there. After my prayer, they showed me a large room in which various and numerous weapons were placed, such as: pistols, jatagans, rifles, swords, leather (?) water bottles, two panciras and various other things. numerous, mostly of a military nature, but all in no particular order. Some of these things were placed on the wall, some on poles, and most on the ground. Then they also showed me the bloody shirt of Malik Pasha, which was taken from him when he died in battle. In my hand I also held his cock(?) — his under-cap, covered with different prayers from the Koran. In the room there are also several closed chests placed one next to the other. I have been told that Jashar Pasha's archive is stored in these boxes, and that their keys are kept by Fuad Bey in Istanbul. It is said that among the letters there are also the writings of Knjaz Miloš. [...]

From 1878 to 1888, Pristina was also the center of the vilayet of Kosovo, which in 1888 on September 8, the then Vali Faik Pasha suddenly and unexpectedly moved it to Skopje, where it is today, unchanged. neither the division of the vilayet nor its name.

At the time of Prishtina's governorship, the newspaper "Kosova" was published there in Serbian and Turkish, but before the vilayet center was moved to Skopje, this newspaper stopped being printed in Serbian, while Turkish is still published today in Skopje under the name "Kosova " as a body of the vilayet of Kosovo. In the Serbian language, "Kosova" was published from September 1884 to the end of January 1886. The one in the Turkish language was first edited by megjtupqiu [the first secretary of the vilayet] and then by a certain Hajrulla Efendia, a young man expelled from Istanbul because of his libertine mind. It was said that he had been a student of a high school in Istanbul and that he had been politically exiled in Pristina. "Kosova" from Turkish to Serbian translated by Hasan Efendia, former police chief in Skopje. Born in Gjakovë, but had lived in Bosnia for a long time, where he learned to read and write the Serbian language. The substitute for the Serbian language was Trifun Zh. Radivojevic from Prizren, now a priest in Prizren. At that time, a reading book for high schools in Serbian was also printed in Pristina.

Source: Stankovic, Todor (1912). Путне белешке по стапой Србији. Belgrade: Munc and M. Карић. Printed material. (Translation: Yll Rugova.)