Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-07-16
By RaiIUp theCongo.
The Locomotive to Shrek in
Africa's Wilds,
ALL THE MONEY NOW SUBSCRIBED.

Work To Be Begun Before the End of the
Year and Four Years Required to Build
the Road-The Socialist Congress In
Paris-French Stateemen Botch Their
Business-Russen Harrison Dimes with
Observation-Disclosures Cable Flashes.
BRUssELs, July 16-Every dollar Of the
money needed to build and equip the Congo
railroad has been subscribed The amount
raised is s., 900, 900 The subscribers include
some of the leading banking houses and cap
italists in Belgium, France Germany, Eng
land and thu United States The SURVEYS,
estimates and technical studies of the Congo
Commercial and Industrial company which
set the project in motion were
submitted IN summary report to
these institutions and financiers Figures
were given to show that the railroad was
from the first assured of business that would
yield not less than $50O, 600 per annum, which
sum is nov actually expended each year for
freightage by means of carriers around the
cataracts Ii was also shown that the gross
expenses of running two trains each wav per
week and of maintaining the plant and sup
porting four main and twenty suhsidiar,
stations woui1 not exceed $40 900 a year
leaving a fair interest on the investment
The Financial scheme.
Many Of the subscribers, however, paid
more attention to the philanthropic and civ
llzng aspects OF the enterprise than to its
prospects an investment They agreed
that if the government of Belgium would
take part itself in the work of setting the
project on its feet they would subscribe the
balance of the capital The government was
therefore authorized by the chamber of dep
nties to subscribe two-fifths of the
capital, or S2,O00,000 The bonds
held by the state, as well as those
subscribed outside are to bear interest at the
rate of 80 per cent. per annum and are to be
redeemed at par in ninety-nine years. II the
early financial results are not so satisfactory
as anticipated, all arrears of interest are to |
be paid before any other distribution of div |
idends is made, On the face of 1t, therefore, |
the capital subscribed is not subvention, |
and if the road is able to discharge its obliga-
lions will be the first railroad built near the |
equator without an out-and- ut gift in cash |
Some of the Contributors
Belgian banks have contributed 81 400 900 |
OF the capital They include all the leading |
banks of the country. Among the capital |
lists who have personally subscribed to the |
fund are Sir William Mackinnon and j. H |
Reuter-, of England, and Mr. Huntington, of |
tue United States. The Congo Commercial |
and Industrial company, which has already |
spent $1,000 in making the sur
veys, has the option under its |
agreement with the Congo state of |
building and running the railroad under |
certain restrictions A meeting of the |
stockholders has been called to form a con-
struction company to build the road There |
will be no delay in taking the preliminary |
steps, and ground will he broken on the |
Congo before the end of the year. The work |
cannot progress very rapidly in that climate |
and with little other than native labor The |
engineers estimate that the building of the |
road will require four years, and then Eu-
rope will be connected by steam with the |
very heart of the dark continent
THE SOCIALIST CONGRESS IN PARIS. |
Every Nation In Europe Represented-The |
Opening Session and Speeches
LONDON, July 16.-The Socialist congress,
which convened in Paris yesterday, is COM
posed exclusively of the followers of Karl |
Marx, and the congress itself is spoken of as |
the "Marxist' congress, to distinguish it /
from another convention Of Socialists which |
assembled here Sunday, who are known as |
the ~Possibilists," and who meet in the |
Saale Petrelle
Some Noted Men Present.
Germany has representation of ninety |
three IN the Marxist congress, including the |
leaders OF the German Social Democratic |
party-such men as Bebel, Liebknecht and |
Volmar. Messrs. Morris, Carpenter and |
Hardy are present from England, while |
Austria's delegation is headed by that we'll |
known Socialist, DR.. Ablen. Every nation |
in Europe is represented
French Welcome to Germans
NJ Lafarque, of France, delivered the
opening speech, extending the welcome of |
Paris and of France to the members of the
but to the German delegates more
than to all others he desired TO extend the
hand OF fellowship. He wished to demon
strate TO the world that race prejudice which
its tyrants every where fostered and ON
couraged To further their own selfish ambi- |
tions, had no place in the hearts of the |
Socialists of France, who could welcome |
their German brother with a love that was |
all the stronger for the hate they were ex- |
pected to bring him
Two charmen were elected to serve for |
the day-M- Valiant, Councillor of the Paris |
municipality, and Herr Liebknecht, member |
of the German parliament The latter gem
tleman In addressing the congress spoke In |
German, French and English
Good Feeling Prevalent. |
The best of feeling prevails among the del |
egates, and all express great enthusiasm as to |
the importance of the work the congress will |
accomplish. Some of the delegates to this |
convention also take part in the "Possbilist" |
congress at the Sale Petrelle, but none of |
the ninety-ihree German Socialists will go |
near the other gathering.