The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-11
sEATTLE. WEDyEsDAr. NOR. II.


TRANsCONTINEsTA RAILWAYS.
Our dispatches yesterday reported that
the French are about to take possession Of
the oasis of Tooat in the desert of Sahara.
This occupation is necessary to the prose-
cution and protection of the projected
Trans-Saharian railway. The length of
this railway, from Philippeville, in Al
geria, to Lake Tchad, in Central Africa, is
1906 miles. It's estimated cost will be
$50, 900, the cost of the Suez canal.
From Philippeville to BIskra, 1873 miles,
the line 10 already built. Iron and wood
for the construction of the road are
plenty, while water is found under the
whole Saharian desert along the line of the
proposed work. Artesian wells dug in
Sahara soon strike water.
The railway will be built in the rapid
manner pursued by Russia in Central Asia.
The gauge will be metre e feet inches).
The rails will weigh 20 kilogrammes GA
pounds) per running metre, and the ties
will be of metal
The Trans-Saharian line will consist of
central stem by way of Ouargla and AM
guild, connecting on the north in one
direction, by the Algerian railways, with
Tougourt and Biskra, and by way of Della
20 Algiers; on the south with Tchad, and
eventually with the southwest and the
Niger. An estimate of the yearly income
to be derived from the Saharian business
may be put at {, 265, 600 francs.
Central Soudan is rich enough to furnish
vast commercial business to railway.
Spices, ostrich feathers, gold dust, indigo,
hides, leather, cereals and fruits, palm oil.
cotton, ebony and dyestuffs. Add to this
the passenger traffic, and, according to
the estimate of Napoleon Ney in the
current number of Seribner's Magazine,
the Trans-Saharian traffic would result
in earnings of about 10000 francs per
kilometre of line. As the construction
cost would average 100 900 francs a kilo-
metre, interest at AZ per cent will require
1850 francs per kilometre. The running
expenses of one train a day in either
direction, would be between 5000 and
$500 francs per kilometre and per year.
The success CT the Trans-Saharian rail-
way means the peaceful conquest of Gen.
trail Africa and the suppression of that
frightful outrage on humanity, the inter-
nal African slave traffic.
This great work contemplates line of
railway about the same length of that of
the Union and Central Pacific from
Omaha to San Francisco, a distance
of 1918 miles. Our first great transcon-
tinental line was accomplished in three
years, il We allow for the interruption
caused by the war of the rebellion, the
work being taken up in earnest only
in 1866
Between 1879 and 1886 Russia built her
great Trans-Caspian railway from the
Caspian sea to Samarcand, which will
soon reach Siberia and finally the sea
Of Okhotsk. The Trans-Siberian-the
continuation of the Trans-Caspian -
will cross Siberia from east to
west. and has been begun at its
Eastern end. The road viii run from the
Oural to Vladivostock. and the Russian
naval station on the sea of Okhotsk. The
whole length will be 100 kilometres a, 7s3
miles), and will not be completed proba-
car has resolved to open the road to traffic
by 1895. The cost of this great railway is
estimated at s175, 000. 900. Before deciding
to build this great road, which is more
than twice the length of any of our Amer
lean transcontinental lines, the Russian
government inquired into the economic
condition of Canada and the Northwest
-
ton Of the Canadian Pacific railroad.
This inquiry led the government to believe
that the line would eventually pay, as, In
their opinion, the conditions in Siberia
are more favorable than those in Canada.
The line will at first need to be supported
by an annual subsidy of at least 81, 900 600.
The ANNUAL expenses, including interest
at 4 per cent. on the enormous capital in
vested. have been estimated at ST., 405, 600.
The revenue expected from the carriage
Of tea is about $6,000,o00; that from the
carriage of other goods is estimated at
about Sc, 900. 900. while the government ex-
poets TO make a saving in the conveyance
of criminals and exiles officials and stores,
of about 81, 600. 600 year. 1t Is estimated
further that the iron and copper works
near the Urals will bring to the railroad
about $4,000 tons of freight annually.
South America has also undertaken q
continental line, the trans-Andean, work
upon which has been stopped by the war
in Chile aud the financial straits of the
Argentine Republic. 1t will run from
Valparaiso on the Pacific TO Buenos Ayres
on the Atlantic.