Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-12-15

bore the sad news that poor Glaesenr
! udings enclosed Il photographs of the
completed bridge 10 which the young
man had devoted months of hard work
that had cost him his life Seven bridges
of Importance must be built before the
line reaches Stanley Pool. The largest
one over NgoHgo river, will be $50 feet
. long.
One problem which gave the engineers
some trouble was to dispose of the tor
rents of water which would be sure to
pour down over the track during the
heavy tropical rains. 1t was feared ,l.at
incesSant trouble during half the year
would be encountered from this source.
An effective solution of the problem
SENS TO have been reached. At all places
where large torrents occur, steel aque-
ducts are building that will carry the
flood down the hills and under the rail
road track
At first the company had considerable
difficulty in securing enough provisions
for its army of Workmen, as it was very
costly to bring provisions from up the
river. The coast regions far and wide
were levied upon for supplies. The
WOrkmen have been well fed on rice,
cOrned beef, dried fish. vegetables and
biscuit, and now that the road is push
ing along the plateau it is expected that
provisions viii be more easily obtained
and at cheaper rates. Seven lOcomO-
tives and thirty cars are on the track
and a large part of them have been
kept busy carrying railroad material
and provisions as the road advanced.
This stretch of ten miles above Matadi
has, for nearly two years presented the
busiest scene in equatorial Africa. Fully
One-third of the entire work has center,
ed in these ten miles. Now the COM
pany can make rapid progress to Stan
ley Pool, where they expect mat trad
ers will furnish considerable freight in
the way of ivory, india rubber, gums,
dye stlffS and other articles. 1t is eX-
pected also that coffee cotton and to-
! bacco plantations will ultimately be
found profitable on the Upper Congo.
When the railroad is completed, inner
Africa will be within a few weeks of the
| capitals of Europe. Who knows but
some day a small part of the tourist
traffic will be turned in this direction?
The railroad company say they expect
to provide facilities for comfortable
travel so that whoever desires, may
visit the once mysterious regions Of
inner Africa. 1t is likely that within
| the next twenty years it will be feast
, bic to visit the great lakes without
spending over two or three weeks II
Africa. The merchants and missionaries
among the Nyassa highlands say that
when facilities for reaching Lake NyaS-
ST. are improved these mountains will
be well worth the attention Of tourists.
The Congo railroad is one Of the most
significant features of the colossal work
which Europeans are carrying on III
Africa. 1t is not wise, however, to take
Il too sanguine view Of the prospect of
trade in the Congo basin. It's people
as vet have few wants, and these are
easily supplied. The ultimate value Of
the region will probably depend more
! upon plantations of sugar, cotton, coffee
and tobacco, conducted under white
superintendent, than upon any other
source Of commerce. In time, india
rubber and one or two other products
may become large sources of traffic;
but no hopes Of permanent prosperity
! can be built upon the ivory trade, which
is sure to dwindle in few years.