Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-05-26
MASHONALAND.
A Part of Africa Destined to
Come to the Front.
A Three-Thousand Acre Farm
for Twenty-Five Dollars.

for Twenty-Five Dollars.
G. e. Atwood, for twenty years
esIdent of Natal, Mashonaland and
ther parts of East Africa, who has
lad many curious experience there as
gold and diamond miner and while
engaged in other occupations, is at the
American exchange. Mr.. Atwood
says the gold and diamond mining in
dustries are at a somewhat low ebb.
The gold mines are suffering col
lapse, and the diamond fields have
nearly all been bought up by big syn
dicates who control things.
He thinks Mashonaland is the coun-
try of all others in that part of Africa
destined to come to the front.
"It is no country for a married
man." he said, "but for young man
it offers great inducements. 1t is a
wilderness now, and that is the reason
there is so good show. The British
East Africa Company, organized on
something like the lines of the British
East India Company, has been grant
ed immense areas of lands and other
rights. A great number of very rich
men are behind it, and they are going
to build long railroad to open up the
country.
"This is what affords opportunities
there. The country is very rich. An
acre there will produce more than any
family can use. Maize or Indian corn
is the principal crop, though mangoes,
sweet potatoes, oranges and many
other things give prodigious crop.
Oranges are very fine, aud they are SO
cheap that they are only worth cents
for hundred. No irrigation what
ever is required. The soil is quite
sandy.
"No improved implements are used
in the cultivation of the maize. 1t is
all done by natives with hoes. Here
tofore it has been no use to attempt to
grow much, because it could not be
got out. Still what has been grown
has brought 81 for every 200 pounds,
and from that up to more than 80. 1t
is ground into flour good deal and
makes very fine bread. The oranges
never will have market except pure
ly local. To attempt to sell them on
the Atlantic seaboard of America is
useless, because the California product
can beat them there eight or ten days.
"Now, if a young man has but $500
and will go to Mashonaland he can
secure 5000 acres of this magnificent
land by paying down S25, staying
part of six months of each year for
two years and expending the remain
der of his $500 on the land. Then he
gets his title. Some of the land down
near the coast is worth as much now
as it is here, and great deal of this
cheap land will be valuable in two OF
three years. AT present they don't
think any more of 5000 acres there
than you do of ten acres here. 1t is q
good opening, though, and the land i s
bound to come out all right.
''At present the Americans are doing
most of the business in East Africa.
Not that they are there, for they are
not; but they sell the goods. The
supply comes from New York prin-
cipally. Doors. window frames,
glass, household furniture and many
other things of that class they sell.
It's big trade and pays well.
GAS TO these lands in Mashonaland,
man can stay on his ranch and get
all the game he wants to live on.
Roebucks and anv amount of antelope
and different kinds of deer roam there
in great plenty, and there is also
great deal of fine feathered game. 1t
is country very attractive in more
ways than one; but children don't
thrive there somehow, and have
brought mine here to see if they won't
do better. .'-[San Francisco Exam
liner.