The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-08-10
NEW SUDANESE CAPITAL
English City Being Built on the
Banks of the Nile.
PROGRESS OF MODERN KHARTUM.

Migrate From Omdurman to the
New City.
Soon after the fall OF Omdurman 1t
was decided that th@ seat of govern
back across the Nile to its old location
at Khartum. This decision was based
chiefly on two considerations. The
first was the fact that British authori-
ty In the Sudan is largely dependent
OIL prestige, and 1t was considered that |
the moral effect of establishing the |
old capital and the consequent decay Of |
the derYish city would be salutary |
and, moreover, the attempt to work |
over Omdurman into civilized seat Of |
government would bring about eondi |
tions which might lessen the respect of
the inhabitants for the energy and
power of their conquerors. The second
reason was the ease with which the
old city could be made proof against
attack. Omdurman, on the other hand,
is higher, drier and less unhealthful
than the old city, and much stress was
laid upon the public and private ex-
pense involved in the change. Military
considerations prevailed, however, and
the new British capital was planned
accordingly. a correspondent OF the
London Times gives an interesting ac
count of the remarkable progress made
In the construction of the Rew city
since the plans were adopted as fol
lows:
''The whole city has been laid out on
a metropolitan scale. The river front
along the banks of the Blue Nile is
more than three miles long. The depth
inland Is nearly mile and half. The
public buildings lie along the river
bank. At the extreme southwest the
Gordon Memorial college. large red
brick structure with shady galleries
and porticos, covering three sides of a
square, has far outstripped It's schol-
ars, and In n few months it will be
ready for work. In the center Of the
lines, on the exact site of Gordon's pal
ace, rises the palace of the governor
general, now practically completed. 1t
IA a handsome Venetian looking red
brick edifice, with white stone arcad-
ings and ogives. The facade overlooks
the river, and the open court, fanked
by two wings, looks out over the city
across a spacious garden in which
there still lourishes few OF the old
palms and lemon trees of Gordon
day. Farther northwest are other
large buildings. which will soon be I'm
ished-the government offices and the
supply and ordnance stores. The road
In front of them will be fanked
throughout by a stone river wall.
parallel with this imposing rtvel
front ext Il several avenues - Sir
dar's avenue. Victoria avenue. Shasis
Cromer These are regularly crossed
by main streets not less than 80 fee
wide. The blocks thus formed are fur
ther ntersected by diagonals. the cross
roads forming the keypoints or the CIT.
for purposes of defense in such a wa.
that four Maxim guns could contro
the whole interior of the city. Nea
the northeast corner of the river from
there is being rapidly built by Britis
capital the hotel which at the end
their long desert journey will receiv
the weary visitors to the capital or ID
Sudan. Nearer the center Of the tow
are the shops, restricted to the quartz
round the 'sook,' or bazaar, and close
hand covered market on Indian moo
els is about to be built in Abbas squar
A mosque and an English church al
also to be erected at government e.
pense. Outside of all these building
on the desert front, line OF defenslD
barracks with redoubtS will be draw
along the narrow are from Nile TO MI
.'Such is the city of khartum as
lies behind the fringe of palm al
orange groves which rises, true mi
age among the false. to greet the ira
eler approaching across the barren oe
erts of the north. city OF DFo'
streets and handsome buildings
tramways and electric lights. plant
in the heart of Africa by the autocra'
will of A single man, designed In It's G
tirety and equipped with all Its pup
buildings within year by the gro
Of brilliant young officers of the Roy
engineers on whose devoted shouloe
the burden Of this work has ialn-
A question has now arisen VIM
promises some interesting devei'
ments. The military headquarters
in Khartum, and the people are in y
durham. In progressive weste
country the chances are the peol
would philosophically come 10
mountain" but In the Sudan thil
are different. The provincial gove
ment of Khartum counted on =
eral movement as soon as work te
definite shape, but this has not COZ
The poor people cannot afford to mo
and the merchants cannot anord
leave the great mass of their custe
ers. Furthermore. the shipping Iae
ties at Omdurman are better than u
are on the other side OF the river 8
The Manufacturer.
An order has been issued that e
holder of lands in Khartum must ei
building, complying with the reg
tions, within two years. But tnis OF
cannot be we'll carried out, as the pu
ings must be OF brick. and there
not enough skilled masons in the
gion to accomplish the work necess
within the time limit set.
A prominent sheik is Of the opiI
that 1t will require at least 40 y
for the people of Omdurman 10
themselves houses In Khartum it
to their own resources.