The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-22
THE DREAMS OF Man.
Some Wonderful Plans for Changing
the Face Of the
.s Earth.
The Sea Of Sahara Again-To Dig
FOR subterranean Heat-A
Russian Plan.
New York Press.

4
There are many gigantic sehemes in the
world to-day which are worthy and lineal
successors of the plan for building the Tower
OF Babel. Yet in an age when so many won
.ders have, been accomplished It would be IN
safe to assert that any Of the vast projects
which haunt the inaginations OF the adVo-
Gates are impossible OF accomplishment or
to prophesy for them the rate which over th.
took the tower-building experiment on the
plains of Shina. ~
French engineers have declares that it is
perfectly feasible = 70 convert the slnssrt Of
commerce great regions OF the interior OF
Africa which can now only be reached by
long, tedious and dan gerous caravan jour
neys. They say that a large portion OF the
desert lies below the level of the Atlantic,
and that by digging canal to let IN the
waters of the ocean the great change could
be sesd easily aad At to cost e Which yaha
fits which would accrue. Il The whole desert
lay below the level Of the. Atlantic the
| four times as big as the Mediterranean; but
as the, Sahara is composed of elevated
piateaus, mountain ranges and depresslons,
only a part would be covered with water
| when the waves of the ocean were let in,
| and the new sea thus formed would be an
/ irregular body of water, probably OF about
| on its shores and. trade and civilization
strike at once to the heart of Africa. the
Sea of Sahara may never become a reality,
4 but in any event it is gigantic and pleasing
4 E -
| dream.
| The Russians propose not to make new
but to Back ah Of crea is
body of water 220 miles long and 80 mlles
Wide. It opens into the Baltic Sea, and
would be an important center OF trade were
4 it not for the fact that it is SO extremely
shallow that no ocean going steamer can
enter it, Even small boats have dif1cuHy
\ in navigating its waters. Now the russian
business to the shores of the Sea of Azoy
by building dam across the strait by which
| 1t communicates with the Black sea OF AzoN
low body Of water fill it UP to depth which
1tshall make it practicable ror large steamers
It is thought that heavy Dam ABOUT " s Eve
i ing in ocean steamers, would accomplish INT
desired result Where the shores OF the ses
4 are high naturally they would pc al r1sna
low artificial shores would have to be con.
l. structed, otherwise the Azov might only o
Increased in area Instead Of being deepeneo
It is a big undertaking; but the RUSSIAN GOV.
4 eminent is seriously considering the work
i and detailed plans have been prepared:
Among great schemes may be included tn
a member OF the British parliament, who ad
;, yocated the building OF immense Walls ~ u
, increase the rainfall in sterile districts. an
walls were to be So high tnan Tt 1neir aa 1op
pour Of rain, thereby rendering TT for c sn
!, ovation lands which are now good only TO
! pasture or entirely unpTontaDie.
I'll Another member Of the same family, lor
John Russell, when premier OF England, ha
: Urged upon his attention the scheme OF Dug
: ging an immense hole three miles IN .c1Tcam
= ference in the center Of England q 1t was t
give work to the unemployed and was to
down so deep that the subterranean heat re
i leased would be sufficient to furnish mo,lV
= power for all the factories in the land.
1t has been proposed seriously several time
e to nut out the fires Of Vesuvious by letting
on them the waters of the Mediterranean
has heen
!. that a gigantic explosion would result, whic
would blow up Italy.