The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-11
Marvellous Railroad Building
i'm the Dark Continent,

Special to The Globe.
'BULUWAYO, Jan. 10.-Surely never
on any continent has enterprise in rail-
road building reached more marvellous
phases than in Africa.
The enlightenment of the DARK
continent may arrive in a future so
near that it will doubtless astonish the
world, provided railway development
continues at its present rate. Africa,
in fact, promises to be literally rail-
roaded into civilization.
Although Cecil Rhodes has departed
from the scene of his vast activities.
the latter continue to progress as rap
idly as even he could have wished, and
if the great man, from the ranks of the
great majority, has the power to sur
vey the progress of the world he has
left, what he sees must surely satisfy
his audacious yet farseefng ambition.
One big thing among the many pro-
jected has already been carried to COM
pletion; a transcontinental railway is
actually in existence and Beira and
Cape Town have direct communication
by rail- The contamination of this
work, which represents a railroad some
two thousand miles in length, would
have delighted the dead empire builder
who rests in his temporary tomb on the
summit of Matoppo Hills. Fer it
means the opening up of Rhodesia, the
vast region which perpetuates his
name, and its effect on the freight
carrying industry of Central and South
Africa will soon be evident, to the sat
| isfactfOn of all who are Interested in
the future of this land.
| And what future that is destined
ito be,
1t was On the 5th Of of October that
| the platelayers came within twenty
4 chains Of each other, working forward
/ from either terminus, and a day later,
in the presence of the contractors and
engineers, the junction was accom-
plished amid cheers that sfgnalized the
successful close, Of very big and note
worthy undertaking.
This, the first transcontinental rail-
way of Africa, is the work Of Paulding
81 Co., English contractors, the engi-
neers being Sir Charles Metcalfe, chief
and Sir Douglas Fox, consulting. They
have performed their task in a manner
leaving no room for criticism.
The railroad has a gauge of feet G
inches, which corresponds to the guage
of the Cape Colony line. The locomo-
tives used are twelve wheel, eight
wheels coupled, with a four-wheel
truck. Each engine has outside cyl
inders and a weight of eighty tons. For
freight carrying there are cars of forty
thousand to fifty thousand tons ca
pacity.
On the route between Beira and Sal
iSbury there is a maximum gradient o.
1 to so, with curves of a minimum ra-
dius of chains. Between Salisbury
and Buluwayo the maximum is ! in 80
with a minimum radius of chains
allowing for net paying train load O
Fabout 800 tons. The rails are of 60
pound section, and the steel sleeper;
of familiar turtleback pattern with lug
and keys, in weight about 70 pounds
each and each spaced feet 8 inches
c. to c.
When the linking Of the line was per
formed, at the stage Of the work Wher
: the plate layers had come within TWEEN
ty chains of each other, there was
scene of considerable excitement. AbOu
SOC Kaffirs were employed on the fin
iSh and they entered into the spirit o
the task with great enthusiasm. En-
gineS had arrived from each Opposit
, direction and had been halted until tn
: | completion of the line should enabl
? them to mataphorically clasp hands
, Then the signal was given to close u
, the gap. Every rail required GREY
: of twenty-five Kaf1rS to carry It, an
= as they proudly bore their burdens for
: ward they accompanied the action wit
the singing of choruses in the vernacu
t lar. 1t was q curious scene, suggestiv
3 of a savage war dance. 1t recalled
. fn Of
days of the past, when the Matabel
1 was wont to go forth to conquer or
f die, and the white man was driven
e sound a call to arms. Strange enOug
t that it should have been one Of tn
T most picturesque accomplishments G
+ the celebration of an event which S
e makes for civilization and progress a
4 does the completion of this railway.
= In the Congo Free State much &C
5 tiVity is to be seen in the direction {
I | railway building. The Franco-Belgia
. | company will construct some LAC
: kilometers of line in the Great Lake
t region. There are to be two lines {
which one, running southeast. will al
ford connection between the Congo an
Lake Tanganyika, from Nyangwe t
AlbertVille. Running northeast, til
second Of these lines is to join the VI
e per Congo, from Stanley Falls an
:, POnthierville, with the Albert Nyanz
: This will tap the extensive rubber fol-
t ests along the Aruwimi. discovered b
Stanley in 1887. Here there is not onl
rubber in Immense quantities, but ais
ivory. The rubber will be worked
the Congo Free State without della,
and an experienced set of men are
have charge. No time will be waste
. in the work, and thus tangible resul
s will follow quickly.
Last January, at Brussels, the publ