The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-26
OPENING THE CAPE-TO-CAIRO
RAILWAY TO VICTORIA FALLS
Early in April a Train-de-Luxe
Will Run Into the Heart Of A.
RIGA, Bearing Tourists to the
Cataract that Is Three Times as
High as Niagara.

Arthur Warren in New York Times.
Early in April the first railway train
will run from the southernmost point
of Africa-Cape Town-to Victoria
Falls. 1,700 miles north, at the heart
Of the continent. So far has Cecil
the line from the Cape to Cairo. And
northward, ever northward, the line
is being pushed till one day 1t will
meet the line coming southwark from
Khartoum.
To Victoria Falls in April by train
de luxe! Victoria Falls, remember,
Undiscovered by Livingstone, and since
then, till now, left pretty well alone!
To Victoria Falls by train which has
a club smoking car, dining car. obser-
walton car and compartment sleeping
cars fitted with shower baths! At
Victoria Falls a large and luxurious
hotel will be opened when the first
train arrives. Victoria falls: mile
wide and three times as high as
Niagara!
Behind this running Of train there
is story Of achievement, and 1t be-
gins with Cecil Rhodes.
The Story of Rhodesia.
Ten years ago Rhodesia, as it is
called now, was savage land peopled
with the most warlike race Of native
Africans. White men looked upon the
land and saw that it was good. There
were 100000 square miles of it. Cecil
Rhodes being an empire maker, came
and possessed the region, to the NOR
LITIGATION of the continental European
powers, who wanted it for themselves.
Then he went to England, and, under
royal grant, formed the Chartered
company, as 1t is popularity known.
Africa company. To 1t was given full
charge Of Rhodesia, possession Of Its
assets, the making and administration
of it's laws. It undertook the devel-
opment Of the region; 1t invited the
white man In.
For Rhodesia has white mans
climate. Its elevation above the sea
level enables him to live there, work
there and multiply.
Ten years ago the black warriors
slaughtered the white men. This had
to be stopped. Civilization had got
one foot forward, and she put the
other down. Now the two races live
arisen, and there are 2,1oo miles Of
railway In full operation and earning
dividends.
Recently in my travels passed
some days with Sir Charles Metcalfe,
who is the Chartered company's chief
consulting engineer in South Africa,
the builder Of the railways. Sir
Charles was one Of Rhodes right-hand
men and stood close to him in his i'm
perial undertakings, was in his
confidence till death removed the
great leader He told me many. In
teresting facts about the country that
is destined to play large part in af-
fairs before many years.
A Land of Promise.
The natural resources of Rhodesia
are not yet fully known, the surveys
are not yet complete. But enough is
known for present purposes. Copper
they have, and coal and iron, and tin
and lead. And the coal Is better than
Cardiff coal, and Cardiff coal up to
now has been the best in the markets
of the world. Gold they have, but
at present. One reason has been that
they have not wished to encourage the
sort Of immigration that always has
poured over other gold regions. And
here we get little closer to Rhodes
idea.
1t was not his intention to admit to
Rhodesia the riffraff Of the world.
Rhodes desired for one thing, that the
country should become a nation Of
homes. For another thing, he wished
the ,incomers to be for some years
picked men. If people were to Quilt
sonable amount Of capital and expert
ence; and so with the trades and the
professions: He said:
Don't go too fast. Build for the
future"
A happy example Of the way
Rhodesian plans have been laid out il
afforded at Victoria Falls. On eacf
side of the falls an area six mile:
< long, and from one to two miles wide
has been set apart as a public park
a state reservation forever. And thi.
was the first thing they did at Vic
toria Falls.
They can develop the horsepower
Of the falls without spelling thu
scenery. And this they propose to do