Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-07-15
TWO NEW AFRICAN RAILROADS.
Lines Just Opened In the Far Interior
Of tho Dark Continent.

OF tho Dark Continent
Two notable events have occurred In
Africa within few weeks.
One is the completion, after years
Of labor, Of steam connections between
the French port Of Dakar at Cape
Verde. Senegal, with Bammalu on the
upper Niger. Hereafter all who wish
to visit the city Of Timbuctu, which a
few years ago was closed to the
Christian world and which only four
or five white men had ever seen, may
travel every foot Of the way by rail-
road or steam vessel.
The other is the opening Of the
Cape to- Cairo railroad as far north
as Victoria Falls on the Zambesi.
The railroad in Senegambia connects
Hayes at the head Of navigation on
the Senegal river, with Bammaku on
the navigable upper Niger. River boats
and trains each have their part in this
route from the sea to the far interior.
The railroad Is $50 miles long.
1t took eight years to build the first
ninety miles Of 1t. Then the enterprise
stopped and was not revived till five
years ago.
In 1899, Senegal and the French Su-
dan agreed to contribute 100000
year toward the completion Of the road.
AS the result Of this and other vigor-
GUS measures steady progress has been
made in the past few years.
Even the section completed long ago
has been practically rebuilt and the
gauge Of the road changed to one me-
ter Every resource that could be
drawn from the country has been util-
lied, including wood for fuel, lime,
brick and lubricating oil; but no wood
figures anywhere in the construction,
as ants and other insects would speed
lily destroy it. All the ties are or
metal.
About 1000 black laborers have built
the road under the charge of sub-over-
seers of their own race and French
superIntendents and engineers. Long
stretches Of the road through noun
famous regions are very picturesque
and the French predict that the route
will attract not few tourists.
Some of the bridges are from quar-
ter to a half mile in length. Great
hopes for the development Of large
and rich part Of West Africa are baseo
upon this railroad.
The other railroad Is a part OF the
great continental line that is to cross
Africa from south to north. The Sec
tion Just completed extends from Bulu-
wayo, the capital Of southern Rhodesia-
to Victoria Falls on the Zambesi, 276
miles.
A few trains have already passed be-
tween Cape Town and the Falls, ABOUT
LOO miles; and before many months
the British association for the Ad-
vancement Of Science will meet at the
end of, the road for their annual ses-
sion. the first great scientific body to
convene in inner Africa
They will see the great falls that
Livingstone discovered and the long
bridge that the engineers are begin
ming to stretch across the river. Tne
British South Africa company is al
ready planning to make the men OF
science as comfortable as possible dur
ing their short sojourn in tropical
climate.
Not far from the Falls is the Wankie
coal district, where coal mining on
considerable scale began as soon as
the iron track reached 1t. An omciaI
report to the British South AFRICA
company recently spoke Of the "inex-
haustible supply Of COAL" which the
advent of the railroad would make ac-
cessible.
The report estimated the initial out,
put of coal at 300 tons daily and SAID
that as soon as the railroad prougnt
heavy machinery to the field, the out
put would be increased to 1000 tons
day. With the exception Of the pest
Welsh coal, there Is said to be no pet
ter steam coal in the world than TINS
bituminous fuel found little SOUTH
east Of Victoria Falls.
AS soon as the bridge Is thrown
across the Zambesi, the railroad WIN
be extended 100 miles further north 70
Kalomo, the capital OF northwest
Rhodesia. The further route to CAIRO
has really not been definitely deter.
mined as yet. 1t will follow one OF
two or three projected routes, eacn OF
which has its particular advantages
New York Sun.