Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-23
PROGRESS IN CAIRO
Surprising to Tourists of Re-
cent Date.
Special cablegram to The Star.

Special Cahlegram to The Star
CAIRO, July 22-Those who have visited
Cairo during the past few months have
been greatly surprised at the remarkable
material progress which it is making Its
aspect is rapidly changing, and out of the
typical oriental metropolis is emerging a
European city worthy of comparison with
the most splendid that can be found in the
united kingdom or on the continent IN
deed. the stroller on the stately boulevards
near the Khedivial Opera House and the
palatial modern hotels or along the ave-
nues and pathways in the fashionable quar-
tiers of kasr-el-Doubara. 1smailia or Ghezi-
reh can scarcely believe that he Is not In
the midst of one of the finest quarters OF
some modern city of Europe or America.
Ismail Pasha, the grandfather of the pres
emit khedive who ruled over Egypt and spent
millions in trying to improve and embellish
his capital used to say: my country Is no
longer in Africa. 1t forms part OF Europe.
There can be no doubt that so far as Cairo
is concerned his words are at present JUS
titled.
Not only Is Cairo being transformed In
that the old houses are being gradually
pulled down to make way for modern ones,
but it Is also, and in a sense perhaps more
strikingly, changing by Its remarkably
rapid extension and the increasing number
of beautiful buildings that are rising on
plots that were formerly heaps of dust or
rubbish.
The news comes from Cairo that 1t is still
further to be extended by the building Of a
new town in the desert in the suburbs close
to the Abbasieh quarter. The scheme Is
arousing q great deal of interest and the
new town, 1t is believed, will be success,
not only because 1t will afford those who
complain of the already very high house
rents in Cairo an opportunity OF having
cheaper dwelling houses, but 1t will be q
center of attraction for those In search Of
the dry. pure air of the desert.
Due to Private Enterprise.
The scheme is due to private enterprise.
Boghoe Pasha Nubar. son OF the late Nubar
Pasha, that able statesman who, although
a Christian and an Armenian, became prime
minister of Egypt, has. In conjunction with
q Belgian capitalist, entered into an agree
ment with the Egyptian government where
by the latter sells about 1852 acres of land
in the desert at the nominal price Of about
IS an acre. The government imposes upon
the promoters a number OF obligations
among them being that of gratuitously con-
structing police stations post and tele-
graph offices and to providing for the ex-
pense of the police. They further under
take to construct an electric railway be-
tween Cairo and the new town, and to light
the avenue leading to 1t from Cairo with
powerful electric arc lamps Seven years
after the signature of the agreement the
promoters have the right of acquiring an
adjoining portion Of the desert double the
area of the first at the same price per
acre, but only provided that at least 100
houses have already been built.
The scheme is looked upon very favorabiy.
The new town will prove a great rival to
Helonan, the famous health resort near
Cairo.