Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-09-19
IN THE KONGO
FREE STATE
PROGRESS MADE IN THIS SEC.
TON UNDER PROTECTION
OF BELGIUM.


lures, department of commerce and
labor, a long and interesting report
on the kongo Free State, the Goth
anniversary of whose independence
was celebrated at Antwerp in May
last. The state is under the protec-
ton of Belgium, and King Leopold
has manifested the greatest interest
in its physical development, industrial
progress and the moral welfare of the
people Under his direction the coun-
try has been thoroughly explored and
many public improvements made.
The Kongo Free State covers an
area of 100000 square miles, or near
ly four times that of France. Lying
on the equator it extends five degrees
south. The river Kongo is the most
valuable feature of the new country.
1t is navigable from it's mouth to Stan
ley Falls. a distance OF 80 miles. with
the exception of the rapids and falls
from Yelala to Leopoldville on Stan
ley pool. distance of $50 miles. The
connection of the navigable portions
was absolutely essential to the future
prosperity of the state. This the Bel
gians fully realized, and in July, 1898,
the railway from Matadi TO Stanley
pool was inaugurated in its full length,
about $50 miles. The opening of this
railway has brought the resources
of the kongo Free State in direct com
muncaton with the markets Of the
wrld.
Transportation Facilities.
Since the opening of the railway
in 1898 the importance Of the Kongo
market at Antwerp has ben steadily
increasing. for it must be remember
ed that all the commercial enterpris-
es in the Kongo Free State have made
Antwerp the general world market
for the Free State products. A reg.
ular tri-weekly service of elegant, first
class passenger mail steamers, espec'
tally built for the trade by English
owners and sailing under the Belgian
flag, plies between Antwerp and Bona
which is the principal city and port
of the Kongo. The Matadi- Stanley
Pool railway covers a distance OF
about $50 miles over a very hillS
country, necessitating the cOnstruc
ton of over 100 bridges. varying iI
length from 80 to $50 feet The time
occupied in making the journey. which
is only continued in the daytime, is
about 40 hours. The cost of building
this railway was S12,5O0,00O Another
railway from Bona to Lukula. dis
lance of 60 miles, was commenced IL
October. 1898. and reached it's term
mus, Lukula, in December, 1901.
The Kongo Free State has now il
view the building of 1912 miles of rail
way. One line is to connect Stanley
vile with Mahagi and Dufili with Red
jaf, and another will connect kasan
go, on the river of L.ualaba, with tn
envrons of Kibanga. on Lake flanagan
ika. Another branch of this importan
railway system will run from Stanley
vile to the south, into the center o
the Katanga district. The create
part of the railway along the Lualab;
from Stanleyville is well under way
Inland Waterways.
The kongO Free State has on tn
waterways of the upper Kongo regr
lar steam navigation lines. On Stan
ley pool there are about 100 steamers
half of which belong to the state. TIL
steamers in use on the river and lake
are especially built in Europe TO
sluggish waters. From the ports wild
and easy highways extend toward III
interior some of them specially cor
structed for automobile service an
others for projected railways.
Steamers and sailing vessels hav
been launched on Lake Tanganiks
Lake Kivu and Lake MoreO. TIL
ports of Banana. Bona and MataC
on the lower KOngo are accessible a
all times to transatlantic steamer
and Banana, at the mouth of the ri'
err, enjoys the great advantage of ha'
ing no sandbanks to interfere wit
navigation.
Communication within the past te
years by telegraph and telephone ha
been largely developed The first te
egraphic line was established betwee
Bona and Matadi July, 1895. On Sc
TENDER Is. 1898, both Geographic an
telephone communication was esta
lished between Matadi and Leopol
vile. At the end of the same We;
the wires ran for a distance of 4:
miles, and in 1899 there were SON
500 miles of wire in use. Since tn:
time long distance telephoning hs
been perfected. and communicate.
are practically easy for distances
baOut 400 miles. Wireless telegraph
is now being successfully experiment
ed with.
Administration Of Justice.
Justice is now administered thrOug
out the length and breadth of IL
kOngO Free State In the capitals
the various districts there are teri
torial courts, having jurisdiction ov,
both natives and Europeans, and II
judicial system is carried out by
civil tribunals and military courts.
bureaus of vital statistics and &c {
fetal notaries. Over all these the
is the high council, which sits al Bru
sells, both as a court of appeal al
as court of cassationn in civil al
criminal affairs. There is a court
appeal at Bona, composed of a pre-
dent and two associates a district
torney and clerk. The three ju,lg
are chosen. as far as possible. fro
different natiOnalities.
The government has establish,
school colonies. managed by Belgl;
sisters of charity, where the schola
acquire a practical. solid, professio
al training. From these institution
the government has acquired the Sc
vices OF capable employees, fOrem,
and nOn-commissioned officers for d
public force, the name by which Il
army of the kongO Free State
known. The Belgians in 1885 had c