Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-11-03
A RAILWAY TO THE
HEART OF AFRICA.

More than 1000 black men, in charge
Of European engineers, have been en-
gagged for more than year IN grading
the roadbed. laying the track and doing
all the rough work on the new railway
that has just been opened along the
upper Congo. This road between STAN
leyville and Ponthlerville, 70 miles, cir
cumvents the stretch Of rapids that
forms the first impediment to navga-
ton on the upper river The line was
oDened few weeks ago and 1t Is the
pioneer railway In tropical Cerfral
Africa. In straight lines, its southern
terminus at the head OF the rapids Is
abont 1910 miles from Zanzibar and $40
miles from the Congo mouth
1t has been interesting TO watch the
progress of this enterprise. Few rail-
ways have been built, with primitive
labor. so far from the sources of all
supplies. The first step was the build
ing of two large storehouses at Matadi
and Stanleyville. .235 miles apart, fol-
lowing the Congo channel, TO house the
material at it's landing place In Africa
and at the starting point OF the rail-
way. Locomotives, cars and bridges
wer carried UP the Congo In pieces,
aud put together where they were
needed on the line. As there was de-
lay in the delivery Of some OF the
bridges, temporary wooden construc-
tons very rough but strong, were
thrown over some OF the small Congo
tributaries, 30 that work trains might
carry rails ahead TO the roadbed pre-
pared for them. Some of the gangs
OF laborers were superintendent by
young natives who had been trained
for years I'm the Industrial schools Of
the government OF the missionary so
cietles. Here, as elsewhere in that con-
tnent, the natives supplied the Drawn
and muscle, ms well as some elementary
supervision In carrying forward the
vast work Of progress In Africa.
The extent OF navigation available
| for steamers on the Congo Is now well
| known. and the purpose Is TO carry
railways around the few parts of the
river which are obstructed by rapids,
so as 10 extend unbroken steam trans
| portation 10 the end OF the farthest
| navigable reach OF the stream BY
| building this new railroad the Congo
| state has added 26l miles of steam
| transportation to the i.325 miles already
| in operation between the Congo mouth
| and Stanley falls. Navigation Is again
| impeded at Kindu, 1856 miles above the
terminus OF the new railway. and the
| government intends to begin az once
| the building OF the third and last
stretch of railway along the river from
Kindu to Bull. about $50 miles, above
| which there Is interrupted navigation
for small steamers for S72 miles. where
| the Importance OF the river for large
commercial purposes practically ends.
The total length OF steam transport
| tation along the Congo when the
last mile % sails Is laid will be 2.lH
miles. or whith Las miles will be by
| water and 596 miles by land. and the
| end OF this long route will be In touch
| with the great mining region Of Ka-
tanga. which IL said 20 he as rich as
Rhodesia in gold, while the prospects
Of copper production are, perhaps, un-
| surpassed IN any other part OF the
world The Importance OF extending
transportation to this region is stlnu.
lating the Efforts OF the Congo govern
| lrenf. u remains to he seer whether
the Congo rail and water route Will
reach this southeast corner Of the
state before the branch Of the Cape 20
| Carlo railroad arrives Mt the same des-
tnation.--New York Sun.