Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-04-09
THE NEW KHARToUM.
The Scene of Gordon's Death and
kitcheners Triumph.


renness which has become by this
time rather wearisome. Some one
tells you that the city is in sight. You
look toward It and are charmed, for 1t
seems vertible Eden Of verduer after
you late experiences. Backed by the
African blue Of the sky, and powered
in beautiful masses Of green inter-
spersed with grateful palms, rises the
white palace Of the governor, a glis-
tening mass Of buildings in which
beauty and elegance have not been
sa rrificed to certain military consider
ations which wisely entered into the
design Of structure that was to rise
upon the scene Of Gordon's tragic end.
So its walls are stout, and along the
river front they present a very plain
and militant appearance.
The verdant appearance Of the city,
which adds so much to the strange
charm Of its situation, Is due to the
fact that the Dervish hordes who did
their best to destroy what Gordon left,
cutting down the trees, many Of which
Gordon himself had placed there;
while all his rose trees were left by
the Mahdist vandals just as he plant
ed them, and still bear witness in the
garden Of the governor general to the
heroic soldiers care for simple things
amid the desperate defence Of the be-
leaguered city.
From the river front one enters the
palace by an arched gateway in the
long wall. Once inside, q charming
picture captivates our gaze-green
lawns shaded by beautiful masses OF
foliage, vistas Of fair. gardens ablaze
with flowers Of many a hue, both trop-
ical and European, which lure one In
every direction as one gazes on the
parklike scene where sun and shadow
divide their reign amid magnificent
trees and tiny streamlets Of sparkling
water. The grounds are in all about
eleven acres in extent, and present a
triumph Of assiduous gardening in
such close proximity to the Equator.
The garden front Of the palace is
destined to secure the maximum
amount Of coolness and comfort with
it's triple tiers Of arched colonnades
formed in a hollow square. Artistical-
ly curving flights Of steps lead up from
the rosery to the lower colonnade.
This is based upon a further series of
arches, which also do much to secure
the coolness Of the interior. One Of
these flights Of steps leads past the
scene Of Gordon's last stand and death,
and this Is marked for the benefit of
future generations with an inscription
upon a granite slab. The state and
private apartments are handsome we'll
proportioned rooms, and there can be
only one opinion-that, chaffed as they
may have been at different times over
other achievements Khartoum and Its
palace will always remain a splendid
monument to the architectural inge-
nuity Of the royal engineers. They de-
signed and decorated the palace. and
It Is upon their plans that so many
fine buildings have been, and are be-
ing erected In the city at the present
moment.
Khartoum has been so rapidly mod
ernized that it is impossible to say
where 1t will stop when the compile
ton Of the great trans continental line
places 1t on one Of the worlds great
commercial highways. Already in It's
present state Of development a splen-
did monument Of British civilizing
energy, 1t is the wonder Of beholders
from Europe and America, who walk
up and down in the wide streets laid
out at right angles to one another and
traversing this new African metropolis
in all directions from the central posi-
ton Of the Gordon square.
Beside the palace of the governor
general there rises not far distant an
other handsome block Of buildings
These are the headquarter offices Of
the Soudan government, for Khar-
toum will always remain the seat OF
administration. Then, adding distinc-
ton to other parts Of the city, there
Is the Gordon college. the war office
the courts Of justice, post and tele-
graphs, government stores. police and
military specimens Of architecture
evolved by the genius Of the royal en-
gineers. Besides these, the banks are
housed in extremely fine buildings
while numerous and beautiful private
houses are rising up on all sides
There Is excellent hotel accommodation
for visitors, who always troop down by
rail during the Cairo season, and fol
residents there Is the Soudan club
The entrance fee Of the latter Is moi
extravagant, but its subscription Is w
to the size Of a good club in London
for those who live in Khartoum. The
dinners are good and its rooms COM
fortably furnished, while polo and race
meetings make it a general rendez-
vous.
AS a setting to the many architec-
tural features Of the city, beautiful
gardens have been laid out in many
directions and planted with trees and
flowers. For two miles along the river
side runs a promenade shaded with
palms and other trees, while shrub
berries attract the eye on all sides, In
which the flora almost entirely belongs
to the Soudan. Here Khartoum socie-
ty rides and walks, or perchance 1t be-
takes itself to the geological gardens,
in which a military band always plays
on Sundays.
1t is a pity that more Of the actual
building Of new Khartoum could not
have been given to natives, but the
Mahdist terror which destroyed the
land and all it's ancient handicrafts Is
responsible for the fact that the work
has had to be given to Italians. The
natives, however. are eager to be
taught everything, and under the be-
nign rule Of Britain the country Is be-
ing once more repopulated, and as a
sheik observed to me the other day,
"Our people have never. known such
blessings, such peace and justice be-
/