The Washington herald., 1908-07-08
ZANZIBAR INVITES AMERICA
Three United States Corporations
Doing Business There.
Cotton Goods and other COmmOdi-
ties WOuld Find Excellent
Market In the Island.

The Zanzibar Railroad Company. the
Zanzibar Electric Light Company. and the
Zanzibar Telephone Company are three
American corporations doing business in
Zanzibar. The Zanzibar Railroad Com
pany has built and is operating a line Of
narrow-gage railroad from Zanzibar City
70 Bububu, seven miles distant. II is
proposed TO extend this road the entire
length Of the island. which will then form
one Of the principal means Of cOmmunica-
tion between Zanzibar City and the Island
OF Pemba. The railroad starts at Palace
square in the city, and after running
through the Maiindi district OF the city
and the Indian Bazaar. follows the west
coast Of the Island 10 its 1orthern ter
minus The trains consist Of a lOcOmo-
tive built in Pittsburg. Pa. and two open
cars and one chair car. built by the Brill
Company. OF Philadelphia. The chair
car fare from one end 10 the other is
one rupee. about 80 cents. The fare on
the open cars is considerably less. The
road is wei built with iron ties and
good-sized rails, but the climatic condi-
tions OF Zanzibar reduce the life Of an
iron tie Little grading was required for
the railroad. since the highest point on
| the island is said TO be only 800 feet
above the sea level.
! The Zanzibar Electric Light Company
has a splendid plant. 1t is modern in
every respect. and furnishes good light
and service. The Sul-an's palace as we'll
as the houses Of the Sultans family and
retainers. are wired and lighted through
out By means Of a tower studded with
! incandescent lights, having an aggregate
| lighting capacity Of S. 900 Candle-power.
the palace square is always brilliantly
/ lighted. The streets are also we'll lighted
by means Of incandescent lights.
The telephone Is steadily making its
way into a great many business and Off
| cial houses Of Zanzibar. and bespeaks
| Zanzibar's progress in introducing modern
inventions and installing all the facilities
enjoyed by European and American towns
OF the same size.
| Wireless communication was recently
established between Zanzibar City and the
Island OF Pemba II is said that the
messages are sent in Swahili which is
the language OF the natives of Zanzibar
and the parent Of a great many native
languages OF the coast.
The principal imports from the United
States are cotton goods (MerikanD and
petroleum. There are. however, many
articles OF American manufacture exposed
for sale which do not figure in the Gus
toms house reports as American, because
they are furnished by European Eser-
chants; notably watches, clocks, and sew
ing machines. The last-named article is
extensively used and there seems to be q
large demand.
Most Of the cotton goods imported are
reshipped TO points on the mainland, and
while the superiority Of American cottor
is acknowledged by the tradesmen as wei
as the consumers. a large part Of the cot
ton goods sold here for wearing appare
is German.
The standard Of currency In Zanzibar
and IN German and British East Afric,
is the silver rupee. worth about 81.
cents. In Zanzibar the other coins In us
are the One-half and One-fourth rupe'
pieces. silver. and the pice, a copper coin
German East Africa has introduced tn
German rupee. which is in value abOu
/ the same as the Zanzibar rupee. but
not current In Zanzibar or British Eas
Africa.
' There is no place IN the world wher
: the Glove tree thrives as we'll as in tn
J island OF Zanzibar and Penba- 1t is tn
principal product Of the islands. and, to