The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-02
.NA|ROB| TO BECOME
ONE OF GREAT CITIES
English Regard the Town in East
Africa as a Chicago in
Embryo.
HER BUILDINGS Of METAL
Little OF No Timber 10 Be Had,
So Galvanized Iron Is Used.
Nearly All Are Blacks.
HER BUILDINGS OF METAL
Copyright. 1905. by Frank G. Carr
sft .
NairobI, BRITISH EAST Africa.

d T.
Nairobi, British East Africa.
Havc you ever heard of Nairobt2
1t is tho metropolis of this far-away
colony. and the place which the Eng
lish think Is to be one OF the greatest
cities Of Africa. They are already
speaking of it as a Chicago in embryo.
and are prophesying that 1T will have
vast white population. The town IS
not half a dozen years old. Three years
ago Ii had hardly a house. To-day
streets have been laid out over an
area about ten miles III circumference
hundreds of buildings of tin, wood and
stone have been erected and the place
has almost Is. 900 Inhabitants.
Nairobi lies In the very heart Of
British East Africa. It is little more
than half way inland from the coast
on the road to Lake Victoria. and, as
the crow flies, about 100 miles from
Mount Kenia, which kisses the clouds
at an altitude of $4,000 or 1a, 90 feet,
off to the northward. I can see Mount
Kenia from here on q bright day, anu
some distance down the railroad. when
the sun is Just right, one can get
| glimpse of the two peaks of IAlltman-
! jaro, which lies to the southeast, in the
| German possessions, distance of lou
miles or more. Nairobi itself is just
about5as high as Denver. and, like IT
is situated at the westc end of great
| plains which rise to an altitude OF
5000 or more feet above the sea. They
are SO high thatthe equatorial sun Is
! conquered by the altitude, and white
1 men can live and work upon them the
| year round. The country Is, In fact, O
white MANS country, and with care
people OF our race can thrive upon
i thousands of square miles Of 1t.
4 I struck these plains after a twenty
L. ~, = tar M ~ 1,1
railroad. They make me think Of oul
|west as it was fifty years ago. and
i doubt not in time they will be settled
4 by ranches and farmers just as is the
i western part Of the United States to-
II day. This country Is an empire in6its
Il undeyeloped possibilities, and the Eng,
I lish do righttin putting a high value
! upon 1t. But shall write more of tina
lin the future. III
A City Duilt Of Tin.
|. This letter Is to be devoted to the til
!. town&of Nairobi. II should say galvan
!; ICED iron, for that is the chief building
l3material. There are no sawmills o.
1 FLAMING mills here worthy8of mention
|, ling, tho forests have not been exploited
! and about the only lumber available /
4 that which is brought from our coun
Il try and Norway and landed at Nom
"A OCcdIA AAc4E5llL tilcS 5!2ut
) heavy, and In addition there Is the cos
Z of bringing tho lumb her here by rail
n l5road. AS q result. the most Of TIL
; Ebuildlngs are of galvanized iron, whlc
J comes here 4 in shee is 81 from Englnn
and Belgium. Almost allsthe building
: are of iron. which Is put up just as 4
!; comes from the factory, giving til
/ whole town a silver gray co or. u iii
8 Ipost-of1ice Is Of iron. the8depot has d
$ iron roof, and the Same Isl true of til
a, Governors offices. Many of the house
I. have iron ceilings and iron lis, an
: the chief retail business section Is 4
q collection of one-story iron booths, ope
ii LAT the front,i which Hindoos standtc
"A sit ssurpounded by IN heir goods.
q N1yghotel IS hall iron, III Is govern
OIL ments tire sury. ne rby, consist ing Of
I shed not more than fifteen feet sq,lar
y Is Of tin and has a. tin roo 4, VI II co,l
8 8 chop 1t Is ri eesS wit h $aA butch er-knif
5 ! and the only ign OF safety IA bout lt'
q the egro pol lcelnti n Inc. gun han