Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 November 1908 — Railways In Algerian Desert [ARTICLE]

Railways In Algerian Desert

The Opening of tne railroad irory South Oraso to Bechar, a distance of 445 miles into the interior, was tne most interesting event of the year 1905. Considering the great difficulties encountered, not the least of which was the scarcity of water, the line being entirely through a desert, the construction was rapid. The last section, from Ben Zireg to Bechar, was built in ten months, and the roadbed is solid enough to permit of a speed of fifty miles an. hour. This section is thirty-two miies long. The most remarkable result of the building of this line has been the rapid paciflcar tion of the country traversed. At Ben Zirez, a station for the oasis of Figuig, near which the Governor-Gener-al and his escort were attacked by brigands less than two years ago, a market has been established which did a business of over $2,000,000 in 1904 and 1905. All the stations along the line have been fortified, so that any attempt at organised robbery can be immediately suppressed.—United States Consular Reports.