THE GREAT DESERT
The plan for flooding the Sahara, as fostered by the French Government,
attracted widespread attention. Even in America, accustomed as it is
to great engineering undertakings, the plan created a great deal of
interest, much of it critical.
Among the Americans to challenge the proposed work was Carl Lohman,
a New York engineer and writer of international reputation. Lohman
counted among his friends the foremost editors, men whose fearless pens
are watched the world over by financiers and politicians. The pages of
the daily press were open to him and in them he attacked the plan.
So thorough was he in his attacks and criticisms that the French
authorities invited him to submit alternative plans. To this end,
Lohman left for the Sahara on an inspection tour, arriving at the Gulf
of Gabes, on the Mediterranean Sea, where the canal was to be built.
Here he met the pilot who was to lead him over the desert to study the
territory at close range. After studying the canal site, on horseback,
for a few days, they boarded an aeroplane, which was well provisioned,
and soon they were flying over vast stretches of sand. They made wide
detours, in their flight, so as to get a more general view of the
situation. Finally they turned southward to reach Timbuktoo on the
Niger river.
Two nights were spent on well selected ground. On the third day they
came to the Queen City of the Sahara, Timbuktoo, where they intended
replenishing their gasoline supply, and thus be able to return to the
Mediterranean coast.
During the entire flight Carl was busy making copious notes to be used
in connection with his plans on his return to America.
Carl was proud of his mission. And rightly so. The son of a New York
banker, with the advantages of a family name and all that wealth could
buy, he had spurned them, rising in his profession solely by his own
ability and perseverance.
His college days over, Carl had gone to San Francisco. Here he secured
employment with an engineering concern engaged in extensive hydraulic
and land irrigating developments. A few years of this work and he
returned to New York, where he joined an efficiency engineering firm.
Here, too, he showed his ability. By his methods of handling material
in various manufacturing plants much money was saved and with greater
efficiency. Electric stations, he proved, could be operated at less
cost, while in the field of street lighting, several cities benefited
by his knowledge, securing better light and at a great saving to the
municipality and the electric power companies.
Carl recognized as his greatest asset the teachings of his parents.
From childhood he had been taught by them the virtue of “Economy and
Efficiency.” It had been their watchword through life and he was
determined that it should be his. Not alone to himself but to those who
came to him for advice did he preach this doctrine.
His books and numerous scientific publications, too, brought home to
the reader the value of those two words. Before establishing himself
in a business of his own, he widened his field of activity, going to
the Charlottenburg University to study city planning and its kindred
subject, municipal engineering. Charlottenburg was the only college
teaching these subjects, although German cities, for the past two
generations, have been practicing the art in connection with municipal
improvements.
His studies took him on extensive trips over Europe to study the art of
the great masters Sitte, Stuebben, Baumeister, Hausmann and others.
He visited the medieval cities of Nuremberg, Rothenburg, Regensburg
and others, all of which showed that the Romans, who laid the original
foundations of these cities, had certain definite knowledge of city
planning. However, these early city planners did not impart their
theory but left only their accomplishments as a record of their work.
It remained for the Germans to place the art of city planning on a
scientific basis, and realizing the great benefits derived, other
countries fell into line, following the system established by the
Germans.
During his travels Carl did not fail to visit the ancient Roman and
Greek cities, where the remains of once great structures and roadways
testify to the skill of the city builders.
While L’Enfant, who planned the city of Washington, admittedly the most
beautiful city of America and one of the finest in the world, enjoyed
the double good fortune of having the support of the founders of the
Republic and an unencumbered site upon which to build, the problem in
most cases today is to replace existing cities and provide for future
developments.
Upon his return to America, Carl located in New York, opening an office
as consulting engineer and advisory city planner. He applied his
knowledge to getting “hard cash,” but he very often worked for little
or no compensation. It did not matter to him--all he wanted to see was
the ultimate result.
His reputation as a successful engineer and writer became widespread,
with the result that he was besieged from all sides with requests to
engage in industrial campaigns and the like. Quite a number of concerns
owe to him and his writings the fact that they got out of the rut and
were able to re-establish themselves on a sound financial basis.
To him, also, came concerns with shady reputations in the hope that he
would lend the weight of his name to their prospectuses. But they were
politely requested to seek such assistance elsewhere.
But city planning was his forte. It appealed to him as did no other
work. He recognized the great opportunity for the replanning of
American cities, so long neglected with such costly results as are seen
in the unnecessary congestion and crowded conditions of some portions
and the backward development of others--in the slums on one hand and
the inaccessible suburbs on the others--so characteristic of the
majority of our cities.
The citizens of a small town never imagine that it will become a
large city. They may, at times, dream of it as spreading out around
the nucleus in which they live and they may frequently boast of the
progress their town has made in the previous decade, but the day that
will see their town a great city seems so far distant that, as a rule,
they do not imagine it will ever occur.
Time slips quickly by and the sites for great improvements, which
might have been laid out and reserved for convenient plans, that only
need to be committed to paper, become impossible save at enormous and
prohibitive expense. It thus happens that many cities, expanded over
ground that once was made up of farms, have street plans originally
determined by the fancy of the home-wandering cow and her calf. But
great volumes of traffic must inevitably follow the path marked out by
these dumb animals, unless costly changes be made.
Carl was aware of the great importance, to cities large and small, of
having plans prepared by experts to serve as a guide for the gradual
development of the city on a scientific basis.
Since engaging in such work, Carl had received many contracts
for planning new towns and remodeling old cities. Besides he did
considerable work along electrical lines. His spare time was occupied
in writing books and contributing articles on city planning, industrial
efficiency and national economy, to various newspapers and magazines.
Carl was recognized as a man of great versatility. His prestige as an
authority in his profession rose rapidly and his absorbing interest in
his work caused many complaints from old acquaintances who still felt
the lure of Broadway.
With a sudden jar he was shaken out of his mental dream as to his own
importance. The aeroplane, in landing at the outskirts of Timbuktoo,
struck a sand dune and was damaged considerably, and its occupants
badly shaken up, although not seriously injured.
They climbed from their seats and while the pilot looked after his
aeroplane, Carl stood on the fringe of the Great Desert, wondering how
he would solve that vast problem of so world-wide a character. He felt
the importance of his mission. The realization came to him that his
work would have a unique influence on the world. Its welfare he held in
his hand.
He had done important work before. But now! Alone he could move the
world--change the great laws of nature! He could create a new land or
destroy an old one. He could do this--he--Carl Lohman! Was it to be
wondered that his bosom heaved with emotion as he gazed out over the
endless barren wastes, which, at his command, could be made to blossom
with the fullness of the Earth’s fruits.
How true, he thought, the saying “Knowledge is Power.” That phrase
answered the questions in his mind. Yes, his knowledge would bring it
about.
A mental picture came to him, like a fata morgana, a mirage of the
desert, reflected high in the heavens. A picture of the day to come.
This picture, however, came to an abrupt end. The pilot, who had been
endeavoring to repair the damaged aeroplane, had come up to Carl,
saying, “The damage to the engine is too great to be repaired here.
What are we going to do now?”
“I have been thinking of that. I think we should go by camel to the
north and have some fun.”
The other smiled “Fun? Fun you will get all right if you should ever
fall into the hands of the bandit tribes that infest the sands. I know
them. During the war I was handled rather roughly by them in France,
although I was no enemy of theirs. They had been forced into the fight
and they wanted to be savage. And they knew how. You talk about the
Turk. He was nothing compared to them. At least the Turk was fighting
for his country--these just fought for the sake of killing. They would
have put an end to me, had not help come in time.”
“All right! We can talk matters over tomorrow. Let’s find a hotel, if
there is one, where we can get a bite to eat. I’m starving.”
The pilot rejoined, “All right, so am I.”
The aeroplane had landed but a short distance from the city and it had
already attracted a host of bewildered people. They had never seen an
aeroplane before, so on they came, old and young, black and white,
to examine the strange monster from the sky. No less strange to them
appeared the two men who had come with it. In language unknown to Carl,
they pointed from the machine to the men, showing plainly their awe and
fear.
A French army officer came up to Carl and questioned him as to the
accident, but Carl could only refer him to the pilot, who had returned
to the wrecked machine, the motley mob scattering to all sides at his
approach.
After the pilot had secured all that was likely to fall prey to the
thieving fingers of the crowd--the Arabs and their kin are born
thieves--he and Carl set out for the hotel to which the officer had
directed them.
As they approached the hotel, the proprietor, a shifty-looking
Arabian-Jew, stepped out to greet them with a great show of welcome and
a greater anticipation of gain.
Carl had learned from his pilot that caravans left very seldom and at
irregular intervals for the north, because of the unexplored conditions
of the desert and of the still greater danger of being beset by
the roaming bands of bandits, who ever lay in wait for caravans of
merchants.
He came to the conclusion, therefore, after studying his maps, that he
had best secure an automobile to take him to Bammurka, from which point
he could take the railroad to St. Louis or Dakar on the Atlantic coast.
From there he could get passage to New York, while his pilot could
easily return by water to Algeria. This meant a tedious journey of some
five hundred miles, by automobile, down the Niger and Joliba rivers,
but it appeared the most feasible plan.
He questioned the hotel keeper as to the prospects of securing an
automobile and to his regret was told that such a thing was out of the
question. There were a few automobiles to be sure, but there was not
enough gasoline in Timbuktoo at that time to last half the trip. In
fact every one of the machines was useless because of this scarcity
of fuel. Carl recalled, too, that they had been forced to land the
aeroplane because the gasoline supply was getting low.
“Why not go by caravan?” he was asked.
“Caravan? When?” Carl questioned. This was more to his liking.
“Three days from now. Thursday morning. Yesterday a tourist party came
in. They had made arrangements months ago for a special caravan from
here to Mogador. You can join them. It could easily be arranged.”
Carl voiced his thanks with a bit of silver.
The Jew added, “They will be here tonight at seven. I will tell them
you wish to meet them. By the way,” his eyes glinting craftily, “there
will be an entertainment tonight for these travelers. Do not miss it.
It will be worth your while.”
Arrangements to join the caravan were easily made. The tourists, after
hearing his story, readily consented to his request to be allowed to
accompany them. In fact they wanted him to come. He had seen the desert
from aeroplane and could tell them more about it than even the guides.
After a short chat, during which the success of the journey was toasted
by Carl, he excused himself and went to his room to write the following
report to the New York newspapers.
“I find that there are no great difficulties to be encountered in
building the canal, which has to be about fifty miles long. The waters
of the sea, coming through this canal would flood an immense area,
forming a great inland sea. The canal could be made sufficiently large
to permit the passage of ocean steamers through it into the inland
waters.
“While there is a possibility of the canal being silted up with dune
sand, it is estimated that it would take from 1,000 to 1,500 years for
this to occur.
“The cost of the canal would be at least $100,000,000, and it would
take five years or longer to build it. Laborers could be drawn from the
interior tribes, such as Senegals, Moroccans, Algerians and Turcoes.
“The Gulf of Gabes is separated by a ridge some forty feet across
and perhaps one hundred and fifty feet high, from Shat-al Fejej, a
depression which runs southwest into the Shat Jerid, which, in turn,
is separated from the Shat Garsa only by a still narrower ridge. Shat
Garsa is succeeded westward by a series of smaller depressions and
beyond them lies the Shat Melrir, whose northwestern extremity is not
far from the town of Biskra, a favorite winter resort of North Africa.
“The original author of this scheme to flood the Sahara was Colonel
François Roudaire, who proposed it some fifty years ago to the French
Government. Roudaire’s plan was strongly advocated between 1870 and
1885, receiving support from Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French builder
of the Suez Canal, now controlled by the English, who acquired it
through crafty diplomacy. That plan fell through, because of the
adverse criticism and it will fall through once more. While it would
have a certain great result for France, the consequences due to the
change of climate would not only affect Africa, but would be disastrous
to the entire world.
“After having inspected the site of the proposed canal I have been
piloted by a French aviator over the mysterious deserts. Contrary to my
own and most people’s ideas, I found to my delight, that the desert is
not all sand.
“The story my father once told me, when I was a small boy, came to my
mind. He said that the easiest way to catch the lions of Africa was to
sift the sands of the deserts, and what did not go through the mesh of
the sieve were the lions.
“We flew over depressions and mountains, ranging from 100 feet below
sea level to 6,000 feet above. In isolated instances, the mountains
rose up to a height of 8,000 feet or more. A few of the mountains were
of volcanic origin as could be seen from the craters and cones.
“It is said that some of these mountainous regions, never actually
explored, are the dwelling places of the descendants of pre-historic
cave men. Whether this is true or not I cannot say. I kept a sharp
lookout for them, but did not succeed in seeing them.
“We passed over valleys through which, at one time, water must have
flowed. Vast tracts of loose stones and pebbles were to be seen, their
surfaces highly polished by the sand winds passing over them.
“On every hand there was sand. Sand and more sand. The sand dunes
seemed to be without end. These dunes, or sand waves, for that is what
they really are, vary in length and height and run diagonally to the
prevailing winds. Shifting under the force of the wind, they travel
slowly in different directions, filling old depressions and leaving new
ones in their wake. Oases have been literally swallowed up by these
sand waves, which, in their irresistible march, passed over them and
on, leaving no trace of what was previously a garden spot in the desert.
“Most curious are the inland mountains, known as the ‘Witness of the
Arabs.’ These are the remains of a one-time widely distributed mountain
terrace. The sand winds and storms passing over them through the years
have robbed them of most of their bulk, leaving only the solid hard
cores, which now form a group of flat-topped pyramidal mountains.
“While flying over these mountains, a band of savages began shooting at
us. They had become frightened at our aeroplane. Luckily we were high
enough to be beyond range of their rifles and no damage resulted.
“A great many oases were to be seen. Some cover great areas, while
here and there are smaller ones. Some of the smaller ones are grouped
together.
“Most of these oases are rich in vegetation, especially in fruits, such
as apples, peaches, oranges, citrons, figs, grapes and pomegranates.
The date, however, predominates. The oases are the home of the date
palm and these trees play a most important part in desert life. Staple
foods, such as corn, wheat, rice, barley, durra and dukhn, are also
grown. Besides these a few other tropical products are cultivated.
“Asses, camels and a breed of black cattle are the main domestic
animals. Of course the full-blooded horse is to be seen in large
numbers.
“The population, made up of Berbers, Arabs, Maurers, Negroes and
Jews, is chiefly engaged in cattle raising and trading. The caravans,
in their journey across the desert, pass through various oases at
which they replenish supplies. It is at these oases that trading is
liveliest. For products of the oases are traded guns, ammunition, gold
dust, clothing and quite often slaves brought with the caravans from
the seacoast cities.
“France also contemplates building railways through the Sahara to
furnish easy communication between Algeria and Nigeria. This proposed
plan has already found many advocates. Two principal railroad routes
have been suggested: one taking the easterly line from Biskra through
Wargla to Air and Zinder--the route followed by Fourneau in 1898, under
the protection of Major Laury; the other starting from the terminus of
the most westerly railway already existing at the Harbor of Casablanca,
and reaching Timbuktoo by way of Igli and the Tuat Oasis. But these
plans are dreams. At any rate the railways themselves are a long way
off, as they would not earn interest on the capital invested.
“For a long time to come travel across the Sahara will be by caravan.
There are five principal north and south caravan routes. One from Rio
de Oro leads over the Waran Desert to Timbuktoo on the Niger River; one
from Mogador, in Morocco, goes through the sand-hill region of Igidi
to Timbuktoo; another from Tangiers and Algiers through the Tuat Oasis
to Timbuktoo; another from Tripolis, over Ghadames and Ghat at the
Tasili Mountains to Kano and still another from Tripolis over the Oasis
Blima to Kuke, at the Tsad Sea, and then on to Bengasi and Wadai. The
foremost are those leading to Timbuktoo, the Queen City of the Sahara.
“Long before Christ, some of the present routes were used by the Romans
in their explorations of the desert for its products. In the fourth
century, Field-Marshal Salomon penetrated from the north to Timbuktoo
and as far as the Sudan. Missionaries, preaching the doctrines of
Mohammed and Islam, in crossing the desert, used the same routes as are
used today. For centuries, so far, there has been nothing new under the
sun of the Great Desert, with probably the exception of the Frenchman
Lebaudy’s adventure in 1913, attempting to crown himself ‘Emperor of
the Sahara.’
“Progress is not made here as in other countries and as a result this
vast land is the least populated of any on the face of the earth. While
the climate is not what might be termed unhealthful, the climatic
conditions of the desert are, however, the cause of the stagnation.
The temperature ranges from seventy to one hundred and twenty degrees,
Fahrenheit, during the day time, while the nights are cold with a
temperature of thirty-five to forty-five and quite often below zero.
“Very little rain falls, and the desert rarely experiences a rain
storm. However, frequent and terrific electrical discharges take place
and the desert dweller is ever in fear of the terrible blizzard-like
sand storms.
“But for all that, the Sahara has played her part in history. In the
days of Julius Caesar and the later Roman emperors, the Sahara was
called the ‘Granary of the Roman Empire.’ Rome, then at the pinnacle
of power, took the wealth of the desert. Slaves were carried to Rome
together with vast quantities of grain, oil, wine, leather, spices and
perfumes. Served and fed at little or no cost by the subject colonies
of North Africa, the Romans were enabled to lead a life of the maddest
luxury, idleness and self indulgence.
“While landing near Timbuktoo yesterday, the pilot drove the nose of
the plane into the sand, wrecking the machine. Neither of us was hurt.
Will stay here for a few days’ rest, and will then take the first
opportunity to return to America.”
The article finished, Carl posted it immediately. He went out to smoke
a cigarette and later, for want of something better to do, sauntered
over to the dance-hall designated by the hotel keeper that afternoon.