The ruined cities of Mashonaland: Being a record of excavation and exploration in 1891Bent, J. Theodore (James Theodore)
History
The ruined cities of Mashonaland: Being a record of excavation and exploration in 1891
Bent, J. Theodore (James Theodore)
Extinct cities -- Zimbabwe -- Mashonaland; Great Zimbabwe (Extinct city)
At Salisbury 1,800 stands have been surveyed and mapped out; at
Victoria 572 stands, and at Umtali 300. In July 1892 a sale of stands
was held at the three places mentioned above, 70 at Salisbury being
sold for 2,250l., 150 at Victoria for 6,107l., and 44 at Umtali for
1,396l., the total sum realised being nearly 10,000l. for 264 stands.
It is intended to hold another sale in July of this year, where
competition no doubt will be keen, as the attention of capitalists in
England, as well as those on the spot, is being directed to the matter.
The public buildings at Salisbury, such as the Administrator’s Offices,
the Standard Bank Offices, the Police Station, Magazine, Court House,
Survey, Mines, Post and Telegraph Offices, are already completed or on
the verge of completion. All the material required for these buildings
has been drawn from the district itself, with the exception of wood for
doors, skirting, and architraves.
A Sanitary Board has been formed at Salisbury to manage the affairs of
the township with a revenue derived from one-half the stand-rents (10s.
per month) and other fees, such as market dues.
A branch of the Standard Bank was opened at Salisbury on July 20, 1892,
and is doing a very good business. A printed newspaper, the Rhodesia
Herald, is also published there weekly.
The Mining Commissioner for Victoria reported on September 24, 1892, as
follows:—
‘The township of Victoria is growing very fast, and very good buildings
are being erected, the majority being composed of brick and iron or
brick and thatch; they are far superior to those erected at Kimberley,
Barberton, or Johannesburg. The town has only been surveyed a few
months, and progress made is very good. This shows that the people have
every confidence in the mining and general prospects of Mashonaland.’
Victoria also possesses a newspaper, the Mashonaland Times and Mining
Chronicle.
As regards hotels, there are several most substantial buildings of
brick and iron offering excellent accommodation at Salisbury, and
between Victoria and Salisbury there are wayside hotels at the various
post-stations. Victoria itself possesses two, and others are to be
found every 20 miles or so along the 200 miles of road connecting
Victoria with Tuli. At the latter place there is an excellent hotel,
conducted by the Tuli Hotel Company.
On the Salisbury-Umtali Road and at Umtali wayside houses and hotels
have been established, and their number will no doubt be augmented on
the completion of the Beira Railway.
ROADS.
The existing roads have been kept up and improved, and under Mr.
Selous’s superintendence new ones have been made in many directions
connecting Fort Salisbury with the various gold-fields and with the
main road to the Pungwe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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