Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-24
SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD.
Fortune Seekers Pouring into the
Country Statistical Facts.

Country Statistical Facts.
Cane Toaon Letter % the L0ndon Times.
The development of the gold fields con-
tinues to absorb public attention. From
every town ard village in South Africa.
during the past three weeks, stream OF
fortune seekers have wendell their way to
the DeKaap and Witwatersraud. The
population of Barbert0n has more than
doubled and is daily increasing; stands
for building and business sites are being
eagerly purchased there; new syndicates
are being formed and new companies
6oated. The total capital of all the gold
mining companies Is stated to be not far
short OF 92,000,000. while their value, as
represented by the ruling share prices. Is
nearly double that amount. In many cases
the realization OF returns is long way OF,
as there Is no machinery Immediately
available for the development of the prop
critics; in other instances some of the
companies have been-even with very in.
adequate appliances-very successful;
and 1t is this, together with the handsome
return from company promoting" which
has been the incentive 10 so much specu-
latior.
The Sheba Reef Company has presented
q report to their shareholders giving the
result OF their first six months working.
1t shows that they have crushed I'll tons.
yielding 5,642 ounces Is pennyweights 6
grains, an average of 7 ounces, penny
weights 8 grains to the ton. The expenses
incurred in the transport ana treatment
of this tonnage exclusive of mining,
which are nominal, the auriferous rock
being simply qusrried) were as follows:
Transport from mine to batteries, E 1889
5s.; crushink, E ,486; total, G3, ITO IS. A
total of 82s. AID. per ton. Taking the
value of gold here at Ills. per ounce, we
have gross return of 920,031 l9s. 3d.;
deduct expenses, f3,17 5s., leaving a
balance oil E16, $50 las. Sd. Out of this the
shareholders have received in dividends
62k per cent. on the paid-up capital OF
$4,000. With a view to avoiding the
heavy charges for transport and crushing
the Sheba, in conjunction with the ORR
entail and Nil Desperandum Companies,
has arranged for the construction OF a
tramway from their properties to the
crushing mills sites, where they intend
erecting at least 80 stamps. to be driven
by turbine, to work up TO 1870 stamps,
and when this is completed the excep-
tIonal richness of the Sheba reef will be
fully established.
Weekly shipments of native gold from
the fields may now be looked for, the DON
aid Currie steamer of this week taking
$500 ounces of the declared value OF
e17.150. For this present year the total
export will be about El50, 900, but next
year, when several of the companies will
fairly start work, 1t is estimated that 1t
will advance to at least three-quarters of
million.
On the Witwatersrand fields, between
Pretoria and Heidelberg, some OF the capt.
talists OF Kimberly have secured gold
properties from which wonderful results
are also expected. Mr.. w. knight, who
has been long and favorably known in
connection with successful mining enter
prises at the diamond fields, has secured
mining rights on the farm OF DrieTOntein,
where prospecting work has resulted in
the discovery OF four conglomerate gold
bearing reefs, giving together an average
thickness OF about % feet, extending over
three and half miles in length, with a
proved depth of about 100 feet. Adjacent
to this Messrs. Rhodes. Rudd & Caldecott
have purchased for 100000 the properties
OF Rietfonteln and Witkoppies; and sew
sral other syndicates and individuals
have secured mining privileges in the
same neighborhood. When companies
are organized and mills set to work it is
expected that these fields will give an
average return OF an ounce per ton, and
that the total cost of extracting the gold,
uIlhluB IOfdtllSb anu QUIET CudTS6o Will
not be more than los. per ton.
1t is pretty we'll ascertained that the
auriterous formation in the Transvaal
runs across the country, almost along the
parallel OF 26 degrees South, from the Le-
Dombo Mountains on the east to the bOun-
dary OF British Beohuanaland on the
west. The latest reef discovery has been
on the Malnani river, near to Zeerust,
and only IA miles from Mafeking.
Attic Knysna, within the Cape Colony,
II has now been established that gold
bearing quartz veins exist although the
lew tests hitherto made have not given
great results. From some of the surface
quartz only penDyweights have been
extracted, but selected specimens have
yielded equal to 4 ounces per ton. The
government is at the present time having
ton of the quartz crushed and assayed
before determining whether the district
OF the Knysna will be proclaimed as
gold field or not. With the advantages
OF plentiful wood and water, and near
proximity to an excellent port, the KnYs-
ma gold field may prove ayable with a
much smaller average result than attracts
attention at DeKaap and Witwaters-