Arizona weekly citizen., 1890-04-12
Mining in South Africa.

PartleS having the SOuJn A1rlcan fever should read the following inter
 view with Jasper King, well known
 mining man, which was published re-
 gently in the Spokane Falls Wash
 Review. Mr. King went to Africa last
 August, and expresses his opinion of the | country as follows:
 It is not much of a trip to go to
 Africa" said Mir. King, although it is a long way off. It took me month to go from Spokane Falls to Cape Town,
 Africa, and the trip can be easily made in twenty eight days. From Cape Town proceeded Dy rail to Kimberly,
 where one of the great diamond mines IS located, distance of600 miles; thence by stage to Barbertown, in the South African republic.
 Il then took my time in exploring the mining region. 1 found several good mines. all of which were operated by English comp nies. There is one ledge at Johannesburg. which is regularly de fined for a distance of sixty miles, thirty of which has b, en worked. The form ation is soft granite and porphyry. cement and wh.te crystanized quartz.
 ''The average miners wages is GIG per month, and they pay 6i2.1J per week for board.
 "There is no such thing as individual prospecting. The right of mining for and disposing of ali precious metals and stones belongs to the state. Any person wishing to go prospecting must get per mission from the owner of the land he desires to prospect, and must pay Ii cense of los. per month. Half the li- cense goes to the owner of the land, and half to the governor. The usual way of prospecting Is to start with a siXmule team, and take money enough along 10 buy farm.
 "The laws are made in the interest of the rich, and the government exacts tribute in every manner possible. The duties on mining machiGefy are about fifty per cent, and as the nearest rail way station is Kimberly, all machinery has to be hauled from there by teams.
 The government will not permit any railroads to be built Tn the republic, on the ground that they would take busi- ness away from the freighters. No min ing is allowed wishiE six miles of any town.
 II saw a great many Americans there, and the country is flooded with people from England, Australia and New Zea- and, all of whom would willingly leave if they had money enough to get away.
 The language of the country is Dutch The repubhc has 60,000 inhabitants. The people are not far advanced, but things.have improved considerable in the iast few years. The people were former " too Foor to do anything, but the in lux of English capital has brought sufii- ;ient reuenue to the government to en able it to make many improvements.
 Before l went to Africa 1 was under the impression that it was a timbered. Swampy country. in this I was very much mistaken. The country is more ike Arizona, being dry and barren. There is no timber, and the land is GOV cred with bush and cactus.
 I penetrated 1900 miles into the inter for without seeing tree of any size. 1 don't believe there is any timber in Africa. Travellers are not permitted tc gather any fuel to build camp fire without procuring a license. The license per wagon load for the privilege of cut ting wood is 5. When I was ill Johar- nesburg wood was worth about S75 q load.
 People not acquainted with the GUS toms of the country are liable to get into trouble with the authorities at any time. Fortunately, 1 was only arrested once, and that was for washing myself in river about the size of the Spokane. It was hot and dusty. and We camped by stream opposite the town. Early the next morning 1 went down the bank and began washing my face and hands, when 1 was interrupted by two black policemen, who took me in. We conld not understand each others language. but they took me over into town. The magistrate was asleep. One of the police men went in where he was and yoke him up. ] got tired waiting for him, but finally the policeman came back agaIn and told me my fine was S1.25. paid it and was allowed to go.
 "I got all of South Africa I wanted, and I tell you the only way to aPpreci- ate free America Is to leave it.