The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-01-25
Jasper King on Africa.

A friend at Galena has favored
us with an interesting letter from
Jasper King, which he had clipped
from the Spokane Falls Review.
The letter is addressed to a friend
of Mr.. Kings living at Spokane
Falls. We republish it thinking it
may be interesting to many of our
readers, as it's author was one of
the pioneer prospectors of the Wood
River country and we'll known on
the River. Mr.. King was one of the
discoveries and locators of the Sem
ate and other mines at Galena, but
of late years has been prospecting
and mining in the Ceur d'Alene and
Kootenai countries. The letter is
dated johannesburg, Transvaal,
South Africa, November 4, 1889.
Mr.. King writes,
We arrived here one week ago; found
everything very dull. There are few
tolerably good mines here, but the ma
jority are bilks. Everything is going
down. Not more than one third Of the
mines are working, and out Of c35 stock
companies only seven are paying, and it
is hard work for them to be made to pay.
Companies are shutting down every
day and it looks very much like within
six months mining here will be a COM
pletc failure. All that is needed is an
other excitement to take the floating pop
ulation away and johannesburg would
be something of the past.
As for prospecting there is no chance
or encouragement whatever. The laws
are such that it takes fortune to do any
thing. In the first place, the Beers have
the country all taken as farms, in tracts
Of from 10000 up to 50, 900 acres, and. to
prospect one of these farms we have to
give Mr.. Boer all the way from $500 to
as many thousands every six months.
Then if you should find anything you
will have to buy him out. Of course you
have bond on the farm before you start
to prospect. They generally ask from
800, 900 to 5000, 900 for the farm. Be-
sides this, we must pay license Of $3.50
for prospecting and digger's license of
IS for each claim every month, and can
locate but one claim on each farm, except
when located by power of attorney; then
any number can be taken, but it costs IS
for each power of attorney, besides pay
ing prospector's and digger's license for
each.
A claim is $50 feet along the ledge and
400 feet wide, so you see it costs to get
piece of ground here.
Wages are about the same as in Ceur
d'Alene country. Whites do but little
work; they generally look after the ma
tives, who are very good workers, and
take to mining very quickly. They are
natural slaves, and are worse here than
they ever were in the south of the United
States.
have met several Americans, some l
knew at home, and they all say America
forever" for them. None that l have
seen are getting rich very fast.
Provisions are very high. Board ranges
from $50 to $25 per week, and is very
poor at that, and it is impossible to get
y good square meal at any price.
There Is considerable talk of country
600 miles north of here, Matibele land.
1t is said to be very rich in gold, but
there is a native king there who has 50,-
900 good warriors, and claims he will
sacrifice them all sooner than have the
whites invade his country. But We ex-
pect old England to knock his royal
hiRhness out within the next year and
throw the country open for exploration.
If so, | shall join the gang and go there.
This was good country for poor men
two or three years ago, when farms were
very cheap, but even then one man had
no chance. Companies would send men
out, paying them wages and giving them
an interest in what they found. Some
did we'll and made good stake, but that
day is past.
There are hundreds of men here who
can not get work, and would leave the
country If they had the means. do not
like to advise any one, but all the boys
had better stay in America than come
here. Including all expenses, the cost OF
getting to this point amounts to $3.50.
To explain how things are done here,
I will state that there have been dozens
of companies who have bought farms on
this mineral belt, incorporated for from
81 zoo, 900 to $1O,OOO,OOO, and foated
their stock in London for the full amount
in cash. Then they would buy mill
pumps and all necessary machinery for
working developed mine, bring it out
and find the ground had not been broken,
and not so much as q prospect hole had
been sunk.
The English are getting about enough
of such investments and are trying to get
out. They want dividends and there is
no show to get them. / think within
twelve months mills can be bought
cheaper ut Transvaal than in Chicago.
We go from here to Barbetron, where
there is better chance to prospect, as
the government owns the land and it il
not so expensive as at this place.
My kindest regards to all friends.