The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-04-09
DON'TLIKES OUTHAFRICA
4 Graphic Letter from Hr. Cameron, a
Montana Prospector.
The Transvaal No Country for a
White Mantle Gold Mines
Liable &c 'Pinch Out" at
Any Time.

Ats " s
letter from $. Z. Cameron, a gentlemen
we'll known 70 miners in this section, and
who is now located at Eureka City, In the
Transvaal, South Africa. That Mr..
Cameron Is not fascinated with mining IN
that section of the world will be seen by
extracts from his letter to Mr.. Mcdonald:
Mr.. A. s. Mcdonald:
DEAR SIR j a glad to hear from
YOU, as any word from America IL very
welcome. We are all well at present, but
do not now how long we may remain so,
as this Is the sickly season. The rainy
season is about over, and when the vege-
tation dries up the fever comes on. Sew
eral of the men have been carried in to
Barbcrton, a distance OF IL miles,
on strctchers by negroes. Some OF the
men recover from the fever, but The ma
jority do not. South Africa Is not n
healthy country. There is a disease for
all animals where we are at present.
Horses will not live, and there is n lung
disease for the cattle; fiies also give them
a bite which causcs them lingering sick
ness and death. IL you want my advice
about coming out here, IL is: Stay in
America. All the men from America i
nave met are terribly down on the coun-
try, and those who have money enough to
GO bach are going. Two prospectors and
old-time miners from Spokane went back
n short time ago. disguised with the coln-
try. They will probably write interesting
letters to the papers. Their names are
Holt and King.
In the first place there is no show for
prospecting. There is no work for white
men in the mines, rs negroes do all the
work one man bosses about fifty OF them
and there are hundreds of oremen out of
work. In other words, there arc too many
men for all kinds of work. j have been
through considerable of the country and
went over 800 miles with bulls so | will
give you a few details regarding climate,
water, wages, etc. The climate is very
good in the winter, but for the last two
weeks il has been 115 degrees and 10 de-
grees in the shade, but now u fall is
coming on and IL will not he so hot. Wages
I do not consider as good as in America.
Carpenters get from 16 to % s%hillings;
and bricklayers 10 tn p
shillings; batterymen IL shillings, n to
secure a position rs batteryman you must
have a Saratoga Trunk full OF recommend
atoms. The country is very well watercd,
but the water is bad for drinking. as we
ave To boil il before using and IL is al
ways warm.
Ii is disgraceful the way the papers lie
about this country being healthy, and the
good wages, and the gold. Ii il true,
there are a few good mines here, and but
a few. Johannesburg is the leading min
ing camp of South Africa, and has "A pop
ulation of 5000. IL has only seven
paying mines and the formation is all
conglomcratc. None of the mines are
down over 300 feet. Tho general opinion
is they will pinch out and the town is
rapidly going down. Stock that was sell
ing AT fl0 and fl5 a share when we first
went Ia Johannesburg, is now dull at six to
eight shillings. Three years ago Bar
berton was booming and had "A popula-
ton of 5000. To-day you could fire a
cannon down the main street and not in
jure anyone.
Believe me, this country il not what il
is cracked up To he, and inside OF "A n
IL We don't roll up our mortal coil we will
he back in America, 1.-THE land OF the
free" where we can get something To eat.
Board AT a common boarding house is $40
n month, potatoes and butter being out
of the question. Now, IL N
of my friends are bound to come
out here | would advise them to bring
along money enough to take them back.
To c~orroborate my statements you may
write TO II. A. Mcmillan, who is here
waiting for lumber and machinery toerrct
a ~O-stamp mill, or TO A. q. Phillips. who
is manager of the richest mine in the
burg. Before closing ] will give you the
fare out here. We went via Chicago, CO.
ing straight through To New York. The
fare from Butte To Chicago Is Sal, Chicago
To New York Sl7, New York To Liverpool,
second-class, $50; stcerage. Sis; Liverpool
To London 81, London to Cape Town Sll5
sccond-class and S79.15 third-class. Cape
Town 10 Kimberle. secondclass S3i, sec
ond-class S25 tthat is a distance of 6i7
miles by rail-, and from Kimberley to
To Johannesburg, 30 miles by stage, $50.
We came up with a bull team for Sl5.
From Johannesburg to Barberton, also
:DO miles, SO. remain. your friend.
j. L. CAMERON.