The sun., 1890-01-26
SOUTH AFR1CA's COLD CENTRE.
The wonderful Town or JohaanesbuFr
That Has Grown Up In n Day.

TIE wonderful Town OF JohaanesbuFu
That Has Grown Up In Day.
KIMBERLEY Dec. 16.-Johannesburg is
reached by q coach journey from Kimberley Of
more than 800 miles The coach service fs in
the hands OF two contractors, and s an excel
lent service The coaches used are aftor the
Cobb pattern. each coach carrying twelve in-
eide and from six to nino outside passengers,
besides malls and luggage. They run daily,
completing the journey In three days and two
nights, and are usually full OF passengers both
on the up and down journey The fare either
way 10 212 12s.. which with the additional
charges for extra luggage. twenty-five pounds
only being allowed, and extra charged at the
rate OF penny per pound. and the charges for
the mails, leaves o verv handsome profit for
the contraotors The coaches are dragged by
horses or mules, and finer cattle are not TO bo
found In this colony than those employed In
this service. Fresh horses are taken on every
hour or hour and half. and the teams run
only one stage per day. thus giving them every
chance OF being kept in good condition.
The roads In dry weather are good
and easily traversed. After rain they are
in some parts heavy. The country through
which they travel is In the highest degree
monotonous, not q tree nor a bush. not river
nor o hill, 10 be seen for miles. except when
some old farm house stands out from the sur
rounding baroness with circle OF droopinR
willows around 1t. There are only two places
OF Importance on the whole route-Klerksdorp
and Potchefstrom. The former consists OF an
old village with few scattered houses covered
by clumps OF trees and q now township, which
Is the growth Of a day and has sprung up In
consequence Of the gold discoveries recently
made there. Already several rretentious stone
houses have been erected. neat and COM
modous Exchange occupies a prominent site.
Churches. schools, and Court House are In
course OF construction. and several large and
/ commodious hotels offer accommodation to the
chance traveller. The chief hotel. called the
Palace. would do credit to many an older
established town. At this hotel the coach stops
to rest the passengers for the night, and. as
result OF the enormous traffic passing through
the Transvaal, 1t is difficult to get bed.
The town of Potchefstrom was tho old capital
OF the Transvaal and was the seat OF Govern.
ment until 1t was removed to Pretoria. Like
all Dutch towns fold standing the houses are
built In the midst Of lovely gardens thickly
planted with trees, which also grow luxuriantly
in the roadways and lend charm and a fresh
ness to the scene quite eXharating to those
who have been journeying for hours on the
/ bare veldt This town. too. has felt the intiu-
ence OF the gold fever. Gold fields have been
discovered in it's neigh borhood and in conse-
quence the town is full Of prospectors. diggers.
ana SpeCulaLOTS, T6huy 10 DICK UP lue iIEot ROou
thing they can find. Between Potche;strom
and johannesburg there is nothing worthy OF
note. AS one approaches the latter city the
face Of the country undergoes g adual
change. becoming moro undulating and hilly.
till all at once the famous Ell Dorado bursts
upon the view. stretching along the base Of g
low ridge of hills along whose sides the smok-
ing tunnels betray the busy work that is going
on in unearthing golden treasures.
III 1Ga.. IL. T.
all One hears often its praises sang and it's
streets and buildings pronounced indescriba-
BILE. but this is set down to exaegeration aris-
ing out OF the enthusiasm OF the speakers. No
one expects to 1nd broad ana regular streets.
with noble piles OF buildings erected on both
sides-buildinas and streets rivaliinG in size
and stvle OF architecture those OF some OF the
| chief towns OF England. The principal busi-
ness street Commissioner s.re't. extends for
nearly two miles. 1t con ANS some OF tho
finest buildings OF the city--rle new club, tho
Bank OF Africa. the new LNcAnnGe huittinSe,
two large hotels and severa TWO and three;
storied orections occunyinG who" i"ckr and
offices for the hundreds OF hroGers and epecu-
lators who ind occupation There. All the
buildings Of brick aud Stone. and the cnief
sound that is, heard aboEethe shouting Of the
layers trowel and the clink OF the stonecutters
chisel; The town proper IL a.mosL entirely
oeGnpiea WIN o9 business premiTrS; ne lnnaa
outskirts to tlnd suitable residences. Conse-
quently. on the slopes OF tho hills on one side
and at the rxtremities OF tho cny, several
townships have sprung ur. Tho principal Of
these Is Doorniontein. an es'nte belonging 70
the water company. which has been Artasii-
cally laid out in allotments. on which subStan-
tial nnd picturesque resi- derces have been
erected; and this forms the Belgrayia oil Jo-
Tie city Boasts an existence of only two and
an ample supply OF water laid on by Iipes in
the the houses and conducted through tne prncl.
Doom loniein. 10 which it is Bumped up from
severai springs at considerable distance from
Streets are in darFness S"H AZ nish % dependng zen I'M for
ilGht On the oil lamps OF the ost o. cantrens
has se 5eep ee1hG IN syery street Rut g
erection. and by the end of another SIX months
eSeS m thst s 9as .o"F @ Gs S
has secured on favorable terms. the lease,with
the option OF purchase OF u coal mine the coal
Ono OF the principal features of Johannes:
have been provided Il Tor % market fT squares 9 and
recreation grounds, The principal OF these iS in
OK wagons. laden with produce, which tho
and eVen II rom mon Nata hs Cape G ony
snd aISat the Free State. to be sold to the hiEhsst
building. covers thu, centre ol this square, con.
sishing OF the market house proper. large
and eS By con- eoee sna and beer Ss' sta
The market Is conducted by company, and
nothing can better show the rapid 4 owth ot
the town and the enormous increase of the
population than the extraordinary increasca0l
the revenue this com pany d derives from tho daily
sales on the market Fourteen months ago
the company obtained a concession from ne
Government for Ave years OF a small plot OF
ground In the centre OF the square A com
pany was foated with q capital Of fls0U 70
build market houses This they did and their
months they earn earned d Dividend end Of 50 Der cent.
d;a Last month dividend OF n per cent WAS de-
claredi ana this month a dividend OF 10 per
cent. ts expected. which may easily be nc
counted for when 1t is seen that the total sales
have increased In one year from ElS4lO to
8o1 ,OO0 per mouth.
The Government has again been approached,
and an extension OF the term OF the concession
from nye years TO MI ETY. nine years has been
arranged. The Government has besides graEthd
If60 q larger DIece M QrOnnd than that Cn