Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1890-04-02
mlnlne ln sou,h AfrIea.

eafnsng in South Africa.
 Parties having the sOGth AiricsR
 fever should read the following ister- view with Jasper King, a well knswn mining man, which vas pablished re-
 gently in the Spokane Falls (W. Ash.)
 Review. MT. King went to Airics last
 August, aad expresses his opinion Of
 the couatry as follows:
 "It is not much of trip to gs le
 Africa" said kr. King, although it Is
 long way of. It oRly tsek me a
 msnth to go from Spokane Falls to
 Cape Tsan, Aries, and the trip can 5e
 made easily ia twensy-eight days.
 From Cape Town, prorecded sy rail
 to Kimberly, where one of the great diamond mises is located, distance ot
 600 miles; thence by stage to Barber ton, ir the South African republic.
 "I then took my time in exploring the mining region. 1 fesnd several
 good mines, all ef which are operated sy English companies. There is one ledge at Johannesburg which Is regu- l iarly je6neI fer distance of sixty
 n,iles. thirty miles of which has been
 worked. The formation IS soft granite sna perphyry. cement and white crys- ! taliEes quartz.
 "The average miners wages is ZIG per month, and they pay si2.5o per week for beard.
 "There is no such thing as individ- usl prospecting The right si mining . for and Sisposing of all precious metals sna stsnes belongs te the state. Any person wishing ts go prospecting must ge; permission fTsm the owner of tbe land he desires to prospect, and aaust pay license of l0s. per month. Half the license goes to the owner Of the land and half to the governor. The usual way of prospecting is to start with six mule team and take money enough along to buy farm.
 "The laws are made in the interest ol the Iioh, and the government exacts trihu te in every manner possible. The duties on nining machinery is about fifty per cent. and as the nearest rail way station is Kimberly, all ma csinery has Ia se hauled from there by teams.
 "The geversneRt will not permit any railroads to be built in the republic, on the ground that they would take busi- ness away from the ireighters. No miaing is allowed within six miles ei any tswn.
 "I saw B great many Americans there, and the country is flooded with people from England, Australia and New Zealand, all of whom would will liagly leave il they had msaey enough to get away.
 "The language of the csuntry is Dutch. The Republic has about 60oo0 inhabitants. The people are not far advanced, but things have improved considerable in the last few years. The people were formerly tee poor te do anything, but tke influx of English capital has brought sufficient revenue ts the government to enable 1t to make msny Improvements.
 "Reiofs went to Africa was under 1 the impression that it was timberet, l s~ampy country. In lhis as very much mistaken. The country is Isere like Arizona, being dry and barren. There Is ne timber, and the land is covered with bush and cactus.
 I penetrated ], 200 miles into the ia- | lerior without seeing a tree of any size. l l don't believe therc is any timber in l Africa Travellers are net permitted to gather auy fuel te build q campfire without procuring license. The license per wagon load for the privilege oi cutting wosG is g.. When l was in Johannesburg wood was worth about sT5 load.
 People not acquainted with the GUS toaas oi the country are liable to ge; into trouble with the authorities at any time. Fortunately. was only arrested once, and that was for washing myself in a riyer about ;he size of the Spokane. IL was hot and dusty, and we csmped by the stream opposite 8 town Early the next morning. ! went down the bank and began washing my face and hands, when | WAS interrupted by two black policemen. whs took me in We could not understand each others language, Aut they took me ever into town. The magistrate WAS asleep, One ot the policemen went in where he was snd woke him up. got tired oi wait ing for him, hut finally ,he policeman came back again. and tela me my tne ~ss SIPS. paid it and was allowed to go.
 .'I got sll of South Africa I wanted, and tell you the only way to appre- ciate free Amerios is to leave it !"