The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-26

for themselves even to q stranger. A gold
field which has been steadily and gradu-
ally increasing its output, and which has
now attained monthly production of Co.
90 ounces, in value some 100000. must
have before il great future. Recent bad
times and the insensibility of the London
money market have had an admirable eff
feet upon the directors and managers of
the gold mines here. They have
been compelled by force of cir
cumstances to divert their attention
from the hotation of new companies,
and from the pushing up of shares to
absurd premiums by making fallacIous re-
turns of crushings and by other lodges
familiar to the promoter. They are now
concentrating their efforts on the develop
ment of their mines, the attainment OF
deeper levels, the erection of improved
machinery and an economical administra-
ton. Many companies have been recon-
structed, and Others are in process of be-
ing reconstructed; the capital of several
companies has been ruthlessly cut down.
In one case that was brought to my notice
the capital of the company had been re-
duced from 100000 to $4,000, and al
though this reduction undoubtedly rep
resents heavy loss in the past it prob
ably precedes profitable future.
Johannesburg is a town of much promise;
the stranger however, will find occasion
for criticism and even censure. The streets
are unpaved and the roadways are as bad
or worse than the tracks across the veidt.
When the wind is high, which is often the
case the clouds of dust are so thick and so
continuous as to make breathing almost
difficulty, nor is any mitigation of this
great evil attempted either by attempts of
some kind of pavement or by the simple
and comparatively inexpensive water cart.
The streets at night are unlit, and after
sunset total darkness renders Iocomotion
along the bad roads matter of difficulty
and of danger. The obscurity, more
over, enables footpads and house
breakers to pursue their avocations
with considerable impunity, and there
has been recently much complaint among
the inhabitants in consequence of the in
crease in this class of crime. The police,
who are maintained by the Boer govern
ment, are few in number, nor can learn
that they arc in any way distinguished for
efficiency. During the week have been here
/ have not set eyes upon a single police
man, either by night or by day. There can
be no doubt that many of these evils
would be promptly remedied if Johannis-
burg possessed a representative munich
pality, but the selfish jealousy of the Boer
government obstinateiy refuses any such
concession.
There is. indeed, . sanitary board
whose duties are solely confined
to matters of sanitation, which Is
elected by the inhabitants. Two regula-
tons, however. completely neutraliZe the
representative value of this institution.
The members of the board must speak and
understand Dutch and the proceedings
and minutes of the board are recorded in
the Dutch language. Johannesburg is es-
sentialiy an English-speaking town. l
imagine that very small proportion OF
the inhabitants and practically speaking,
none of the well-to-do classes, speak
Dutch, and thus it happens that those
who, from their position and their posses
sions. would be natural and useful MEM
bers of the sanitary board are totally ex-
Guided even from this small share in the
government of the town. In the second
place the Boer government nominate the
president of the board from outside the
number of those elected. 1t is not to be sup
posed that the inhabitants of Johannis-
burg will long tolerate their condition OF
absolute servitude in municipal matters.
The astounding inequality of taxation
between the inhabitants of Johannesburg
and those of Pretoria is certain before long
20 bring about movement by the former
TO which the Boer government will have
to yield. Some figures may be useful as
showing what our countrymen have to
put up with at the hands of the Beers. In
Pretoria Dutchman can purchase build
ing stand of %. 400 feet square, subject to a
tax of FL los. For the same site an inhab-
tant of Johannesburg has to pay tax of
f45. The poll-tax in Pretoria is IS Cd, in
Johannesburg it is 1Ss Sd. The sanitary
board tax in Johannesburg on a property
value of 5000 amounts to f4l lbs I'd. In
Pretoria there is no such tax. The sani-
tary fees in Pretoria are Els los, in johann
nisburg Eli los. In Pretoria there are no
water rates, in Johannesburg the water
rates on property of f5, 900 value amount
to f4S.
The result of these taxation arrange
ments is that while Dutchman in Pre-
toria owning a property valued at $1,000
pays in rates and taxes ELS IS Sd, an Eng
lishman in Johannesburg owning a similar
property pays in rates and taxes
fl5S Is 10d. This system of taxation. so
inequitable, so audacious. so impudent.
cannot be expected to endure. Pretoria,
with a population of 5000, mainly Dutch
men, is maintained at the expense of
Johannesburg, with population of Is, 000
mainly Englishmen. The latter, when its
people have time to give their attention to
municipal as well as mining matters, will
demand and exact a thorough reform.
RANDOLPH CHURcHIII.