The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-10
WEALTH OF THE TRANSVAAL.
Deposits Of Gold Far Exceeding Those Un-
earthed in California.

OepOSltS Oh UOlu II ar EXceeuinB Auobo Ou'
earthed in California.
Gan Francisco Chronicle
DR.. J. w. Matthews. q pioneer of Cape
Town, and for over q dozen years past
resident of johannesburg. In the Trans
yael Repu bile, and who has had many Curl
Gus experiences in South Africa. Is In the
city. DR.. Matthews is q member of the
Royal Geographical Society. and while at
the worlds fair, at Chicago. he delivered
a lecture in the chronological Building on
the many natural wonders of South Africa.
He says that. In his opinion. the
Transveai Republic is entering on o career
of prosperity of which the past Is but the
merest suggestion. much as 1t has hitherto
astonished the world. His reasons fog
this are In part. the vast gold reefs recently
discovered In the new parts OF the coun.
try which are greater by far than those
which have made the country famous. and
the extension OF the railroad from Della
goa bay. which will enable miners TO get
machinery and other supplies in quickly
and with light charges for freight.
The whole of California from 1S49 to
1892" said he, produced e230.000000 of
gold. whereas we. In eleven linear miles of
the gold range. Will produce at our present
rate of output f325. O00. 900. The gold bear
ing reef is a nglomeIate from five to fif-
teen feet in width. and In some instances.
as has been proved. 200 feet deep. Besides
this comparatively small territory in which
so much wealth has been found, We have
the Selaba mountains and the Murchison
range. III which reefs LOO feet broad and
equally rich have been discovered.
lin January. 1856 we began taking ont
gold at the rate of 900 ounces. or $4,000
month. and now we are averaging 10000
ounces a month. or 81, $1,000 month. The
product is SO great that one Is continually
astonished, and IL compelled 10 stop and
ponder over ii. When the mines of the
Lelaba and Murchison mountains begin to
be opened our present output will be but
drop in the bucket.
The best miners we have are from tho
Pacific States OF America. They have an
expert knowledge. and are OF the class We
most desire. For long time We had no.
body who really understood much about
mining. but as soon We began To get men
who were we'll posted in it we nude great
progress. Why. here is An instance. that
of Charles +. Buffers, of Grass Valley, Cal.
He went over there and started chlOr-
ination works. and the first month he
cleaned up. above all expenses. $4,000.
THE, remem Der. was the first month.
Many other Californians are connected
with leading mines and mills. and all are
doing well.
There are three powerfully rich mining
houses or firms In the Transvaal. the same
as the ROthschilds. the Goulds and the
Vanderbilts. generally speaking. are prom
inent in finance in England and this part
of the world. They are the Ecksteins. the
Barnatos and SigIsmuDd NeumsD. All these
ere owners of wonderfully rich groups OF
minea.
1--WE have a remarkably good government
and a safe one. though IL may be called a
little slow. Still while the United States
paysIts President $50. 900 a year. We pay
ours $4,000. This, when you consider that
the whole of the Trensvaal is nothing like
SO big as California, n single State OF the
American Union. 1t will DO seen that We do
not do SO poorly by our rulers. President
Kruger 10 q very reliable and careful man.
and Is getting rich very fast.
"One thing that will strike you as sur
prising Is our very heavy duty. For in
stance, oil our cigars come from Havana.
ana there is duty of cents on every
single one. The duty. with the amount
charged by the dealer makes the total cost
of a cigar 81 cents. Yet we smoke them
right along, We also pay o duty of 2 cents
of 81 cents "a pound, which makes hams
sell for about 90 cents pound on the aver
age. On many other things we pay pro-
portiona;e duties. and still we thrive and
get wealthy. / think. however. il will
only BIO short time till the duties are re-
duccd.
Despite the guarding Of the diamond
mines there is still good deal of stealing
of diamonds. They are constantly invent
ing new waystO cireumvent the guards. 1t
Is a great temptation to steal. 4 native
finds o diamond, for instance, as big as q
walnut. Well If no can secrete &C. il means
that he has fortune, and that he need
never work any more. diamond that size
is worth $4,000, enough TO last "a poor ma
tive all his life. SO be sets TO work con-
irving how TO get away with II.
Il have known them TO conceal MOI ds
in their nostrils and in their holio eel .ou d
boot heels. and In all manner of ways
scarcely TO be imagined. DO the hest the
guards can. the laborers will make way
with some