Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1893-08-02
A WONDERFUL CITY.
The Rapid Growth Of Johannes
burg, South Africa.
An GEL Dorado In the Midst of q Tree
less Waste That Has Become Fa-
nous for It's Mineral Wealth
and Architectural Beauty.

Johannesburg is. situated in the Wit
watusrandt gold fields, in the southern
part of the South African republic, at
an elevation of 5000 feet above sea
level. It's climate is most salubrious
and pleasant, says correspondent of
the st. Louis Globe-Democrat In
winter, which is from May to the end
of August, the weather is sufficiently
cool to make an overcoat a necessity,
and at night and in the mornings the
air is very cold and bracing. In sum-
mer the heat of the sun is tempered
by gentle winds that are constantly
blowing. In the year 1856 the govern
ment of the South African republic
proclaimed and threw open for min
ing purposes tract of land on which
gold had previously been discovered and
found to be in paying quantities. This
tract of land, which was then a tree
less prairie, with no human habitation
within miles of it and no railroad IA
cilities or other means of transporta-
ton, is to-day-Seven years later-the
site of Johannesburg, city of $4,000
inhabitants, with all the improve
ments and conveniences of the modern
American city of similar size. The re-
markable feature of its rapid growth
is that every bit of material used in the
construction of buildings and in the
equipment of the mines had to be
transported on freight wagons, drawn
by oxen, hundreds of miles from the
nearest railroad terminus or seaport
Shortly after the proclaiming of the
district open for mining purposes min
ing men fiocked to the new eel Dora
do" from all parts of the world. Pros
pecting was vigorously pushed in every
direction, and ere long it was discov-
that the lode bearing the precious
metal was very extensive, having a
length of forty miles and a breadth
varying from one-half to two miles, its
thickness varying from one to seven
feet. The country through which the
gold-bearing strata passes was all
staked out into mining claims and in
Vulnerable syndicates and mining COM
panies were organized. In November,
1887, there were no less than sixty-eight
gold mining companies, with nominal
capital of SIS, 315, 900 and in January,
1890, there were $50 companies, with $685.
900, 900 capital. These extensive prep
arations were made for active mining
The assembling of so many people in
mushroom" town made good open
ings for all kinds of business. A cham
Der of mines was organized, COM
prised chiefly of men engaged in the
mining industry, its object being to
collect statistics and generally to fur
Their the interests of mining. A cham
Der of commerce for the interest of
the commercial community was also
formed. Churches, theaters, govern
ment building, business blocks and
all kinds of public buildings of sub
stantial nature were constructed, and
thus the mining camp gradually devel-
oped into beautiful city, with broad
streets lined with magnificent stores,
hotels, Office buildings and theaters in
the business center, and in the sub
urbs beautiful residences of the most ar
tistic architectural designs. Johannes
burg has had its bad times also, young
as it is. There was a natural paus. in
its career of prosperity when the first
excitement cooled down in some de-
gree and a reaction set In. But it has
entirely recovered from this temporary
lull, and assured confidence in its
future is felt by all who realize it's inn
mense mineral wealth. Most of the
mines at present are paying handsome
dividends, and developing is constant-
ly going along. The monthly yield of
the gold mines in the Witwatusrandt
district exceeds 100000, and from
the known resources it is fair to say
that ere long the monthly yield viii
be doubled. Most of the work in the
mines is done by negroes, there being
more than &C, 900 employed in this dis.
trict. Their daily wages average
about so cents, and sufficient corn
meal is given them to make their
porridge, which is their principal food.
The white miners are employed to act
rs foremen over gangs of negroes, and
there are really more whites here than
there are places for them. Johannes
burg is full of strength and vitality,
and bids fair to be great city some