The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1893-10-26
FROM SOUTH HFRICA
Our Regular Correspondents
Newsy Letter.
STRUCK SOME RICH GOLD CLAIMS
He Discovers a Lead ASsuying $75
and $1OO in Gold, and Another
That Averages $40 per TOn-A
Twenty Five Foot Snake.
CrOcOdlles Are Numerous.
BARBERToN, Transvaal, S. A. r., r !


September II, 1893.
am still prospecting; am now about
twenty miles northwest from Barberton
[ think I have found something worth
staying with; have a vein about two feet
wide. 1t all prospects little, and there
is streak in 1t about six inches wide
that assays S75 and 500 in gold, but I
am afraid 1t is spotted. There Is lots of
rich float on the surface I have also
another vein in the granite. 1t is from
eight to twelve inches wide and pros
poets about $50, should think. Goth
places have had some work done on
them about ten years ago. The first
spoke of has shaft about twenty feet in
depth, with ore on top and none in the
bottom; but still the vein is there I
struck it about 300 feet from the shaft.
and get better prospects than there is at
the shaft The vein is contact granite
and slate. l am going to do some work
on both veins. It is in healthy place.
Horses and cattle will live there.
Il expect times are pretty tough in
Montana on account of silver. One can
work very low grade ore here One man
/ know of is making $l.5O ore pay. A
good man gets $3.50 per month, and Il
costs about SIS more to feed him. He
will do more work than white man can
do in this country.
There is plenty of water power all
over the fields. Within one and one
half miles of my place there falls in the
kaap river seventy five feet high. There
are plenty of mills in the country-new
ones; some that have never run, and one
can buy them cheap. I believe that I
have struck a good thing. but it NAV
not last.
In no part of the world at present
is the interest Of European investors be-
ing attracted to new enterprises SO much
as in South Africa. The country is on the
eve OF boom, colossal and fruitful. and
1t seems as we'll qualified to sustain it as
any land under the sun. The focus of this
interest in johannesburg, the mining
town of the White Waters ana gold fields
IN the Transvaal, and more commonly
known as "The Rand" 1t is the biggest
mining camp IN the country
There is no disputing the fact that this
Is most wonderful and productive min
ing country. From month to month the
output has increased, until the hand
some showing has been made of 10y. 1851
ounces OF gold for May, and 112, ,167 oun-
ces tor June, 100000 ounces for July and
lIIooO ounces for August. There is no
doubt that this output will be largely
increased, for preparations on an exten-
slYe scale are being made to open new
mines known TO have pay ore In large
quantities. There are al present $500
stamps dropping pight and day, and that
number will be doubled on the main
reef within afew months. If the deep-leyel
theory proves true, and if the ore be
found to be near enough to the surface
TO be worked with profit, the output of
this country will cast all records in the
shade, and it is safe to say that ten times
The present milling capacity will ulti-
mately be employed here.
A very noticeable feature OF this new
country is that nobody carries "euno
and there is no toughness such as char
acterlzes mining camps in other lands.
For upward of six years hundreds of
thousands OF ounces of gold have gone
annually from this place by stage and
lhe coach has never been held up or a
of gold lost in transit. A
oox containing over 100 pounds ayoirdu-
'ols ot gold was dropped off the coach on
me occasion and il was picked IN and
brought on by another team.
There are about 100000 souls, black
md white, in the republic. and its Pregi-
lent receives $4,000 per annum, house
ent and $500 year for "coffee money.0
t is said ne sends in regular vouchers
or his expenses, which are paid out of
he public treasury. It is also said that
Vbere his own private expenditures are
concerned he is extremely prudent and.
wing to this trait, he is enabled to nav
IL his actual living expenses out Of m his
coffee money" and put by his $4,000
'er annum. '9
There are plenty of crocodiles in the
lyer. We see them often and ran onto
snake few days ago that would raise
he hat off mans head. We estimated
lis length at twenty five feet and diam
ter at eight inches; and we have not
aiken drink for two months, either, so
he snake was real. We know right
there his home is, and will eend you his
ide some day. Do you send any pa
ers? would like to get THE Nail.
oe Carleton sends regards to all, and SO
o /. JACK HARTWELL