The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-11-22
WHERE GOLD Is FOUND GALORE.
Africa, Golden Africa. It's Mines and
Their Products.

A British merchant, Mr. William Wal
ker of London. who recently made a
trip through the gold-producing regions
of southern Africa. has sent from there
to friend in New York a letter which
contains some interesting information on
the subject. In this letter. which was
written from the new African city of
johannesburg. he says:
AT the present time johannesburg
sends out monthly 10000 ounces Of pure
gold, valued roughly at $2,OOO0OO, and l
can say that the day is not distant when
the amount win be doubled, for it is al
ready in sight. 1t is certain also that
Mashonaland. Zululand. Swaziland and
other parts of the Transvaal will soon
be sending out their golden treasures.
Here is a country which gives abundant
evidence that it contains vast stores of
the precious metal. Many new and rich
reefs have been discovered this year; and
while l am writing 1 hear a report that
would draw me 10 Zululand if l were in
any way interested in the mines. The
supply of gold needed by mankind can
come only from southern Africa. All
the other gold fields of the world are
well known. l could go on for hours
about this aspect Of the question if It
were not that / fear your patience would
thus be tried. Africa, golden Africa. is
marching steadily onward to the rescue
of the Indian rupee and every hundred
thousand ounces of pure new gold sent
out from johannesburg is just one nail
the less in the coffin of poor old silver.
The dividends alone paid to the British
owners of the mines last year amounted
to over $4,000 900. 1 have visited one
mine which has subscribed capital of
h11f / fa1l oh
about what 1 saw. BY the help of can
dies we traced distinctly the line of
gold-bearing quartz along the reef 1t
looked like so many fints or pebbles
thrown haphaZard into cement forming
a kind OF concrete. At some places the
line was only ten inches wide. while at
others it was two feet. An expert gives
il as his opinion that the reefs in sight
in the mines hereabout can be worked
for thirty years; but he added that he
could give no opinion about the addi-
I tional treasure hidden in the earth of
this part of Africa. In driving about to
see some of the mines near Johannes
burg | heard everywhere the incesSant
roar Of the batteries which go on day
and night crushing. punching and pull
verifying the gold-bearing quartz. For
all these Ope.---ts0nS there is an abund-
ance Of British capital. and foreign in
vestors would find It hard to use their
capital advantageously here.
The managers of the mines prefer ma
tive labor and do all that they can to
retain it. As the matter stands at pres
ent the Zulu laborer gets so much money
that in a few months he would be rich
If his savings We're not reduced by his
expenditures for liquor. the use of which
is encouraged by the government be
cause of the revenue derived from ii and
by the mine managers. who. by keeping
the laborers in poverty, are able To
cure their service for greater length of
time An ordinary Zulu can earn 50 or
| 81 a week beside his rations in mining,
but he spends all he earns and 50 is
chained to the mines There are large
! interests bound up in the liquor traffic
here"
Mr.. Walker tells i'm his letter of an
interview he had with the Hon. Cecil
] Rhodes. the premier of Cape Colony. Mr..
Rhodes firmly believes hat the ancient
Phoenicians searched for the gold of
Mashonaland and he thinks that this
theory cannot be doubted by anybody
, who examines the old gold workings
there. Mr.. Rhodes holds that the gym
abibi ruins are of Phoenician origin, that
Solomon's mines were among these ruins
and that il was to this part of Africa
that Hiram. king of Tyre, came with his
navy from the Red sea q Kings tx, 81
2). After hearing Mr. Rhodes l can
come to no other conclusion than that
Mashonaland is the true land of Ophir."
MI. W dlkef speaks III MS reuter- u tfit
wonderful African city of johannesburg.
which has grown within seven years to
be a large city. 1t is perhaps destined
TO be the largest Of south African cities,
as it is already the center of the greatest
gold fields in the world
Mr.. Walker was not aware when he
wrote this letter that a body Of CalifOr-
mia miners were preparing for an eXpe-
dition to the gold fields of south Africa
Sam Connors. an old California miner,
who recently went To johannesburg has
written back to his friends that he be-
| lieves the prospective wealth of the south
! African gold fields 10 be enormous.
The statements made by Mr.. Walker
and Mr.. Connors are evidently those of
men who are not destitute Of enthusiasm
for the new country. IL is a country.
however. rather for British capitalists
and Zulu laborers than for American
spectators and miners.-N. Y. Sun.