Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-04-03

Lodwix Wiel,~r Il the Cape q 6nod
Hope - . guest n The A0z1oa. AT.
Wiener y the CAPS Coleny ss5He>eDis
tive 70 the Columbian sxposlt1oa aud =
on Ms Nay 10 chlc~xe-
~cxpe Cclony ~iD make = oonpiess
exhibition II ,is predes<s.T said Mr..
wisner last ni<,ht - he lay ca tbs he'd IN
his rcon. resting from his isag journey.
Probably tha nosf interesting thing
ulIi - the exhibit Il eAsmonds- We
intend 10 khop the esatire pfocrs<. fon
washing the sfones out It the gravel 20
cutting. polishing and setting them II
~sli he novelty Three zslns are nos
on their way ., this country 10 DO the
rough work and Ne sk.sii have cutters
and polishrss who learned their trade Ia
Amsterdam.
I'VE shsu have . complete exhibit 81
ostrich fcafhers 1t the FAIR and
also Il native vincs and agricultural
pfoducts The diamond business ~ the
great industry u oar colony and 80 we
shaIl resose most q our resources 90
showing that 10 tne world. and We he
lieye eserybody that comes 10 the fHlr
wils IL Interested In seeing H. Every
thing will be natural and the work VIII
Be IN exact reproduction IL that done ia
the mines. The diamond industry has
been very prosperous during th< past
fuo yearx The ruinous competition has
been eliminated and there 10 now little
money in the business All The
diamond fields are under the con
trol f one company. and the
production u limited TO the demand
They never do what you people terra
flooding the market ConseQ uentls the
prices 81 the stcDcs remain nearly uni
form. There has been slight advance
during the past year. 5 per cent or such
a matter. The diamonds are mined by
ZuIus. under the change of white over
seers. Great pains have 10 be taken 20
prevent the Iaen from stealing the preci-
Gus gems Zuius are no more dishonest
than the whites. but both have 10 te
watched. IL 10 an easy matter 10 hide =
diamond 1t can be pat In cresice.
swallowed. hidden In their thick. bushy
hair; in fact. there 10 no end Of tho ways
TO secrete them.
The men usually are hired under a
three months contract During that
time they live in what We term CON
pound IL In an enclosure. and the men
are never permitted - leave II when mol
at work. When they start Tor the mines
they are taken into a rpom and carefully
searched. Then they are compelled 10
change their clothes and leave the once
they had on In the room. A Zulu goc<
half naked anyway; but he removes the
few garments he does wear aud puts on
a mining suit. When they get through
work they are again searched. and after
wards put on their clothes they wore
when they started for the mines The
men are kept in this enclosure until
their time 10 up. Then the are searched
again and paid of. They usually
receive about $50 week. IL they
wish To sign contract 90 work three
months more they return 10 the com
pound. Otherwise they are free 10 SO
wherever they wish. In spite al the
precautions taken q large number ct
diamonds are stolen every year
Tho mining Of gold has become an
important industry IN Cape Town Last
year f4.000O00 sterling Was produced.
the equivalent Of S2O.op0oo ia your
money The mines were only recently
discovered and are not fully developed
yet The ore is Of soft. alluyiai nature
and is easily worked. We expect that
the mines will turn out 10 he the richest
in the world The south 81 Africa is
one ri the richest regions IN the world.
1t has wonderful natural resources; but
the country has not been developed ~
any extent yet. Few persons appreciate