The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-28
THE CORRIDORS.

Charles Hunt, an old-rime miner of Gold
Hill, New, is at the Golden West. He has re-
Gently returned from South Africa, having op-
Grated chiefly about johannesburg, the center
of the gold field. He thinks well of the country
and Will 90 back. He says there is d SDTinkling
of Americans there, but that the Dutch and
English far outnumber them. johannesburg is
located on what is known as "The Reef III
that portion of the country called "The Rand"
The ledge where all the mining is done Is about
forty miles long, but the operations are con-
fined chiefly 10 territory about fifteen
miles in extent. The deepest shaft in
the district has reached 9OO-foot level,
and Mr.. Hunt says the ore Is unlike
that of California, being of pebbly nature.
Up in Bulawayo, 400 miles from Johannes
burg, lies MataDeleland. about which a great
deal of excitement exists al present. Some
Americans have located rich ledge or reef up
there, and the camp, while only few months
old, has population at present OF over 5000
souls. MIR. Hunt says that Johannesburg is a
moral town aud that the people are generally
law-abidiug. AS an Illustration of this he
mentioned the fact that not saloon is TO be
found open on Sundays. tie thinks there are
fine opportunities there for mechanics and
mining men. but says be would not advise
others to make the trip. Bricklayers, stone
masons, carpenters, etc, are paid about 81
day.
A. Z. Morton, who is connected with large
Boston tea-importing firm, Is in the city. He
was speaking last night Of the exceedingly
large shipments OF tea now being received in
this country from China and Japan ana the
causes therefor. "In the first place." said be,
"Lhls is the time of the year when the new tea
is on the market and dealers lay In their sup.
plies, and in the second piac. it Is expected
that the war between China and Japan will
prove serious impeachment to importatiOnS.
and dealers are consequently laying in large
stocks. Tea has advanced within the past
month from 10 TO Is per cent, and there has
been an advance OF cents a pound on teas
that grow near the coast, where there has been
trouble. while still further advances are looked
for. peculiar feature about the tea trade is
that it costs as much to lay down 500 pounds
of the article in San Francisco or New York as
il docs in Omaha or Kansas City. Tea shipped
from Yokohama will be delivered at any one OF
the four points just as cheaply as at either one
OF The others. This is due to the competition
between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean steam
ship lines"
Charles +. Forsythe OF the Internal Revenue
Department, Washington, was at the Occiden-
tai yesterday. He says that the new tariff law
will necessarily impose great deal of addl-
tional work upon the department, and In some
instances this work will be of a very peculiar
the different collectors throughout the coun-
try" said he, ito fad out how many decks of
! playing cards are offered for sale in those dis
trlcts. The new tariff law imposes tax of 2
cents a package on playing cards, and the
manufacturers made haste, before the law was
passed. TO throw their stock on the markets.
As a consequence the country is full Of playing
cards for sale, and the owner of every unsold
and unopened new deck will have to pay a
tax and have the internal revenue stamp at
tached. This is the first time in twenty years
that the Government has taxed playiDg-cards."
Superintendent Samuel j. Flint OF the Rail-
way Mail Service, with his wife, returned to the
city yesterday. They spent two weeks In the
vicinity OF Lake Tahoe.
| Lieutenant John II. Shipley of the United
States navy, who is on the way 10 China to
join Admiral Carpenters feet, is registered at
! the Occidental.
Attorney Henry E. Highton returned to the
| city yesterday, after spending several days Ia
recreation throughout the southern portion Of
| the StaIo.