Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1895-07-03
A WONDERFUL CITY.
The Rapid Growth Of Johannes
burg, South A rica-
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 G,G00 feet above sea
level. Its climate is most salubrious
and pleasant, says a 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 n 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 1886 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 vrLs then tree.
less prairie, with no hupaan habitatior
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, a 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 it's rapid growth
is that every bit of material used in the
construction of buildings and inlthe
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 flocked to the new Gel Dora
do" from all parts of the world. Pros
pecting was vigorously pushed in every
direction, and ere long it was diseov-
that the lode bearing the precious
metal was very extensive, having o
length of forty miles and q breadth
varying from one-half to two miles, it's
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,
1857, there were no less than sixty-eight
gold mining companies, with a nominal
capital of S15,315, 900 and in January,
1890, there were $50 companies, with S55,-
100000 capital. These extensive prep
arations We're made for active mining.
The assembling of SO many people in a
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, it's 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 dcvel-
oped into a beautiful city, with broad
streets lined with magnificent stores,
hotels, Office buildings and theaters in
tie business center, and in the SUBJ
irbs 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 pause 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 its i'm
mense mineral wealth. Most of the
mines at present are paving handsome
dividends, and developing is constant
~ going along. The monthly yield of
the gold mines in the Witwatusrandt
district exceeds g.. 900, 900, and from
the known resources it is fair to say
that ere long the monthly yield will
be doubled. Most of the work in the
mines is done by negroes, there being
more than 10000 employed in this dis
trict. Their daily wages average
about G2 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 fun of strength and vitality,
and bids fair to be great city some
aev
Quite recently the Boston newsn.
pers devoted space and elaborated illl,s.
tration 70 a wonderful flying machine
invented by Joseph s Foster. of salem.
It was to solve the problem that has
raeked the brains of inventors for
years. 1t was taken ont on a recent
) "a .r1.,r-