The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-09-18
DIAMOND DIGGINGS.
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST THEFT IN
soUTH AFRICAN MINES.

But In Spite Of Ali This Stealing still Con-
tinues-Thc Decline OF the Town of kim
beriey-Population Has Flown to the
Gold Fields About Johannesburg.
"Thc South African diamond mines
are worked almost entirely by native
laborers--the Kailirs, zulus, Hottentots
and the rest, " said diamond merchant.
"These receive good wages, about s125
per month, and are hired for term of
three months During this period thoy
aro confined IN compounds located on
tho edge Of The mines. The compounds
consist ofrows Of buildings Of corrugated
iron, forming hollow square, surround
cd by q high board fence and covering
several acres Of ground. within this cor
raj aro stores, = hospital, boarding houses
and othor oonvoniencos. Wood and wa
ter are furnished free, hut no alcoholic
liquors are allowed. During their term
of service the natives are not allowed TO
have any communication with the out
side world and are under q system of
close personal surveillance in order TO
Prevent the theft If diamonds. When
they como up from the mine shaft, they
arc carefully searched, and many in
genious methods are adopted to reduce
the loss from this source 20 n minimum
Notwithstanding all that is done,
howoyor, tho theft Of diamonds still
continues. II is estimated that from 10
to 90 por cent Of tho diamonds found
are stolen every year In order to pre-
vent this very stringent law was pass
ed, providing that all rough diamonds
should be registered with the detective
bureau Of the government MS soon os
thoy were found, and that every man
who sold diamond must give with it
certificate of registry.
"The penalty for having an unregis.
tered rough diamond Ia seven years on
the Cane Town breakwator. and the
mere fact of possession is prima facie
evidence nnd will secure conviction So
it happens that If ono laborer wants to
do M another he manages to slip u
rough diamond into the other laborcr's
cont, or into his room, and thcn tells
the police to keep a sharp lookout. OF
course tho police make search, the
contraband stone is found, and the man
is in for term of seven years. A great
many unjust sentences have unquestion-
ably been secured in this way but de-
spite tho opposition to the law the com.
pany is powerful enough TO keep it in
force.
"There are other diamond fields ont
side of tho Kimberley district, but they
are difficult to work and arc mainly ex-
plotted by digsofs working on thoir own
account. Tho total product ia not large
and the work is very arduous, tho dig
gers being mostly men who have been
thrown out of work by tho consolidation
Of the Kimberley mines into one vast
corporation aud tho subsequent rostric-
tion Of production. This latter, by the
way, has had curious effect upon the
town of Kimberley itself. AS late as
four years ago Kimberley had popula-
ton of 5000 or 10000 people. II was
laid ont for great city and enjoyed for
time big boom.
"Fino brick blocks and residences
were built, hotels and theaters and wa
terworls and everything pertaining to
modern city Now good third Of
those places arc empty, and Kimberley is
as dead as New England town that is
dependent upon a single mill. All the
supplies and machinery for tho mines
are now bought Of course by single
company, 80 that more than wo-thirds
Of tho business Of the town is gone
There is nothing there TO sustain a town
except the mine, and with the opening
up Of tho goldfelds much Of the popu-
lation moved on north to Johannesburg
Although the existence of gold in
tho Transvaal had been known for years,
yet the Doors disliked the invading
prospectors and for time kept them
out by law. Afterward q more liberal
spirit prevailed, and tho Boor govern
ment offered reward for the finding Of
paying goldtields. But 1t was not until
1882 that the now celebrated gold bear
ing reef in which the bulk Of South AZ
rican gold is found was discovered, and
twas not until four years later that the
opening of the celebrated Sheba mine
and its phenomenal yield, gave rise TO a
fever. Then prospectors poured in from
Kimberley and the Cape, coming by
push cart, wagon, laEJeback or on foot
In a year there were 10000 persons IN
the district. The center Of the excite
ment was the little town of Barberton,
but this section was soon thrown into
the shade by the discoveries ON the Wit
watersrand. But while the excitement
lasted the De Kaap fields, as they We're
known, had their day, and 90 COM
panies, with nominal capital of $685.
900, 900, were hoated, and many of the
shares sold at q tremendous premium.
Most of these mines are now abandoned,
though the Shoba mine is still big
producer. New York Sun.