The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-21
Butte Department.
Mr.. Williams Description Of johann
nssburg and Vicinity.
WATER A SCARCE ARTICLE
Dust Storms. Hish-PrIced Living.
Cheap Natives. Plenty of Work
and Swedes Coming In
by the Ship Loads.

About a week ago the Standard pub
lished an interesting letter from Cape
Town. written by @. w. williams. who
went from Butte a few months ago 10
seek his fortune in South Africa. An
other letter has been received from
Mr.. williams by c. II. Fiske, written
a month later and dated from johann
nesburg. 1t read as follows:
IT arrived at johannesburg on the
morning of Friday. Oct. rs. Three
nights and two days were consumed
in making this point from the cape.
For the first 300 miles the route was as
complete a desert as you ever saw In
Arizona, but the balance of the way
was fair. Occasionally we could see
farms and stock ranches and 1t was a
great rest to the eyes to view some
thing green. Grain is now about IL
inches high and headed out.
The elevation of this place is $500
feet above the sea, a gradual ascent all
the way from Cape Town, ending upon
a great plateau, almost level. The town
and mines are located upon slightly
rolling ground, which would be called
level in Montana. The climate suits
me but some call Ii warm. If i do not
the change. Most of the Butte men
have been sick more or less. Mr..
Campbell, who has been here about
eight months, has lost no time. conse-
gently he has not been sick. The COM
pany has sent to Montana for Is mill
wrights, paying their expenses provid-
ing they remain in the employ OF the
company for one year. The Simmon &
Jack have work under construction to
L. k..e IAx aoff n fa 10
completion in two years. i shall work
for this company and expect to get
better pay than day hire. as old Cali
fornia friends of mine have full charge
and have promised to that effect There
is a vast quantity of building going on,
but everyone wants to contract and the
result will be no one will make any
thing out of the business. Mechanics
of all trades are coming from all parts
of the world. 1t will certainly glut the
market. Every ship of every descrip-
ton entering Cape Town is crowded
with passengers. Those we fear the
most are the Swedes. They are arriv-
ing from that country five to one Of
any other country.
Nearly all the Butte men express
regret that they left America on ac-
count of the poor living here and the
continual dust storms and long and
than one shower in eight months and
the whole country is suffering for
water. When 1 arrived in Johannes
burg / could not get a bath or any
water to wash myself with and board
ers at hotels must put up with one cdp
of coffee or tea at each meal. The place
is well situated and fairly well built.
but generally with corrugated iron for
roofs and sides. This only applies to
built out of brick, iron and stone, gen.
orally well constructed. The streets
are wide. with walks of cement and in
the suburbs are rows OF fine shade
trees of the tropical kind. Some have
grown trees similar to those that have
grown in Los Angeles. On the coast
in the lowlands grow all tropical fruits,
so / am informed. but the piices are
higher than in America. Potatoes are
now selling at 10 cents per pound.
Meals at restaurants range from 25
cents to 81. and this difference is all
owing to style not to the better quality
or abundance of food.
"Simmon & Jack employ about c,o00
negroes. located a quarter OF laile
from the work i'm what they call the
compound Their pay ranges from SIS
to $50 per month with corn meal fer
rations. They cook ii themselves end
sleep on the ground. They wear a
breech clout or a blanket thrown
loosely over their shoulders, but out of
the white limit they are stark make d,
and no one pays any particular atten-
ton to their nakedness. Very few of
their women are here. They are war
like and the different tribes employ ed
in the mines have battles. Their weap-
ons consist of three clubs, one In the
right hand to strike with ani Two in
the left hand to ward of blows. They
fight desperately and show no coward
ice. Each tribe has a distinct Ian
guage. The novelties they wear are of
good workmanship and designed by
themselves. They have ringlets on
their arms and legs. All the orna-
ments are constructed OF brass, copper
wire and copper rivets.
Each one of the carpenters has a
boy, all male negroes are called boys,
to carry lumber or tools or 10 do any
thing the carpenter tells him TO do, and
he will not do anything for anyone ex-
cept his boss. In the morning before
they have their corral. they sing a war
song, and at all times when not al
work they make a terrible noise. in
Cape Town. when negroes purcha Sc
anything from the store they buy In
penny lots. such as one cents worth OF
cheese. one cents worth of butter. etc,
or a three-cent loaf OF bread
II would not advise anyone to come
here. This climate is severe on white
people. and there is a great deal OF
rheumatism.
&c. w. Williams"