Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-08-29
NEW GOLD MINES.


- - 49, - 80
Engineers Say That the Amount o.
Gold IN South Africa 10 Practically
uniimItsd.
For almost year the world has
been slowly growing more and more
excited over the gold mines OF South
Africa. Within year mining shares
that were issued at IS per share. and
often sold for only portion of that.
have sold up as high as $l65 per
share, and there are many who be-
lieve that these same shares will 60
to $500. 1t Is not impossible that
mining shares of the South African
properties will be listed on the New
York Stock Exchange within the
year. Proposals to that effect have
already been made.
The single little district known as
the Witwaters and. in the Transvaal
or South African republic, will yield
this year upward of $40, 00O, 600
worth of gold. This little district
Is, so far as it's productive area is
concerned, not over fifteen miles
wide, and about sixty miles long.
Ten years ago it was laid out in stock
farms. To-day the mines located
upon this narrow strip have market
value OF more than $3.50, 900, 600.
Perhaps the most remarkable man
of the gold fields is b. 1. Barnato,
known from Cape Town to London
as Barney. Barnato is still young
man. He comes OF good English
family, turned out to be wild
youngster. who shipped off to Cape
Colony, knocked about there as best
he could, was, it is said, at one time
O member OF circus company as
juggler, found himself stranded with
a half crown in his pocket. went into
the diamond business at Kimberley,
made money hand over fist, was soon
ranked as one of the diamond mag
mates, and when the Kimberley dia-
mond mines were consolidated turned
up at the top of the heap, worth
millions. Later Barnato followed the
movement to the Witwatersrand.
became a leading promoter Of gold
mining enterprises there, and year
ago his fortune was estimated at
$l75, 600, 900.
1t is currently given out in London
that within the last year he has
made $50, 600, 900 in the sale of min
ing shares and in promoting mining
enterprises.
1t was through the diamond mines
and the gold mines that Cecil Rhodes
came to be Premier Of the Cape
Colony and practically dictator Of
South Africa. Rhodes was u young
man in i'll health when he went out
to South Africa and followed his
brother into the diamond mines.
There he not only recovered his
health but showed remarkable bust
ness talent and soon became the
head of the movements to consolidate
the Kimberley mines, which were
then held by some 1000 different
small holders, into one vast concern.
The De Beers Consolidated Mines,
limited, valued to-day at $50. 000,-
900, is practically his handiwork
Later Rhodes became interested,
with other diamond magnates, in the
Transvaal gold mines, and has IL
fortune that is estimated at $25, 000,-
600. His friend and associate, Alfred
Belt, of the firm of Wehrner, Belt &
Co., is worth perhaps $50, 900, 900,
and j. B. Robinson, of the famous
Robinson mine, upward of $35, 000,-
600.
South Africa has thus far produced
perhaps twice as many millionaires
as did California, and the remarkable
feature Of the whole matter is, that
if the engineers are right in their
calculations as to the extent Of the
Witwatersrand deposits, the amount
of gold the latter contain is almost
unlimited. Free predictions are
offered that in five years the pro-
duction OF gold in the Transvaal
alone will have gone far toward
81, 900, 600, 00O year, or about. two
thirds as much as all the gold now
mined in the world.
1t is a rather remarkable fact that
it has been American engineers who
have directed the development Of the
South Africa gold mines, as it was
Gardner Williams and l.. S. Seymour
two American engineers, who rescued
the Kimberley diamond mines from
disaster, and who have since directed
their operations.
The principal geld fields are
grouped about the town OF Johannes
burg, which lies inland just thou
sand miles northeast from Cape
Town. 1t Is reached by rail from
either Cape Town. Port Elizabeth or
East London, and probably by this
time also from Delagoa Bay, The
town is situated in the southern por-
ton of the Transvaal or South
African republic, about thirty-five
miles south Of Pretoria. the capital
johannesburg has now q population
of about 40, 600 whites, and Pretoria
is little place, a typical Boer town,
OF about 10000.
Johannesburg lies on the uplands
of the Witwatersrand, and for the
most of the year is very pleasant
place to live in. 1t is nearly six
thousand feet above the level of the
sea, is surrounded by n grassy, roll
ing country, and with tree planting
and other improvements that are
being made rapidly. it is becoming
a pretty and attractive city. 1t
lacks nothing OF the comforts and
conveniences OF civilization. The
town is lit by electricity and an
electric street railway line is being
built connecting all the surrounding
mines and villages with the central
town The mines are equipped with