The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-03-20
TRANSVAAL CITIES.
Pretoria, the Capital, is a Quaint
Old Boer Town.
johannesburg, the Metropolis, is
an African Chicago.

The capital Of the South African
Republic, though by no means tho
largest town, is Pretoria, named after
tho famous Boer leader. II lies on a
gentle hillside, facing the sun, on the
south side Of a pleasant valley, sur.
rounded by bleak and desolate-look-
ing hilla II is plentifully supplied
with clear water, running in open
bitches along the sides Of its streets.
Each dwelling-houso stands in a good
sized garden, surrounded by trees and
shrubs, which grow rapidly in that
genial climate. Some Of the trees are
well shaded with stately rows Of gum
trees. In the centre Of the town is a
spacious old market square in which
glands large Dutch church. Pre-
toria would DO an attractive place il It
were not so untidy and dusty. There
Is plenty Of water in every street.
but it is never sprinkled upon the
roadway. Nor is there much attempt
made to keep the streets from litter Of
all sorts.
, Johannesburg is by far the largest
and most important place in the
whole country, aud is in point Of
rapid growth, one Of the nostremark-
able cities in the world. Ten years
ago tho site it occupies was a desOlate
.uninhabited plain, without a building
or even a road save the rude ''trek" Of
the Beers. Today it is handsome
city of 10000 inhabitants, with .
couple Of railroad stations, street cars,
telephones and electric lights, stock
exchange, theatres, opera house, and
all the outward and visible signs Of
civilization and culture. 1t is no
mushroom city, either. The streets
are well paved and the
sidewalks tagged, and the
buildings are largely substantial
structures of brick and stone. The
clubs aud club houses would hold
their own for size and comfort in Lon
don or New York. There is fine
public park with recreation
ground" where there are bicycle
races, tennis matches and cricket and
football. At such sports, in which
competitors from the Cape, Natal, and
the Orange Free State take part,
there are gatherings of thousands of
spectators of both sexes, fashionably
dressed. There are, of course, other
thousands of natives, Malays and
Coolies. Similar contrasts are to be
seen on the streets and avenues, where
trim American buggies and heavy lux
urious victorias and landaus are
mingled with primitive OK wagons.
The climate of johannesburg is n
delightful one. Although in the sub
tropics, it is 5000 feet above the level
OF the sea and therefore temperate.
The air is clear and bracing and has a
fine tonic quality. In midsummer the
days are warm and sometimes almost
hot, but the nights are refreshingly
cool. In winter there are a few frosty
days, but seldom any use for over
coats. Indeed, the climate of the
whole Transvaal is most agreeable,
and the soil fertile. Almost all kinds
of grain, vegetables and fruits can be
raised there in perfection. The coun-
try is we'll watered by numerous
streams and rivers, and there is an
ample rainfall in the summer to irri-
gate the whole country throughout the
remainder of the year, if it were only
stored in artificial lakes as is done in
India Indeed, there are few regions
in the world better adapted to be the
home Of man and to support in plenty
large and highly cultured popula-
ton than this. New York Tribune.
Arizona "Chlcken Feed"