Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-12
DIAMOND MINING IN AFRICA
Strange Transformations and
Stirring Incidents.
COLOSSAL FORTUNES MADE
Extraordinary Precautions Taken to Guard
Against Theft-Men Work Naked and
Are Guarded by Armed Men.
COLOSSAL FORTUNES MADE

The history of the diamond fields of
South Africa is full of those strange ro-
mances that tell of the ups and downs of
life, of fights for wealth where health,
honor, or even life itself cut but little fig
ure in the methods taken to acquire it,
If the diamond in it's raw state has not
the attractive glitter of the yellow metal
the chances of finding a fortune within
an exceedingly small limit is infinitely
greater and there is always before the
eXpectant digger the possibility of turn
ing UP at any moment the largest yet"
An interesting account of the early days
In Griqualand West and the subsequent
development of the mines Is given by
Mr. J. Bueknall Smith, who tells tharear-
~ in the year 1867 a traveller named
O'Reilly, bound southwards from the Or
ange river, rested himself while at a
farm in the Hope Town district. His
host, one Niekerk, presently brought to
his notice some nice looking stones that
had been obtained from the river; and
while examining this collection of peb-
bles O'Reilly pounced upon the first gen
uine African diamond" This gem he took
to DR.. Atherstone of Grahamstown, who
pronounced Ii to be worth $500, and this
sum 1t very soon realized. Naturally the
lucky wayfarer FASTENED back to the spot
where such good fortune had befallen
him. but his subsequent assiduous
StdfcneS were unaVdlllnS. some TWO
years then elapsed without anything mo-
mentous transporting. However, in 1869,
Farmer Niekerk acquired from native,
for about $4,000 worth of stock, a large
diamond which he sold to firm in Hope
Town for $4,000. This famous gem
weighed SO carats and was estimated to
be worth $4,000.
The very natural result of the sensa-
tional find just mentioned was frantic
rush of diggers to the district from all
parts. Strangely enough, no mine was
or ever has been SINCE found near the
scene of these early discoveries. Care
full prospecting, however, demonstrated
later on that diamonds existed on the
banks of the Vaal river. Consequently
barely year after the finding of 1.-THE
Star of South Africa" no fewer than
TO-" 200 persons had arrived on the scene
in spite of the dreary, not to saying APP
palling, prospects that confronted them
Good food and pure water were unknown
at that tirae Many miners succumbed
to pestilence, disease and sunstroke be-
fore they even reached the threshold of
their Eldorado. At this time, fortunate
1y, crime was almost unknown, partly
because the journey from Port Elizabeth
was accomplished in rough bullock wag-
onS over frightful roads and occupied
about three weeks, at cost of fully $3.50,
an amount beyond the means of the
lowest class of rogues. Furthermore
the cost of living was simply prodigious
In 1871 new diamond deposit was dis
covered near Dutoitspan on farm called
Vooruintzigt, the property of Mr. De
Beers, and three years later~these dig
gings, including those of Dutoitspan and
Kimberly, were proclaimed by law as
mines 1t was not until 1882 that the
Bulfontein mine was discovered through
q visitor finding diamonds imbedded in
the clay walls of the old homestead An
exploration of the soil below showed that
the house had been built over a diamond
mine.
Before diamonds were found in this
locality the arid land was not worth more
than few cents per acre; indeed, the
homestead that was built over the Kim
berly mine was originally bought for
less than $40. The farm, which included
Ine De Beers mine, was sold later on for
S3O,000, and was shortly afterwards ac-
quired by the government for $500, 900,
whereas the property has since proved to
be worth nearly $500 100000 From $780,
100000 to $25,0OO,OOO worth of gems have
been raised from these mines in the
course OF single year. The feelings of
the poor farmers who thus parted with
their land for a mere pittance may be
better imagined than described when
they discovered that they had been liv-
ing and sleeping over boards of almost
fabulous treasures.
In October, 1871 mining laws were first
formulated and proclaimed in Griqua-
land, and then 1t was that the license
money for mining claims was fixed at
$1.25 per month for areas of about 30 feet
square, IL not worked by more than three
persons; $3.50 if worked by six, and so on
pro rata. On these easy terms many for
tunate diggers acquired wealth with
amazing rapidity, while other went quick
ly down into an untimely grave
AS there was at this time a fine go-as-
you-please system of mining the irregu-
lar excavations gradually assumed vast
dimensions and depths; while the multi
Iude of wire ropes stretching across the
diggings, by which the soil was raised 10
the surface In buckets, resembled mon
strous metallic cobwebs.
Up to 1874 the industry was controlled
by the diggers' committee, but after that
date representative mining board was
constituted for the purpose. We are now
discussing period when the railway to
Kimberley was far advanced, while hum
dreds of acres had been allotted in small
claims to thousands of diggers from all
parts of the world. The scene through
out the district at this period was ami
mated and impressive to an astonishing
degree, and white labor was energetically
assisted by native tribes. About this
time windlasses, worked by horses. were
first employed for hauling up the baskets
of soil over the aerial ropeways before
mentioned. This enabled large quantities
of deposits to be raised at time About
a year later the primitive cradle washing
machine was supplanted by improved
mechanical rotary devices, and this is the
type of washing apparatus used at this
day. Shortly after the steam engine was
Introduced upon the busy but somewhat
dismal scene.
In April 1875, the diggers armed them
selves and openly rebeled against the
mining council This hoisting of the
"black flag" and the conflict which fol-
lowed resulted In the recall of Mr.. South
ey the lieutenant governor.
AS we have already limited, the excava-
lions were assuming colossal dimensions
consequently land-slips commenced on a
pretty extensive scale. In 1878 one quar-
ter of the Kimberley mine was covered
O~