The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-13


in Africa are from this State.
The first place the English capitalists
turned to for miners when they needed
men to open their mines was naturally
California, where mining had been carried
on on larger scale and with better ap-
planes than in any other part of the
world. Then, too, Hamilton Smith. who
was the mining engineer for the Roth
schilds, did much to bring California into
good repute. 1t is so now that big syndi-
Gates in London accept the reports of some
of the leading California engineers, such
as Louis Janin, A. ]. Bowie, Ross Browne
and others, as bankers would paper with
the signatures of money kings.
There are under Hammond alone seven
teen California miners as superintendents
of mines, drawing salaries that aggregate
nearly quarter of a million. Harry
Webb, Harry Dahm, Victor n. Clement
and Ed Garthwaite draw from $4,000 to
5000 year. But then they have oppor-
tunities to make money outside of that,
and word comes here every once in awhile
of their big strikes. Besides these, many
others have gone over to fill minor posi-
tons, as assayers, foremen, timbermen
and millmen. In all they must be draw
ing in salaries nearly half million dollars.
Barnato Brothers and the other big COM
panies have been steadily drawing for
three years from this State the best min
ing talent.
Hamilton Smith, VINO was long in
charge of the North Bloomfield, the largest
hydraulic mines in the State, drifted over
to London about the time of the debris
+rOT,hlac min
ing engineer for the Rothschilds. He has
lately organized big exploration syndi-
cate there and has made over a million.
One of the men under him at North
Bloomfield was Perkins, who was about
ten years ago in Venezuela in charge of
mines Tor London company. He went
to Africa gust after the boom started, and
has made fortune outside of his princely
salary.
Gardiner Williams was one of the first
California miners tn go to Africa. About
eighteen years ago Baron Grant, who was
then pushing some big schemes that later
turned out failures and made him noto-
rious, sent out here for a manager and
assistants for big gravel mining prop
erty His representative chose Gardiner
Williams (o1fering him $l8 coo year, and
about half dozen hydraulic miners and
sent them on. At the same time lot of
hydraulic machines was purchased and
forwarded, but when the Californians got
over Grant lad gone to smash Williams,
however, soon showed what he could do
and it was not long before he was in
charge of the De Beers diamond mines,
the largest in the world, a position he still
holds on princely salary.
The report received yesterday that Henry
Ashe Tilghman of this City had been ar
rested with Hammond and others caused
much anxiety to the young mans friends
in this City, as well as to the relatives of
his young bride, daughter of Captain
w. L. Merry, to whom he was united in
johannesburg recently, and number of
messages were cabled to the Transvaal
metropolis for further information and
asking whether any assistance could be
rendered him.
Hal" Tilghman, as he was generally
called, was well known in San Francisco
and in Stockton, where he was born. His
father was secretary of the State Board of
Harbor Commissioners for several years
previous to his death, and the young man
was an only son. After his fathers death
young Tnghman, who was then an IN
usually bright young fellow, was sent to
celebrated military academy in Virginia,
whence he graduated with honors. Later,
having shown an aptitude for engineering,
he was sent to Columbia College, and
graduated from the mining engineering
class of that institution.
Previous to returning 10 his home in
California he obtained a position in the
Mining Bureau at the Worlds Fair and
was in charge OF certain of the exhibits
there.
Young Tilghman is cousin of John II.
Hammond, and was invited to 90 to South
Africa with the well-known engineer, the
latter believing that with his talent and
education he would soon find an opening
in his profession.
After his return from the East Mr..
Tilghman formed an attachment for Miss
Alice Tension Merry, daughter of Captain
Merry, and as his affection was recipro-
Gated an engagement soon followed.
Though both his mother and the family
of his fiancee looked with favor on the
match it was deemed advisable, on &C.
count of the youth of the parties and the
unsettled condition of Tilghman's bust
ness prospects, to defer the marriage until
he had established himself firmly in po-
sition where he would be able to care for a
wife.
His engagement with Hammond when
he left San Francisco two years ago called
for salary of $50 month. but he had not
been long in South Africa before his thor
ough understanding of mining engineer
ing and assaving made him conspicuous
and he was offered position with Bar
nato Bros, the Kafir kings, at a hand
some salary. He accepted and from that
on his advance was rapid. a few months
ago his salary was raised to $1,000 per
month and he decided that 1t was time he
should be united to Miss Merry.
AS he could not well leave his business
she consented to accompany his mother,
who was going to join her son, and be mar
ried tar from home. Mrs Tilghman and
Miss Merry were accompanied to New
York by several members of the pros
pective brides family, who babe them
good-by when they took the steamer for
Liverpool.
Mrs. Tilghman and Miss Merry arrived