Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-12

81, 500 900 in removing the fallen reef. Two
years later 81 100000 had been spent In
removing land-slips alone, the total guam
tity of fallen debris exceeding 100000
loads, each of 16 cubic feet. This led to
the abolition of the open or quarry
system of mining, which necesstated the
use of an enormous quantity of blasting
materials.
In 1884 something like thirty tons of
dynamite blew up and wrought appall-
ing havoc The times of blasting in the
mines were midday and sunset, when one
would think they were in q besieged city.
At these times things were decidedly live
ly. Occasionally monstrous pieces of
earth and rock were hurled into the
streets, killing human beings and cattle
and destroying houSes-not that the lat
ter required much demolishing.
Some idea of the hugeness of the gaps
dug in the earth under the old system
may be gathered from the fact that the
open depth of the Kimberley mine in 1885
was about $50 feet, with an area of forty
hVe acres; the capitol itself at Washing
ton might be buried in such cavity
This led to the introduction of shaft
sinking, after the manner in which we
procure our coal at the present day.
In 1887 Mr. Cecil Rhodes, the present
premier of Cape Colony who by the
way, came to the diggings in the early
days, and became a millionaire in about
ten years, conferred with his colleagues
could all be consolidated into the proper
ty of one powerful company. One motive
for this was to avoid the possibility of a
plethora of diamonds flooding the mar
ket, and the consequent depreciation of
the gems. After the consolidation had
been achieved, the works In Dutoitspan
and Bultfontein We're closed Just pre-
viously an awful conf1agration had taken
place in the underground galleries of the
De Beers mine, resulting in a frightful
loss of life and property.
AT the present day the method pursued
in the subterranean mining, as exempli-
fed by the De Beers Consolidated Mining
company, is to hew or blast the diamond
ferrous or blue soil in the galleries, and
remove it, through horizontal tunnels
connected with vertical or inclined shafts
leading to the surface. There 1t is taken
in trucks mounted on light railways and
carried to deposting sites, where 1t is eX-
posed to the influence of the atmosphere
for several months. The soil is then
picked and turned over most carefully by
natives under the surveillance of a
guard.
When the soil has been sufficiently
picked, raked and narrowed at intervals
and is disintegrated generally 1t is again
shoveled into the trucks and carried off
to the great rotary washing machines,
wherein the loose ground is washed
away and the stones automatically re-
tanned. The screenings" are after
wards put into another machine provided
with sleeves that vibrate horizontally and
in this way is effected the separation of
the different sized stones. From among
these latter the diamonds are picked out
by hand. The examining and sorting of
the stones are conducted upon large
metal topped tables. As the gems-are
picked out they are dropped into locked
cans or receptacles like money boxes.
The contents of these boxes are after
ward re-examined by experts, who sort
the stones into grades of value accord
ing to their size, color, form and freedom
from flaws. After packing the diamonds
are ready for shipment to Europe, where
they are cut and polished.
1t may be mentioned that the natives
employed in the mines are paid bonuses
| for finding stones, independently of their
wages. They work in the mines in a
condition of practical nudity; yet, never
theless, when each eight hours day is
over they are carefully searched for the
secretion of gems. which the willy fell
lows have been known to conceal in the
joints Of their toes, in their hair and
even in their stomachs-by the compar-
atively simple process of swallowing
them.
About 1000 blacks are employed in the
industry and they earn on an average
about SIS a week. During their engage
ment with the company these natives
are never allowed to mix with the out
side world, but live in compounds" or
Enclosures specially constructed for their
accommodation within the precincts of
the company's property. These enclo-
sures are fenced in with barbed wire
for all the world as though the men were
cattle, and had to be kept from straying
into a neighbours field. The boundaries
are periodically patroled by guards TO
prevent the escape of the natives or
their communication with scheming out
siders. There are dormitories provided
for the also INN inc hat
pital instruction and recreation rooms,
stores, food and clothing. About 1000
white men are also employed in the in
dustry.
According to recent report of the De
Beers Consolidated Mining company, the
result of the years operations produced
net profit of $S,461, 1856; and the total
quantity of the soil raised during the
twelve months Is given as 2.000 900 900
loads, each of 16 cubic feet. The average
yield per load manipulated is about 81. a.
The working levels vary from about 625
feet to 1000 feet below the surface. The
average cost of winning and washing
the ground is stated to amount to about
$1.75 per load; and the total annual cost
of working, the mines is about So, $50 0O0
From the nefarious causes before men,,
toned, 1t Is estimated that no less than
% per cent of all the diamonds found
never reach the company's Golfers, not
withstanding that bonus of 71A per
cent, OI the Vdlue Oh ali mas Is allowed
to natives, in addition to PA per cent to
the overseer of the men.
Just look at the culprit whose portrait
is given above. The ten gems seen in his
hand weigh 210 carats. and were swallow
ed by the man, but ultimately recovered
1t will be seen that leather mittens' are
chained on his hands to prevent his
further manipulation or secretion of the
stones. The expression of his face clear
ly indicates the troubles that are in store
for him, as punishment for his crime
Amsterdam and Antwerp are the chief
centers of the diamond cutting and pol
ishing industry, and stone that "fin-
ishes' at not less than so cent of it's
original weight is considered a very sat-
isfactory result. The time occupied in
these processes may range between four
and fourteen days, according to the size
of the stone and the number of facets to
be formed
On March, 1888, yellow diamond was
found in the De Beers mine which
weighed 42S carats in the rough, and 22S
carats when cut. 1t was stolen
by native, but recovered by a
6efecfiVa thraa hoI1rc "a forwards This