The herald., 1896-02-22
Who Suffered in the Explosion
at Viedendorp
FUNDS ARE CONTRIBUTED
For the Relief Of the Thousands Left
Homeless
Expected Reforms In tho Internal Adminis.
trstlon Of the acknowledgement Re.
Iatlons Among the Citizens
d Presa SnAcial Wira.

Associated Press Special Wire.
JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 2l.-The latest es-
Inmates place the number of deaths by the
explosion of twenty tons Of dynamite at
viedendorp on Wednesday evening at 12O.
About 400 we're injured. Whole families
of white Beers were wiped out.
President Kruger has arrived from Pre-
toria. In speech he congratulated the
inhabitants on the splendid manner in
which they sunk race feuds in a common
endeavor to relieve the sufferers. He
added he earnestly trusted the good feel
ing which had arisen from common sor-
row may have permanent results and lead
to a better feeling IN the future between the
Beers and the Uitlanders. The presidents
remarks had great effect on the foreign
population.
1t is believed reforms in the internal adj
ninistration of Transvaal will shortly be
inaugurated in form which will give gen.
eral satisfaction.
President Krueger has been chosen presi-
dent of the relief committee and is direct
ing the work of clearing the ground at Vie
dendorp and the shelterins of the thou
sands rendered homeless by the terrible
calamity.
The Transvaal government has granted
$4,000, the Netherlands Railway COM
pany 100000 and the Dynamite company
$4,000 toward the relief of the victims of
the explosion, which fund is approaching
100000 The Netherlands Railway
company's own regulations are shown to
have been broken in several respects,
notably in allowing the trucks of detonator
in the vicinity of the dynamite. Frequent
appeals have been made to the company
to prevent large quantities of dynamite be-
s,.xrI I,<~ %t,n 1@xvo ii, 1,<&
bolt from the explosion fell into a maga-
zine belonging to the dynamite company,
near town, where 400 tons of dynamite
we're stored. Luckily the bolt fell into
tank of water. The government now medi-
tates ordering the removal of the maga-
zine 10 miles distant.
AFRICAN POLITICS
LONDON, Feb. 2l.-Judge Steyn has been
elected president of the Orange Free State,
vice Judge Reitz, who resigned the position
in November last on account of i'll health.
Judge Steyn received a large majority over
j. George Frazer, chairman of the volks-
raad. who was the candidate against him.
The Daily News says of Judge Steyn's vic
tory, that it is an indirect triumph for Pres
ident Krueger of the Transvaal, who ap-
proved his candidacy.
Tho Daily News says in explanation of
the appointment of Earl Grey, director in
the Chartered South American company,
who has been appointed administrator OF
that company, that Earl Grey will solely
be the successor of DR.. Jameson, who, on
his arrival in England, will either resign
his post as administrator or will be dis
missed.
Cecil Rhodes, the Daily News continues,
is not coadministrator, but is only the
managing director of the company. Earl
Grey's powers will be very different from
what DR.. Jameson's were.
Earl Grey is a director of the company
which, it is claimed, since the raid of DIR.
Jameson into the Transvaal has been
working. in harmony with the government.
The editor of the Saturday Review, who
Is now in Cape Town, telegraphs to that
paper:
II have drawn the attention of j. Hof
meyer Qeader of the Afrikander party) to
Mr.. Chamberlain's statement that he be-
lieved Cecil Rhodes to be ignorant of DR..
Jameson's intention to invade the Trans
vaal. Mr.. Hofmeyer SAID: Then Mr..
Rhodes must have been less frank in his
interviews with Mr.. Chamberlain than he
was in those with me after his resigna-
tion.'"