The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-17
wELSHMEN IN S0CTH AFRICA.

The Rev. James Hughes, of Kimber-
ley. South Africa, who Is now on n
visit to his brother, Mr.. John H.
Hughes. and his cousin, Mr.. James
Evans, in Scranton, writes us saying;
During the short time 1t has been
my pleasure to live In this iiourishing
and enterprising town many OF your
Welsh fellow citizens have made many
earnest inquiries about their fellow
countrymen in South Africa. L shall
be pleased TO give any information L
may POSSESS to anyone who desires TO
speak to me, but it might be a con-
siderable and wise economy of time
were to crave your indulgence and
avail myself of your courtesy to in
form the Welsh section of your COM
munity of their brother Welshmen in
South Africa through your columns
The greatest Welshman in the Cape
today is an American, Mr.. Gardner f.
Williams. He comes from a noble
famlly--the distinguished Roger Will
lams family of Rhode Island fame.
Mr.. Gardner Williams Is the head
manager of the De Beers Diamond
mines in Kimberley. This Is q gigan-
tic concern as your readers Will per-
ceive when they learn that this COM
pany employ, about $500 men and pay
in shape of wages about twenty-five
million dollars per annum Mr. Will
liams directs the operation of this
great center of industry with conspic-
uous ability and with great satisfaction
to all connected with that company,
He is very highly respected throughout
South Africa. and so is his good lady,
who is ever ready to cheer and assist
the poor. While it is said that Mr..
Williams is Of Welsh descent, allow
me to inform your readers that he is
thorough American, a man of whom
you ought to feel proud. On every
American holiday the Stars and Stripes
float in the breeze at the residence of
this noble American Welshman.
Mr. r. r. Price, who resides in Cape
town, Is a native of Meath in South
Wales, and is the chief traffic manag
er of the Cape government railways;
and the next to him in position is Mr..
r. j. More. This gentleman formerly
lived in Kimberley and was assistant
traffic manager there for many years.
He was the first president of the Cam
brian society on the Diamond Fields.
During his residence on the Diamond
Fields t was my pleasure to come in
contact with this gentleman very fire.
quently and I found him to be one of
the most genial, warmhearted men ii
has ever been my good fortune to meet.
There is also Mr.. Lewis in the same
town, Caretown, who fills the position
with great credit to himself of profess
sor of history, etc, in the Cape univer-
sary. The professors father, who still
resides in Canetown, was formerly a
director of a bank IN that town and
was also a member of the Cape legis-
lative assembly.
The mayor of East London, Mr.
David Rees. has done more than any
living man to build up that charming
town. Mr.. Rcos is a rich man and
held in high esteem by all who know
him. The railway manager in the
Eastern province of the Cane Colony is
a Taffy, and was the vice president of
the Cambrian society in Port Eliza
beth. Both Mr. Creswell Clark, for this
is the name of the gentleman to which
i am now referring, and Mr.. More to
whom have previously referred, gain
ed much of their railway knowledge in
South Wales. They are enthusiastic
managers and no mean authorities on
the working Of railways.
In Kimberley we have Mr.. r. II.
Jones' who has been mayor of that city
on several occasions and has accumu-
lated a considerable amount of worldly
wealth. Mr. Jones is very useful pub
lie man. | have heard it said that the
Metropolitan, Bishop Jones of Cape
town, is a son of Gwalia. His name
would tend to emphasize that impress
sion anyhow his work and ability rem
der him an ornament of no ordinary
value to any nation to which he may
belong. The Bishop of Pretoria in the
Transvaal is a most pronounced Welsh
man. Two years ago he delivered a
most excellent speech at the Cambrian
society in that capital and wound up
with a splendid piece of poetry of his
own composition. The Rev. j. T. Lloyd,
of johannesburg. is pastor of q Presby-
terian church and is believed to be the
best preacher in the whole of South
Africa. There are other Welsh minis
ters out there who are doing a very
good work.
In short, there is a liberal sprinlSling
of Welshmen In South Africa and the
major part OF them are doing well,
many of them holding important po-
sitons of trust. The sons of Wales liv-
ing in the Cape are very true to each
other and very loyal to the British
throne. Their hospitality to new ar
rivals from the Principally is commen-
surate with their means No Welsh
man will suffer want in Cape Colony,
for his fellow countrymen will come
to his assistance. We have a Cambriar
society in Capetown, Port Elizabeth,
East London, Kimberley.Joha
Pretoria, Durham and other places, and
these societies exist not only for the
purpose of keeping alive the national
instinct and tanning the flame of Welsh
patriotism, but they render material
assistance to the needy sons OF Gwalia-
Mr. Charles Jones, now Of Capetown,
is a gentleman whose name 1 should
mention with emphasis. He is one of
several scrs of an enthusiastic Welsh
father Mr. Jones, ST., will not admit
that the Welsh were ever truly and
really beaten, and as proof of that he
mentions the fact that Wales gives
England her king, for the King of
England must be first the Prince of
Wales. However that may be, allow
me to say that Mr. Charles Jones is q
man Of great ability, of considerable
wealth and very useful member of
the Cape parliament. Mr.. Jones has
succored and befriended many Welsh
men and bids fair to rise very high in
the political life of that country His