The herald., 1897-02-05
RANDSBURG,
The Practical Resources and Progress
of the Camp.

RANDSBURG, Feb 2.-Many and
great are the reports Of "big finds"
heard upon the streets and in the loafing
places of the town. For some of these
reports there Is more or less foundation
in fact; while for some of them liberal
allowance should be made; for whether
well authenticated or otherwise they
are bound to grow with each repetition
and with distance from the place of
their origin.
There are at least 300 tents in Rand and
Fiddlers' gulches, and almost as many
wooden structures more or less pre-
tentious Many of these are the humble
abodes of prospectors. while the others
are used for various lines of business.
A tolerably close canvass of the place
shows that there are three assayers
two butchers, three bakeries, two black
smiths, three BARRIERS, four cigar ana
tobacco stands; dry goods are sold in
connection with groceries and other
lines. The local express business is
taken care Of by two or three rigs, while
Wells, Fargo & Co. have an office here
now for outside business. Hardware
stores, four; harness shops, one; shoe
makers two. There are five hotels and
one OF two more in course of construc-
ton, as well as many other buildings
for various purposes.
There is a notary public, also a justice
of the peace and ten special constables.
besides a deputy sheriff and a night
watchman elected at a citizens meeting
held yesterday, so that the peace and
property of the community is well cared
for.
Ten lodging houses to house the peo-
pie. and fifteen restaurants to feed them
and an equal number of saloons to sup
ply dry washers" Two laundries and
bath are supposed to keep the people
clean, and six or seven lawyers to keep
them in the paths of right and truth.
Half dozen feed and water corrais
take care of the stock. and news stanI
furnishes the Los Angeles and San
Francisco papers. There is good-sized
postoffice, which receives and dis
patches an immense amount of mail
daily except Sunday.
The real estate agent and mine broker
with his bargains and Snaps that
won't keep until tomorrow" have BIOS
somed out here to the amount of about
a dozen.
There are ample stage accommoda-
tions to both Kramer and Mojave, but
freight is piling up at both places by
the scores of tons for want of transpor-
tation facilities.
plying the camp, and so far such i'll eff
fects from the water as has been de-
Scribed by many are not conspicuous;
true some of it is bad but the supply
furnished by Smith & Co. from wells at
Water Butte. four miles away, is really
good and declared by many to be bene-
fetal to kidney troubles. The lumber
business is represented by three yards,
and there are two drugstores and four
doctors. A United States mineral sur
veyOr and two or three mine engineers
keep up that line of the business.
OF general produce and commission
stores there are two. There are two or
three groceries to supply everything
necessary for keeping soul and body to-
gether; contractors and builders, three:
carpenters galore.
One printing office, the Randsburg
Miner keeps the home folks" as well
as the outside world posted on all that
transpires.
A theater, also a skating rink, where
all town meetings are held. is here.
A second public meeting was held last
evening to discuss the revision of dis
trict mining laws and other matters,
the most important of which was to read
the riot act' to some claim jumpers.
Anyone who attended that meeting will
probably hesitate about jumping any
more claims in "these diggings''
A spirit of enterprise seems to pervade
the air, and whenever anything is pro-
posed for "the good of the town" all
parties concerned contribute the cold
cash with an alacrity which bespeaks
prosperous condition and faith in the
future of the place. AS an illustration
can be cited the fact that about $125 was
contributed in one day toward the erec-
tion of Union Mission church, for
which lot has already been donated.
A bank is to be established at once by
San Francisco parties.
A number of small sales of mining
claims have been consummated dur
ing the past week. and several large
ones are pending.
AT Johannesburg, one and half miles
from Randsburg, are to be seen some
substantial looking improvements. A