The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1899-11-23
lol they gave eight pennyweights to


the ton"
Such was the beginning of the
South African gold fever. Within
few months the Rand was overrun by
enthusiastic, determined and penni-
less gold-seekers, capitalists from the
recently discovered diamond fields OF
Kimberly, adventurers from England
and the colonies, and oil classes OF
men from all parts of the world. The
Boer Government took no action con.
cerning the new gold-ields until July
1S, 1886, when it proclaimed and
threw open nine farms.
In November, 1887, there were sixty.
eight mining companies with capital
of S15,000,000. In January, 1890,
there were five hundred and forty gold.
mining companies established there
with an aggregate capital of 935, ,000,.
900. Steadily the output increased
until, in May, 1892, one hundred thou.
sand ounces were taken from the mines.
The monthly output has since reached
nearly fives times that amount, the
output for August, 1899, being 4S2,-
108 ounces.
GOLD REEFS OF THE w1TwATERsRAND.
The gold that was first discovered
at the Rand cropped out of the ground
in series of five parallel reefs vary.
ing in thickness from one inch to four
feet, the distance between the south
ernmost and the northern reef averag.
ing one hundred aud fifty feet. The
original claims were 400x150 feet, the
latter dimensions east and west along
the reefs, the former north and south
80 as to take in all the five outcrops,
A fact which makes the Rand the
greatest gold-feld in the world was not
known then. 1t was not for two OF
three years that the true formation of
the goldbearing veins was discovered.
When it was at length found
that the veins after descending
to depth of about two thousand feet
curved off in southerly direction,
forming, ms il were, one side of u
basin, and continuing at that level
practically an indefinite distance, the
whole world went wild ovor the
riches of the Witwatersrand. This
was as great a surprise to old and
experienced miners as the first dis
covery of the gold was to the sleepy
Beers.
Hundreds of claims were pegged
out to the south of the outcrop
claims, thousands of shafts were sunk
to q depth of 1000 feet, always to find
the rich conglomerate deposits. Hun
dreds of new companies were formed
to work the deep levels at a distance
of miles south of the outcrop.
A craze to find the other side of
this marvellous basin also seized the
people. 1t was argued, with some
semblance OF reason, that perhaps
hur dreds, nay thousands of miles
away, the southern edge of the basin
should reach the surface, and fortune
seekers penetrated where the foot OF
white man had never before stood.
This craze aided the formation of the
British South African Chartered
Company. 1t was largely responsible
for the support which has been given
to the expansive plans of Cecil Rhodes.
The Government buildings are still
little better than barns. The post.
Office is little one-story shanty,
where the residents must call fol
their mail. The Government, though
it collects the heaviest taxes in tho
world, gives no such return for the
money as free delivery of letters. Ii
spite of every obstacle placed in the
way of improvements, the Uitlanderf
have built in the heart of the Trans
vaal desert such city as would dc
credit to any civilized country.
Such is the past history OF Johan
nesburg, the gem OF the Transvaal
and yet the Beers will probabl,
wreck and ruin this modern city o.
Midas. Philadelphia Saturday Even
ing Post.