The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-05

had heard stories of the new diamond
fields at Kimberley. He had been in
formed that several had made their for
tunes at the diggi1gs He decided to go
to Kimberley The question was. how?
Kimberley was nearly 200 miles from
Bloemfrntein. Mrs. Robinson suggested
that they walk there. The husband
shouldered his little belongings and start
ed for the diamond Need. A few niles
from the Orange Free State CAPT al the
couple stopped at farm house and
asked for a nights shelter. They were
given supper. place to sleep and a
breakfast the next morning. Thus day In
and day out for three weeks Robinson
and his wife depended on charity un il
they arrived at Kimberley. A peculiar
looking pair they were when they ar
rived at the then busy diamond diggings.
The two travellers were footsore and
weary from their long march over the
hot African karoo and hills. Things LOOK
ed extremely black for them, but 1t is an
old saying that 1t Is always darkest Just
before dawn. This appeared to he the
case with Robinson and his better half.
1t was the unexpected that happened.
AS Robinson was walking along the rude
streets of Kimberley, dragging his feet
in a ltstless manner, he kicked a shining
object from under the dust 1t proved
to be a fine uncut diamond. Robinson
then knew little of the value of those
precious stones or their quality. Now he
has diamond mines of his own and can
tell in an instant the value of an uncut
stone. Within two hours after he had
found the diamond he sold it for 81, 200.
This was more money than he had ever
possessed. 1t was the turning point in
his life. Since the day he arrived in
Kimberley everything, that Robinson has
touched turns to gold.
Like others who were then at Kim
berley, Robinson soon went to buying
diamonds on the sly from the negroes.
In those days the natives stole the gems
with impunity, selling stones worth
small fortune for a bottle of cape
smoke brandy, valued at about 81
Within a year Robinson was man of
Independent fortune and growing richer
daily. ------
1t was in 1888 that gold was found in
the Barberton district of the Transvaal.
Robinson was among the first to arrive
at the new gold diggings. His inves->
ments there all added to his wealth When
gold was found in 1886 at Johannesburg
Robinson hurried to the scene. He paid
an old Boer farmer $4,000 for a section
of his farm.
IT WAS "ROBINSON's LUCK
Old prospectors shook their heads,
stating that y. B." was getting foolish
In his old age with his money, and if he
carried on that way he would lose every
penny that he possessed. For a time
even Robinson thought that he had pur-
chased a worthless piece of property.
He offered to sell the land for one-uuar-
ter what he paid for 1t, but everybody
laughed at him, stating that they would
not have it for gift. But the luck
that had come to Robinson still chung
to him. His mine, known as the Rob
inson mine turned out to be the richest
on the Rand. In 1893 an English syndi-
cate offered him $1Q-000. 600 for the prop
erty, but Robinson refused to sell. Be
sides being the owner of the richest
mine in johannesburg, this wonderful
multimillionaire has large diamond fields
at JagesSf0ntein, near Bleemfontein. On
these fields the largest diamond in the
world was found. 1t weighs in i 5 uncut
state 81 carats. This stone which is
pure white, the writer saw in 1894 at the
Johannesburg Office of Mr.. Robinson An
Indian rajah is said to have offered 81
100000 for the gem in the rough, but the
offer was refused
In 1894 the wealth OF this Croesus of
South Africa was eonservatively estt-
mated at $3.50, 900, co., while many claimed
that it was nearly half a billion. His
income. above all expenses, was $25, Co.,
600. Robinson states that he doss not
know within a few how many millions
he now possesses.
In appearance Mr. Robinson is of me-
dunn height, has f1orid face, gray hair
and mustache. He has a quick and
jerky manner when conversing He and
his wife keep up large establishment
in the Transyaal and they have also