Daily inter mountain., 1899-10-14

in a cylinder form. How far it extends |
no one can tell. lnG:cati ,ns are that lie
mine as it goes down deeper improves i'll ,
quantity and quality to such an extent
that the extra cost Of deep mining is over
come After spending some time in the
mine, and seeing all desired, We We're
I, taken up as we went down, in a cage run
! through the shaft by an endless wire rope
making the trip in a short time.
Again had the privilege of seeing what
I enjoyed the day before at the Premier
mines, the different methods and ways OF
separating the diamonds from the
/ ground, or material taken from the
mines. and in ..ddtion to this, the
pulSators, where the diamonds are sep
arated from the pebbles and different
concentrates collected by the previous
process. This was my first sight of these
little gems that had been hidden in the
diamond rock. or earth, and searched for
from the time they left the bottom of the
mine and passed through the different
ways provided to take them from their
long obscurity, no longer to be as light
under a bushel, but go out into the world
and shine. and be admired by lovers or
the beautiful.
This was only foretastc of what was
to follow We passed on to large and
beautiful room, we'll lighted, carpeted
and as neat as parlOr. The door had III
the center small opening. we'll protect
ed. The guard inside opened this to see
who asked for admittance, and when he
knew everything was satsfact tory,
handle was pressed. and by one move
ment sliding bars Of bolts on four sides
of the door were thrown back and admis-
sion given. Here We're the assorters, or
those who graded and selected the dia-
monds. according to size. co.or or quality
and arranged them for market.
Mr.. Williams kindly had placed on a
!, table before me all the different kinds Of
stones, from the very smallest to the
largest from the very fine steel white,
perfect in every way, to those imperfect,
containing very small spccks of carbon.
The consolidated mines are known as
the De Beers, Kimberley and Premier.
Each covers a large number of claims,
| The company owns other mines they are
: not working, and l presume will not do
: so until conditions require it. Situated as
, they are now, they can control the yearly
: output. regulate the market according
' to the demand, which is about 100000
annually. The largest purchasers of dia-
. monds are Americans
= There are no ndica tions that there will
be scarcity of diamonds during the
| present or the next generation or that
/ the mines will become non-p producing.
e Other mines in Africa are worked, but on
a much smaller scale and with limited
: capital. Kimberley has now and is Ss
"S''N
$ mines.
V To do the necessary work there are re-
e quired about 1900 whites and about H.
600 natives. These natives come from
. different sections of Africa, and represent
r different tribes or classes. When engag-
: ed to work, they are obliged to make q
: contract to remain in what is called the
compound for three or more months. This
compound is Il large inclosure of several
acres, walled IN and protected so no ono
- :. can go out, only by permission of the
% guards In this inclosure. arranged OF
" the sides, and adjoining each other, arf
. rooms where eight or ten can mess anG
v live together They are supplied with
). wood necessary to do their cooking, anf
10 they buy what food they need at the com
" missary store in the compound, which
;. furnishes only the actual necessares OF
" life No stimulants of any Kind are al
" lowed to be sold brought to them. L
- they are taken sick injured in any
% way when at Work they are we'll caret
for at the hospital.
d Another very interesting place in tht
compound is what is called the detention
room where all who have filled their con
d tract and desire to return home re
,f quired TO remain one week, and wa tchet
= in various ways TO determine if directl,
or indirectly they have concealed AN,
diamonds they may have found when a
IS work.
ri To visit these compounds where ther
ft may be three or four thousand native
y. from different tribes. watch what the
. | are doing, study their methods and way
: of talking, singing and amusing eacl
&c other, is almost equal to a journe
W through Darkest Africa"
IS Very few diamonds are found outsid
III of the regular methods provided for Sc
l. curing them. either by the men at work
re or anyone else connected with the mines
IN 9
b. cent of the value of the diamond found i
ir paid. One of The colored men working
is in the mines found a valuable diamond
ct and received over G10O as his percentage
oaI