The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-02
THE MINES OF OPHIR
WONDERFUL RICHES OF SOUTH
AFRICA IN GOLD DIAMONDS.
HistOry of the Production in b Urt-
Output-Other Mineral Wealth.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-The mining in
terests of Africa, especially the wonderful
gold and diamond mines which have at
tracted so much attention. are the subject
of a chapter in the monograph just pre-
pared by the treasury bureau of statistics
on commercial Africa in 1899. Much OF the
recent rapid development Of Africa. espe-
cially in the southern part, where the
greatest rapidity of growth has occurred. is
due to the discovery and development OF
extremely valuable mineral deposits. The
most valuable of these are gold and
diamonds, though incidentally it may be
mentioned that the iron. coal. and other
mineral deposits of south and southeast
Africa give promise of great value when
wealth-seeking man has time to turn his
attention from the gold mines to those
which promise less rapid. but perhaps
equally certain profits.
That the gold and diamond mines OF
South Africa have been. and still are, won-
derfully profitable. however. Is beyond
question. The Kimberley diamond mines,
which are located In British territory. just
outside the boundaries of the Orange Free
State. and about six hundred miles from
Sdpe lOWU, INV odPPy "
diamonds of commerce. although their ex-
istence was unknown prior to 1867, and the
mines have thus been in operation but
about thirty years. 1t is estimated that
$3.50, 0O0, 600 worth of rough diamonds, worth
double that sum after cutting, nave been
produced from the Kimberley mines since
their opening in 1852, and this enormous
production would nave been greatly in.
creased but for the fact that the owners OF
the various mines In this vicinity, formed
an agreement by which the annual output
was so limited as to meet. but not ma.
terially exceed the annual consumption OF
the worlds diamond markets. So plentiful
pensive the work of production that
diamond digging in other parts of the world
has almost ceased since the South African
mines entered the field, and the result Is.
IS per cent. Of the diamonds of commerce.
Equally wonderful and equally promising
are the great "Wtwatersrand" gold neids
rican Republic. better known as the "Jo-
hannesburg'' mines. The Dutch word wit.
watersrand" means literally White Water
Range" and the strip of territory, a few
hundred miles long and a few miles IN
width. to which It Is applied, was q few
years ago considered a nearly worthless
of cattle and sheep. and for even this COM
paratively valueless. In 1883, however, gold
was discovered. and In 1884 the value OF the
creased with startling rapidity, the produc-
ton of 1883 being about 100000. that Of
1890. 49, 900; 1892. over $40, 600, 600; 1885. over
$i0,O 900, 900; and 1897 and 1895. about $55, 900, 900
in each year. This wonderful development
has attracted great attention to South
Africa and drawn thither thousands
of people in the hope Of re-
alizing quick fortunes. Developments,
however, showed that the mines could
only be successfully worked by the use of
costly machinery. and while they have been
extremely productive where machinery has
been used, they were not Of such character
as to make hand or placer mining profita-
BILE, as was the case in California. The
gold production in the Rand since 1884
has been over $500, O0O, 900, and careful sur
veys of the field by the use Of drills and
other processes of experts show beyond
question that the "in sight probably
amounts to 50, 500, 900. 900, while the large
number of mines which have been located
in adjacent territory, particularly in parts
of Rhodesia, give promise Of additional
supplies. SO that 1t seems probable that
South Africa will for many years continue
to be. as it now is, the largest gold-pro-
ducing section of the world. Recent dis
coveries lead to the belief that these won
d~erfully rich mines are the long lost gold
of Ophir," from which Solomon obtained
his supplies. making "a nav of ships I'm
Ezion-geber, which is opposite Eloth, on
the shore of the Red sea. in the land of
Edom; and Hiram sent in the navy his
servants, shipmen that had knowledge of
the sea-, with the servants of Solomon: and
they came to Ophir and fetched from thence
gold. and brought 1t to King Solomon"