The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-29
THE ORANGE FREE STATE.
PEOPLE AND NATURAL RESOURCES or
THE TRINSVAIL'S ALLY.

Stock Raising, Diamond Mining and Agri-
culture Its Chief Iniustries-Grannry Of
the Boers-Government,L Laws and Edu-
cation in the Free Stnte-Its History.
The Orange Free State forms ono Of the two
independent republics in South Africa Tho
Transvaal is the other The former is bounded
on tho south by the Orange River which divides
IL from Cape Colony. British South African
colony. On the north 1t il separated from its
sister republic the Transvaal, by the Vaal River.
Bnsutoland and the range Of the Drakensbcrg
dragon Mountains) divide II from Natal on the
east ON tho west IL is bounded by Griqualand
West which Ii better known the Diamond
Fields. a recently purchased British possession.
This little republic has an area Of about so 600
square miles II is elevated table land 900 feet
above the sea level, and IL 400 miles long by 200
miles wide running north and south. The present
population of the country IL estimated by its gov
eminent at about 03. 900 whites and $1,000 ma
lives Of tho Basuto and BaTolong tribes. Bloom.
fontein. which is $50 miles north Of Table Bay
$50 miles north Of Port Elizabeth. and 400 north
OF East London, is the capital. The only noun
tan ranges in the Orange Free State are the Stall
mountains in tho eastern portion Of the Republic
From the Drakensberg the country slopes gradu-
ally TO the Wal River on the northern and western
boundaries The southern part OF the Free State
IL dotted with detached kOpies or individual hills.
Otherwise the interior is an unduatng prairie or
praircs formerly covered with coarse grass.
This is changed in tho south TO scrubby brush
or copse which is excellent grazing for sheep.
swocter grass supplanting the sour OF coorser
grasses in places. The Orange FREQ State Is not
A forest country. II is virtually trceless. Tho
species Of kDrcst now found on the hill sides and
in the moist valleys Of the rivers Is a scant scrub
Of nmosa thorn. the wild olive, the willow. and
the camel thorn. which is II species OF wild acacia
The principal lands are best adapted 10 pastoral
purposes, though there is a 80 by lO0-mile strip
Uf soil on tho Basutoland border considered to be
second to none in the world for grain producing
purposes. The pursuits Of the people being
principally stock raising and grain growing, tho
burghers have leisure for war. The strip noted
above produces, without irrigation or fertilizing,
and after planting for nearly forty consecutive
years, from thirty 10 eighty bushels to the acre.
This fertile strip OF land Is known the Conquered
Territory. Il taken from the Basutos about
1854. This little belt OF land is the granary OF
the Orange Free State and Of tho Transvaa.
In this belt of country. thirty miles wide by 100
miles long are grown wheat. oats. barley. maize
and KaTlr corn II also carries large herds OF
cattle, horses sheep, angora goats and os-
triches. Pears. apples. peaches and grapes arc
likewise grown 10 a large extent This is the
l'ocr base OF supplies. and the mountains which
.., -, 49,, n .,a,o,,- d, h,ld
49,, al, .:,. a., &c, ~ III. ,ni,
repu blics of the same blood.
Diamonds are extensively mined on the fields
Of Jagersfontcin. where the famous 300 carat
.lagcrsfontein Excelsior wns found, on May 80
1893. and Kofyfontein. in the district OF Faure-
.,,,;,,, Ill, H. l., ,ha sn,h,v.st.,, NAT NJ the
Republic. The Importance of these mines can be
,.,r ,rho, /, i, Ln,,,r nat ,h, diamond output
~, ,t I,,,, tai,, er,, g., I.,,,,,,. ,v.s * / 50
-. ',I =, e,.o 400 lit, ,hat 10, Eoay
,,i g. .L ,,,,, n,,ia ,.a ,OO car,ts
,..I,,oJ =, al, oon ,rbi :. nav, NJ the contem-
I,I a., ,,..,o. ,,c;.,
rrh Ihh;,,, ~ ,t o,o,,.. Er.s St,t. ,r.
M. ~ H., =, 49, -r,r.,,,,I n ,,ar,,h cIu
.,.1 ,I ,...I, ,.,,,,a,,.i ,,,,l, rio country il
Li,,,L.I i,,o -ir.,aar ais,ri,, zach ono ot which
- i,-I 80. 1, ,,I, -, r,.r;str,,e
nj, 81 ,,,osa r,.,.is,o;.l di.t;,s "a ,g,in sub
aii,, ;,t, o,. -, -, ,,,,,, ,,.rd. according tn
IL, ai,.or ir,rn,,onc. E..h,f ,h.ac yards send
. n.n,bo, d, IN. yo,l,s,,.d -, Ierisatur. In
dIi,; O., mi, ,,,h ,,,, o,.,o s..,ds , n.mher
a., ,h, yoIl.,J r. chi, 7 isl,t,r. IN, pcople
ds,eo,t. tho s,ov.rnn,ent of the country The
President who is the responsible head Of tho
',, WV" w. ,,';''.,I ,,, -, E1ocrtivo
-, 49,, =. 49, IL, go. ti,h IA oor,n,ssd
=, .,i.t ,,,,i,. 81 100 ,,,jsn. ivdoos
~ c.', ab,ai. ota',, &, 900 900
f.or, ,lo .o,on,,a - ,,, S,.t, ia
Ii,,.. rr,,;a $3.50 10 n,.in,,, d.riv.d
t.nn, a., t,Io,,ino, ,,,,,c.s, o,i, ,ort an farms
=, 40 -, 80, zoo ,n,;;,,,., -, ooo
at 'ne ra'e ol 10 Genus 'ot eaoh wv MOI VI
acres transfer dues on unmovable or liked prop
erty at the rate Of per cent: n Der cent rate on
,,rah,a, 49, 10 Ill GOOD. sold M, auction. n
""'""''T' .na' ~ al ku.on SOU Wy aN, "
hut or capitntton tax OF 81 80 head on naufes
From the Custom House there is received about
Ssoo 900 -. MI. l. oh,,ir,, fr,,, n 10 nar
""'''o' year i"'S Is "o'''n'" 't'N - ~
cent nd valorem levy on all over sea goods Cross
Ing the border These dues are by virtue of a
,r..ty Win ,,, CAN, Colony C,nvcrnmcn, l.yied
"'n'' .' ,'o "po '''' 49,
at the ports OF Cape Colony. They are also levied
on the Natal border by Orange Free State officers
in .o,o,n.rco ri,, ,,o Ions - ,ho c,,stoms
III "'cofuan'e WIN inc prov lsions VI '''
union existing between the APE Government ana
the Free State The former retains 3 per cent of
,h !, ~, ,., d,t,, ir;d T., roc,,,, itsclI for IN,
VIC ~ '"' vent ""S '''u u" '''''.' '''>' w. Nv,
expense Of collecting these customs dues lot
the Republic
III. o,.n,o rro, S,.t. nv o,ds ,hou, $40 600
Inc ,'"'so ,oo o."" Np'u ~
annually on roads SSoo,oOo on bridges ana large
sums, for so small a country, on public buildings
T., fao, ,..,,, ,,.. ,hi,d NJ III. e,,i,, revcpu. Of
IN iae" nearly o''e 'n'u " NV '"',' ',