The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-11-11

NOW, he SalQ, III Duy mat bucket
OF diamonds from you, Rhodes, just as
they are, unsortcd."
The two quickly agreed upon price
and then and there was laid the founda-
ton Of the famous diamond syndicate
which is now attracting the attention OF
the gem-wearing public, for when Bar
nato packed up the stones and sent them
to London and Amsterdam it required
the experts there three months to ac-
conplish the sorting, and in that period
diamonds became so scarce on the mar
ket that they began to bring fancy
prices. Mr.. Rhodes, who can awaken
to such an opportunity without being
roughly jolted, saw it was good thing,
and since then his syndicate has been
buying up the Kimberley diamond crop
in advance, doling out the stones as it
sees fit.
The product is now arranged for until
June, 1900, and ii the demand for these
sparkling baublcs continues to increase
no one can say what diamonds will be
worth year from now. The De Beers
Consolidated Mines Company has the
world at its mercy. Not enough dia-
monds are produced in Brazil, Australia
and other scattered localities to supply
the demand OF the city OF Philadelphia
alone. The jewelers. in Maiden Lane
say that the market value Of stones is
already 40 per cent higher than it was
a year ago, with indications that the
high-water mark has not been reached.
Every few weeks the syndicate makes
10 per cent advance, and the buyers
must pay it or leave their contracts un-
filled, which is costly proceeding.
Meanwhile the Dc Beers Consolidated
is going right along paying 40 per cent
dividend and the financial statement for
the year ending June 80, 1893, shows
just what profit is being made from
humanity's love OF display. There was
nearly $S,ooo,ooo to divide among the
stockholders in the Dc Beers Consoli-
dated for the year 1898, and these for
tunate persons will be enriched in still
greater proportion when the accounts
for 1909 are cast, unless they are inter-
fercd with by Dom Paul and his trusty
riflcmen.
Contrary to the general impression,
the man whom the directors OF this
company hold responsible for its pros
perity is not Cecil Rhodes. He is not
even an EnglisEman but thorough
wholc-soulcd American who has dis
played such wonderful managerial tai
cnt that the stockholders look to him,
as it were, for their yearly dividends.
Gardner T. Williams, though compar-
ativcly unknown in this country, is one
OF the few prominent characters in
South Africa, for he is head and front
OF the diamond industry and has meta
morphoscd the town OF Kimberley from
a struggling settlement into model
city. He is so greatly valued by the Dc
Beers Company that he is given carte
blanche in the management OF the mines
and no one ever questions his actions.
He has often requested them to accept
his resignation, but on each occasion
the directors increase his salary ior him
TO remain. AS for Mr. Rhodes, he
seldom comes to Kimberley these days
and makes whatever suggestion he has
by letter. His last instructions were to
decrease the output for the next twelve
months which will accordingly be done.
Mr. Williams is about 50 years old,
OF imposing figure and kindly face. He
holds the position OF American consular
agent at Kimberley, and any reputable
citizen who lands there is sure OF good
treatment. In Kimberley he is the
whole show, to use the miners dcscrip-
ton. His ambition is to establish city
where each man will own his own home
and make enough money to live in COM
fort. To this end he has begun model
village on the outskirts of Kimberley
which is called Kcnilwortl1. Here there
arc beautiful cottages built with the best
sanitary arrangements, which the en-
ploycs can rent for f2 los. per month
and purchase on installmcnts There
are special buildings for bachelors and
an excellent club house, with billiard
rooms, library and all other appoint
mcnts. The village is threaded by wide
drivcways nanl1cd with eucalyptus. oak,
cypress and pine trees.
Making model town, however, has
been only small part oi this enter
prising Americans services to the De
Beers Company. Every day he goes
over the three mines now being opcr-
atcd, namely the Kimberley, De Beers
and the Premier. The Bultiontan and
Dutoitspan, though controlled by the
company, are not worked. He visits the
convict station, the various departments
OF each mine, practically handles every
diamond shipped from the country, and
i'll general takes care OF his family"
which consists OF II 900 native Africans
and 1000 white miners.
America has proved a bonanza for
Mr.. Rhodes and his syndicate. 1t is
chiefly owing to our increased demand
that the prices have been raised Mr..