The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-10-22

1890. 10 that each stone, each plank
esch nail that served 10 raise thi
city In tie desert by enchantment, ~
10 speak. must have ben brought ther
In heavy carts drawn by oxen, at tn
rate u about mile and a half az
hour.
johannesburg ls not only the mos
important town of the Transyaal, Il Il
the most important town Of South
Africa
Tho Peers cannot boast Of having
contributed either 10 lts birth or lti
growth; Johannesburg II cosmopoll.
[ tan town, where every nation seemed
10 me 10 be represented except the
| TraDsyaal The BOsrs are farmcrl
and sportesmen. nothing more. Their
ancestors we're farmers. and they do
not conceive that they themselves
could be anything more. Ignorant,
blgoted behind the times, these
Dutch Bretons, transplanted In Afri-
co. cultivate the soil like the contem-
pOrsries Of the patriarchs, and refuse
even 10 look at agricultural machin-
cry. They do not change their Ideas
nor their linen. They are hospltable,
slaves Of routine. dirty brave and
lazy. They have much religion and
few scruples. they are content TO live
as their ancestors lived. and ready
10 die on the day that the independence
OF their country is In danger.
The Transyaal will never be an
English colony. The English Of the
Transvaal. as well as those OF Cape
Colony and Natal. would be as firmly
opposed to II as the Beers themselves,
Tor they have never forgiven Eng
land for letting herself be beaten by
the Beers at Maiuba Hill and accept
Ing her defeat. a proceeding which
has rendered her ridiculous In the
eyes of the Dutch population OF South
Africa. johannesburg will absorb the
Trarsvaal: the apathy OF the BOcrs
viii be- bound to give way to the ever
Increasing activity OF the English; but
thu prestige Of England will profit
nothing by this The Transvaal Is
destined 10 become an Anglo Saxon
republic. which will form part Of the
United states Of South Africa. With
me this Is not a simple impression,
but a firm conviction.
To form an 'dea Of the significance
Of this town. so iiourishing today, we
must go back to It's foundation.
johannesburg has been raised IN the
desert. No rivers. no roads. no trees
thai If TO ray, no means OF transport,
no mrans Of construction. Seven
years ago the spot was occupied by
few tents. which served as shelter to
the daring pioneers who had ventered
thus far to seek for gold. at the risk
~ death from hunger or at the hands
Of the savages. II was only at the
end Of two years that they could get
enough wood and brick 10 begin the
semblance Of a town. The greatest
was the want OF water.
and those who wished to indulge in the i
luxury. do not say Of a bath. but
a simple ablution. had TO do II In self |
zer water at two shillings bottle.
But irrigation works have been carried
out, and the town now possesses res
ervolrs, This is a happy thing, for
the price OF seltzer water has not |
changed. In johannesburg you pay
two shlllings FOR glass Of beer,
one and sixpence for a cigar, and
everything else is proportionately ex-
pensIve but the inhabitants earn
money easily. and so no one grumbles.
The streets OF johannesburg are
wide and straight; be town possess,
pretty theaters, excellent hotels, and,
/ repeat, all that modern civilization
can demand.
Experts assure us that the gold
mines OF johannesburg are inexhaus-
tlble. II this be true, and I do not
doubt II. in less than ten years this
town will be one OF the largest COM
nerclal centers Of the world.
AZ present It is a gambling den,
where you are blinded by dust. but
reed strictly to keep your eyes open.
Alongside distinguished, serious and
ro't honorable people, you have de-
NJ 'dly mixed and contraband society,"
n!lhonalres, broken-down swells,
,hnddy barons and financial gam
Dlcrs, adventurers Of all nations
Serman. French, English. italian.
Greek. Levantlne, Jews by birth and
living from hand to mouth,
passing their lives between the hope
If being millionaires and the fear OF
being bankrupt Pretty women. with
Da lnted cheeks and tinted hair on
n lookout for adventures, dying OF
,rnui, passing their lives in card
playing, dining and dancing; while the
nen are at the stock exchange. the
,lub or drinking and chatting with
covered in rouge and dia-
nonds, and whose wages are s25 a
month without extras. Dwelling in the
midst of these. I repeat, exists a
'olony Of delightful people, who nee
,ssarily hold somewhat aloof from
he crowd--an aristocracy Of manners,
choice set, composed Of flnanciers,
merchants, engineers. people such as
me meets in the best society in Eu-
ope, and Of whom nave not spoken
much, precisely because they differ
n nothing from their fellows in any
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