The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-11-25
ANOTHER STORY.
KIMBERLEY's VAST RICHES.
The Enormous Value of the Diamond
Mines Threatened by the Beers.

Mines Threatened by the Beers.
Kimberley, which it Is said the Beers
have invested and isolated from the
outside world, is the diamond region
of the world, far surprising the minos
of Brazil in richness. If the report of
the investment be true, this is the most
serious blow which Kruger has struck
at the commercial interests of Great
Britain in South Africa. Cecil Rhodes
is in the town and it's defence will be
stubborn. Kimberley is not a city in
the modern use of the word. 1t is a
great camp in which mems passions
rise and fall as the treasures Of ~the
earth are uncovered or not found. The
camp is in what is called Vaal Basin,
the wash ground of the river which di-
vides the Transvaal from the Orange
Free state. The first diamond discov-
cries there were made about 1870 but it
was ten years later when Englishmen
and others realized that the spot was
the most valuable of its kind in the
world.
BY 1881 the mines which had been
opened had yielded gems to the value
Of S20,0O0,OO0. BY 1887 seven tons of
diamonds had been taken out valued at
s250,O00.O00. This record placed the
Brazil diamond mines in the shade and
made Kimberley worldwide in it's
fame. The Cecil Rhodes syndicate,
known as the De Beers, came into con-
troll of all the mines after much nego-
tiation. This syndicate is capitalized
for $75000,O00 and pays interest at the
rate of 5B per cent. per annum and an
annual dividend of 20 per cent Since
Cecil Rhodes came into control of the
mines they have given out 2,5OO.OOD
lSarats Of diamonds To get at these il
has been necessary to. wash 2,700, 900
loads of the blue earth in which they
are found.
! In the working Of these diamond
4 mines there are employed about 1900
white men and 5000 natives. The
| greater portion of these men are en-
! ployed in the De Beers and Kimberley
mines the two biggest holes which
! greedy man has ever dug into the
! earth. The De Beers mine has an area
at the surface of thirteen acres and a
depth of 450 feet. The mines are
worked from shafts sunk some distance
| from the original holes and penetrat-
! ing to the blue earth by transverse
drivings at depths varying from 500 to
! 1900 feet. The blue earth, when eX-
tracted, is carried in small iron trucks
| to the levels. Upon these levels the
blue earth is worked until the gems
within are extracted. The process of
extracting takes from three to six
months. The stones found vary in size
from a pin head to the largest ever
found-42S1a karats. This largest stone
when cut weighed 22SI5 karats. 1t Is
one of the experiences of the mine own
ers that they lose from 10 to IL per
| cent. of their products each year
| through the thefts of employees, who,
. although closely watched, still manage
| to get away with their loot The pun
ishment for stealing a diamond is fif-
teen years imprisonment All dia-
mouds except those which pass through
Illicit channels, are sent to England,
the weekly shipments averaging from
10000 to $4,000 karats. The greatest
outlet for stolen diamonds is through
the Transvaal to Natal, where they are
shipped by respectable merchants.
1t is said of the Rhodes interests In
the mines that they take good care OF
their workmen. They have built a
model village called Kenilworth within
the precincts of the mines. In this vii,
lage are cottages for the white work.
men, A club house has been built for
their use and there is a public library
The equipment of the mines is some
thing remarkable Each mine has ten
circuits of electric lamps They con-
sst of ffty-two arc lamps of 200
candle power each and 691 glow lamps
of 16 and 64-candle power each, or A
total Illuminating power of about $4,000
candles. Thirty Telephones are located
in each mine and over 100 electric bells
to each for signalling. The lives of the
workmen are insured and every pre-
caution is taken to make their condi-
tion tolerable. The rate OF wages runs
from 81 to $S per day, unskilled labor
receiving the lower price. What effect
the closing of the mines by war will
have on the world at large 1t Is hard tc
say. Diamonds have already risen In
price, but there is a large stock or
hand in English and French hands. Ot
course all labor has ceased at Kimber-
ley and II the Beers get into the mine!
they may win rich prizes.
/ | "
Nipped in the Bud.