The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-23
TROUBLES N lRAIsVlA.
AMERICAN EyG1NEER DEsCRlDRs
THE SITUATION THERE.
Xsshsag shess - Il WIN ns0<ay
the Evils rroD Witch they
Csnplaia IL oe-CaIlea Repshase.

NEW YORK. Aug Al W. Regain. an
expert mining engineer. Who for the past
year and . half has been making a care
fui study Of mining and governmental con-
ditions OF the Transvaai. = now in this
city. The prospect Of war with England.
Mr.. Regain says, at the time ne left Jo-
hanneeburg. . few weeks ago. Was. ac-
cording 10 the native Beers. very slight II
Wa expected by them that compounds
would be reached. The foreign element.
however. earnestly hoped that Il would
come. for In IL they see future prosperity.
American sympathy may be naturally
with the young republic" said Mr.. ReGan.
but republic az applied 10 the Transsaai
II a msnomer.
Capt. Justice Kotze. recently Opposed.
told Dom Paul. when asked about a Ger
tain matter. that IL was unconstitutional.
whereupon Dom Paul promptly cut OF
his official head and placed on the bench
an innocent old individual whose idea OF
the proper administration OF justice was TO
be In line with the president. With the
departure OF Kotse there departed all hope
OF justice on the part OF the Uitlanders-
There are three questions that engage
diplomatic attention-thas Of the franchise.
probably the most important. the question
OF dynamite and the railways.
Until quite recently man to hold office
must have resided In the Transvaal for
fourteen years and be at the same time a
member OF the Dutch church. The Tit
ianders hope for reforms through the fran
chise.
''In regard to dynamite. It has been the
policy OF the government to grant an ex-
elusive franchise TO Holland and German
syndicate 10 make dynamite. the importa-
tlon being illegal. They demand for IL %
shillings a case. An American firm Offer
ed TO lay II down in the Transvaai in I'M
limited quantities at ~ shillings a case OF
fifty pounds. The mining industry uses
about 10000 cases annually. That means
a loss OF $300O.000 TO the miners. The
profit Is too low TO warrant working many
low-grade ore mines.
THE Netherlands Railway Company
holds the exclusive right to build and
construct railways and also to fix It's own
rates 1t charges from to Is cents per
mile per ton for freight Most Of the min
ing machinery Is brought from Chicago.
The haul from verniging 10 johannesburg
distance of about thirty or forty miles.
Is more expensive that the freight rates
from Chicago TO New York, about 800
miles.
There are about $500 blacks there.
They walk from 600 10 500 miles to reach
the mines. They are forced 10 purchase q
kind OF badge or dog collar and wear It..
IN duultlpn 10 paying the government ~
cents a month. II they lose the dog col
lar or fall TO pay the monthly tax. they
are given 10 iashes and imprisoned a
couple OF months.
THE gold fields Of the Transvaal are
not found In rich deposits. az IL thought.
but their value les In the great quantity
OF low grade free milling ore. with an
average Of 800 per ton. The cost OF pro-
duction Is about s per ton. Capital is at
present wary. but II England succeeds in
getting the reforms the big rushes to the
gold fields Of California In 1879 and TO
Colorado later would be nothing In COM
parison. So sure are the present mines in
their output that In England those who
have control OF trust money are investing
In them.
Although the Beers do not anticipate
war yet while on my way home / spent
several weeks In England and from what
I could learn there, active preparations
are being made for war with the Trans
vaal II IL the universal opinion OF those
best posted and those having at heart the
hes. wishes for the ultimate success OF
the Transvaal as republic that nothing
short Of a war with England will remedy
the situation"
Miners Leaving the TPansvaal.
JOHANNESBURG. Aug 22-The fed
comets are busy distributing Mausers and
ammunition TO the buygherA The exodus
of miners continues