The evening times., 1899-08-19
TIE CITY OF KIMBERLEY
Consul General Stowe on South
African Progress.
His Trip to the Famous Diamond
Mfnes-Americans Prominent in the
prOvement in Railway Service.
Johannesburg Beers Conservative.

Consul General J. G. Stowe of Cape
Town, has sent to the State Department an
exhaustive account of trip which he re-
anime into the Industrial development of
the country. In the course of his -eport
Mr.. Stowe gives an interesting account of
his visit to the Kimberley diamond mines
The city of Kimberley" he says, lis
CAT miles from Cape Town-a ride of two
days and one night. 1t has population of
$4,000 and the greatest diamond mines of
the world. The United States is represented
here by Consular Agent Gardner F.. Will
liams, who is the general manager OF the
mines. l was pleased to learn that many
of the most responsible positions are held
by Americans The company occupies 200,-
600 acres of land, employs 5000 natives
and 25,000 whites. consumes each month
in the compounds" q, coo pounds of NUT
ton and 10000 pounds of beef, turns out
1000 carts of diamonds a month. uses
5000 tons of coal day. has 1900 horses
and mules, II stations of the best breeds
tsome from America), and 200 brood
mares. The shops connected with the
mines for the manufacture and repair of
machinery and supplies compare well with
some of our large harvester factories or
railroad shops. / was not at all surprised
to see American machinery here. The i'm
mense driving gear of a pumping engine
made in England had TO be sent TO Chicago
to have the cogs cut. The company is op-
Grating an ice plant sent from Chicago,
and has three more ordered, each with a
capacity OF five tons per day and 10000
cubic feet of cold storage, and complete
dynamite plant, with an American to man
age it, is on its way here from America.
THE $50 miles of narrow gauge railroad
in and around the mines are laid with
American rails and every tie or sleeper is
made of California redwood, which in this
country is par excellence the best wood for
such purpose 1t is also used in many
other ways. Three ships from California
have recently arrived with cargoes of the
redwood and Oregon pine. The company
sells its ice for half a cent per pound to
ALL while in Cape Town the charge is
cents per pound.
mo corporation in the world does more
for its employees. 1t has built the village
Of kenilworth, covering 500 employees at
nominal rents. Water and light are sup
piled free, and there is clubhouse, libra
ry, reading-r rooms. athletic grounds, park
and vegetable gardens with vines and fruit
Of all kinds in profusion.'
After speaking of the mines and their
operation, Mr.. Stowe says: The next day
1 reached Johannesburg by the Netherlands
railway. / never rode over better road
bed or in more comfortable cars. They are
equipped with all modern conveniences and
the dining cars reminded me OF home The
cars are of iron, even the covering and
sides, and in warm weather, am told they
are like furnace; but no better railway
equipment. as a whole can be found any
where johannesburg is busy, bustling
city-the only real city in South Africa.
from the standpoint of an American. The
buildings would do credit to any city. The
streets are wide, but the motive power Of
the street railways consists CT horses and
mules and, as the Beers believe that the
substitution Of other power would stop the
sale of forage and horses, the government
will not grant a concession. OF course, an
electric road would open up new territory.
Electric lines should also be built in Kim
berley, East London. and Durham. The
horse cars still run in these cities and the
length of the present roads is great