The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-12-02

wind and rains until it decomooses ana
ing and washing machines and afterWard
to the pulsators, which separate 1t into
different sizes and again wash 1t. Finally
lit passes over shaking tables covered
with grease, which catches and retains
the diamonds. These are then washed
Nv speaking, out of 5000, 600 tons OF blue
rock three-fourths of a ton of diamonds
are obtained. The yaluator asserts the
diamonds according to color and purity
I saw on his table the output of one week,
worth $780, 600. synolcate oh pusets
takes the product Of the mines. :
Though Kimberley and its mines are
already good customers of the United
states, Mr. Stowe thinks I'VE ought to
have still more of the trade especially
in galvanized, corrugated sheet iron,
which is used extensively throughout At
rica The immense buildings in the KIM
perley and johannesburg mines are com.
posed of it, as are also thousands OF
dwelling houses, barns, warehouses
fences, etc. The merchants in all African
cities carry it in stock, of regular lengths,
packed by European manufacturers III
bundles Of twelve sheets held together
by iron bands. "";sa@, CTS
Leaving Kimberley ride of 1857 miles
brought the consul general to the borders
of the Orange Free State, the Trans
walls ally in the present war. Here
different scene was. presented to the eye
,"The land was more fertile. The houses
Of the Kaffirs and Hottentots are seen
the former. looking like tops of balloons,
the latter square and built OF stones;
The Kaf11r huts show: the natural skill
and inventive genius of the tribe. Long
branches or trunks of tree that grows
high and has small diameter are plant
ed in the ground in a circle, bent to the
center and fastened. Then the native
flat grass is woven in and out. between
them, making a habitation watertight and
yet cool. The panorama presented in
the ride of 1884 miles across the Orange
Free State is monotonous, but not UNI
pleasing. More and better farming is
noticed; the crops are more diversified.
In the fields, plows and reapers and now
ers of familiar. home patterns gladden.
the eye of the American traveller. These
implements, imported from the United
States by dealers at Cape Town, Port
Elizabeth East London and Durham are
sold extensively throughout Africa.
Free State is prosperous and the Dutch
farmers unlike their neighbors and allies
across the Vaal, welcome all corners to
citizenship on easy terms.
The Transvaal customs officers detained
the consul and his fellow travellers for.
five hours at the boundary OF the re"
public before allowing them to set out
for Pretoria, seventy-seven miles inward.
Pretoria is the seat of government and
the residence of President Kruger, but.
like most capital cities, it Is not, as Mr..
Stowe expresses it, a business center.
After a short rest in the pretty little hill
l-capital the consul proceeded to- J ohannesS
burg. over the comfortable Netherlands
railway, a handsome property said to
be owned in Holland. 81 never rode he
says, lover better roadbed or in more
| comfortable cars" The latter was
equipped with every modern convenience
| and the dining cars reminded me of
home" There seems to have been but
one drawback: 1.-THE cars are all of iron,
| even the sides and covering, and in warm
| weather, 1 am told, they are like an
oven" These iron cars have figured in
the recent dispatches from the seat OF
war.
Of johannesburg Mr.. Stowe says: ut
is busy, bustling-the only real city in
South Africa from the standpoint of an
American The buildings would 40 cred1t
| to any city. The streets are wide, but
| the motive power of the street railways
| consists of mules and horses" The Beers
| fear that the substitution of other power
would impair the market for their horses
and forage, and that is a consideration
| of more cogency to their thrifty minds
| than mere speed. Anyway, it is only the
obno,Sious foreigner who is ever in a
hurry American genius and push have
had a large part in building up Johannes
burg upon the foundation Of its mineral
| wealth. The managers, superintendent
and consulting engineers of the mines,
Mr.. Stowe found to be Americans, al.
most to a man. 81 was glad he writes.
ito find that their ability was recognized
! by other countries. J. c.. Manion, United
States consular agent, has been the means
| of introducing American machinery and
supplies Of all kinds to the value of mill
lions Of dollars. For twenty miles on
gear and smokestacks of mines, more
| than 100 of them, which have made the
| city and state what they are and enabled
President Kruger to sell farm for $4OO,-
| 600 the day I was in Johannesburg.
| Some idea OF the magnitude Of the min
| ing interests is afforded by Consul Stoves
/ observations "Over fifteen tons Of gold
per month is the product Of the mines,
and new discoveries. are reported daily.
1 The main reef crops out at the surface
| and the veins dip to great depth; some
the shafts are going down gaant to 3 sss'
i dent Of direct bearinga upon the war:
Complaints are made OF the price OF
i dynamite, which costs 20 shiliings ($17.O3)
per case and could be bought outside Of
the state for 40 shillings 49.73). The
1 government granted the concession to a
. company, which makes, s thousands OF
pounds sterling out OF 1t annually. A
4 concession for the manufacture oE,candles
has been granted SO that the miners Will
have to buy OF the home manufacturer,
as the. duty. Isl pr0hibi tive The srailways.
j ] was told. charge for freight from the
border to johannesburg, a distance OF
forty-seven miles, as much as 1t costs
/ to haul from the seaports. LOCO miles