The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-10-19

most valuable of these are gold and
diamonds, though incidentally it may
be mentioned that the iron, coal ana
other mineral deposits of the South
and Southeast Africa give promise of
great value when wealth seeking man
has time to turn his attention from
the gold mines to those which pro-
mise less rapid, but perhaps equally
certain profits.
That the gold and diamond mines
of South Africa have been, and still
are, wonderfully profitable, however, Is
beyond question. The Kimberly dia-
mond mines, which are located in Brit
ish territory, just outside the boun-
daries of the Orange Free State and
about 600 miles from Cape Town. now
supply 9S per cent. of the diamonds OF
commerce, although their existence.
was unknown prior to 1867 and the
mines have thus been in operation
about thirty years only. 1t is esti-
mated that $3.50, 100000 worth of rough
diamonds. worth double that sum af-
ter cutting, have been produced from
the Kimberly mines since their open
ing in 1869. and this enormous pro-
duction would have been greatly in
ers of the various mines in this vicin-
ity formed an agreement by which the
annual output was so limited as to
meet, but not materially exceed, the
annual consumption of the worlds din-
mond markets. SO plentiful is the
supply and so comparatively inexpen-
sive the work of production that dia-
mond digging in other parts of the
world has almost ceased since the
South African mines entered the field.
Equally wonderful and equally prom
lslng are the great "Witwatersrand"
gold fields of South Africa. located in
the South African Republic. better
known as the Johannesburg" mines.
The Dutch word "Witwatersand"
means literally white Water Range"
and the strip of territory. a few hun
dred miles long and a few miles width,
TO which it is applied, was but a few
years ago considered a nearly worthless
ridge, useful only for the pasture &c
of cattle and sheep, and for even this
comparatively valueless. In 1883, how
eevr, gold was discovered, and in 1884
the value of the gold production was
about $4,000. 1t increased with start
ling rapidty, the production OF 1883
| being about $4,000. 900: that of 1890, $40, =
I 100000; 1892, over s2OO0O, 900: 1895. over
| $40, 900 and 1897 and 1898 about $751;
10000 in each year. This wonderful
development has attracted great at
tention to South Africa and draw
thither thousands of people in the hope
| of realizing quick fortunes. Develop
| ment. however, showed that the mines
| could only be successfully worked by
the use of costly machinery, and while
they have been extremely productive
| where machinery has been used, they
were not of such character as to make
hand or placer mining profitable, as
was the case in California. The gold
| production in the "Rand" since
| 1884 has been over 100000, 900 and
careful surveys of the field by the
| use of drills and other pro
| cesses of experts show beyond question
that the lin sight" probably amounts
! to s3,5OO000,OO0, while the large num-
| ber of mines which have been locates 1
I in adjacent territory, particularly in
parts of Rhodesia, give promise of ad-
! ditional supplies, so that ii seems prob
able that South Africa will for many
| years continue to be, as it now is, the
| largest producing section of the
| world. Recent discoveries lead to the
| belief that these wonderfully rich
mines are the long-lost gold of Ophir, "
from which Solomon obtained his sup.
plies, making "a navy of ships in
| Ezion-Geber, which is opposite Eloth.
| on the shore of the Red Sea in the land
of Edom; and Hiram sent in the navy
his servants, shipmen that had knowl-
| edge of the sea. with the servants NJ
Solomon; and they came to Ophr and
fetched from thence gold and brought
it to King Solomon"