The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-01

in South Africa, for he is head and
front of the diamond industry and has
metam0rphoSed the town of Kimberley
from a struggling settlement into a
model city. He is so greatly valued
by the De Beers company that he is
given carte blanche in the management
of the mines and no one ever questions
his actions. He has often requested
them to accept his resignation, but
on each occasion the directors increase
his salary. for him TO remain. As for
Mr. Rhodes, he seldom comes to KIM
berly these days and makes what
ever suggestions he has by letter. His
last instructions were to decrease the
output ,for the next twelve months,
which xviii accordingly be done.
Wants Model City.
Mr. Williams is about 80 years old,
of imposing figure and kindly face. He
holds the position of American con-
sular agent at Kimberley and any
reputable citizen who lands there is
sure of good treatment. In Kimberley
he is the whole show, to use the
miners description. His ambition is
to establish city where each man
win own his own home and make
enough money to live in comfort. To
this end he has begun model village
on the outskirts of Kimberley, which is
called KenilWorth. Here there are
beautiful cottages built with the best
sanitary arrangements, which the en-
ployees can rent for So 10 shilling per
month and purchase on installments.
There are special buildings for
bachelors and an excellent club house,
with billiard rooms. library and ali the
other appointments. The village is
threaded by wide driveways flanked
with eucalyptus, oak, cypress and
pine trees.
Making model town, however, has
been only a small part of this enter
prising Americans services to the De
Beers company. Every day he goes
over the three mines now being oper-
ated, namely, the Kimberley, De Beers
and the Premier. The Bultfontein and
Dutoitspan, though controlled by the
company. are not worked. He visits
the convict station. the various depart
ments of each mine, practically han
dies every diamond shipped from the
country, and in general takes care of
his -'family,N which. consists of. II, 600
native Africans and 1000 white miners.
Digging For the Gems.
Mining diamonds requires more kinds
of attention than any other industry
and Mr.. Williams has his work cut out
for him. He knows exactly how many
loads are hauled out each day and
how many feet of blue earth have been
excavated. This blue clay is the home
of the diamond 1t runs in veins and
the process is to sink a shaft and blast
along levels at distances regulated so
that one will not fall through on an
other below. The De Beers mine has
now been carried down to and beyond
400 feet and the Kimberley to 1900
feet. The Premier is less rich than
these two, but has a larger area and
is very easily worked, so that much
lower cost Of production compensates
for a smaller yield.
The amount of blue ground reported
as in sight, was estimated at that time
as 100000 loads in the De. Beers and
100000 in the Kimberley: while in the
Premier there were 2,750,0G0 loads above
the 125-foot level and 100000 loads
brought to view by further exploration
to 167 feet, in all $3.50 loads. The
total in the three miles would thus
be over 100000 loads. That is enough
to keep them busy at Kimberley for