Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-29

213 miles, and to Pretoria 2s0 miles.
only 81 miles southwardly from the
tention-the gold mines Of the Rand,
which have an output more than equal
ing that of all other gold mines in the
world combined.
1t is only 16 years since gold was
found in South Africa, and Is since the
first stamp mill was erected at johann
nesburg, and yet from the comparative
ly small area so far exploited gold to
the amount of nearly $40O,000,000 has
been already taken out.
These mines belong to the uitlanders,
though at present. in the clutches of the
Beers, who have more than intimated
that in event of the arrival Of the Brit
ish army all will be destroyed. The out
put of the Johannesburg mines can be
made to rise 100000 annually, and, if
the Beers are unmolested, they can de-
rive a revenue that will enable them to
continue their defense for many years
to come-in fact, SO long as their cour-
age holds out. But it has been assert
ed, and as often denied. that the mines
are already charged with dynamite, and
! in case the British enter and take pos
session they will ascend skyward in the
grandest blaze of pyrotechnics ever con-
ceived by man.
Speculation is rife as to the probable
| ity of the Beers doing this, for they
could gain nothing by it but revenge
and the satisfaction of saddling upon
the foreign stockholders losses that
would be almost inconceivable. But
Kruger and his burghers have already
shown that patriotism is above every
thing in their estimation and freedom
more to them than gold or gems.
Thirty-seven miles beyond Johannes
burg, more than 1000 miles from Cape
| Town, Sill miles from the British port
| of Durham and $40 miles from the Por-
tuguese harbor of Delagoa Bay, lies
| the great objective of all Lord Roberts
efforts-Pretoria, capital city of the
Transvaal, and the probable last inn
portant stand of the Beers. 1t has
! population in time of peace Of about
Is, 900, it's streets are good, and 1t is
| lighted by electricity and traversed by
surface cars. The most imposing build
| ing is the house of parliament, which
cost 81, 00O,0 900. On the opposite side of
| the central square on which it stands
are the law courts, likewise grand and
of modern design. There are also pub
\ lie library, market building erected at
a cost of $150000, a museum contain
| ing a fine collection of African curios
and churches of various denominations.
| From natural springs three miles dis
| tant the city gets a never failing supply
of pure water, and there is good sew
erage system.
While the approach to Pretoria from
johannesburg and the south is compar-
atiyely level, over a vast and treeless
plateau, yet on the north, east and west
| are rugged mountains, rising from 1000
to 1000 feet above the city, the general
level of which is 1850 feet above the
sea. The contiguous hills and adjacent
mountains have been fortified to the
limit of engineering ingenuity. The
sides of the hills have been scarped,
their submits leveled and topped with
domes of masonry. Rifle pits, bomb
proofs, intricate lines of fortifications
have been constructed everywhere, un-
til there is not a kopje without its
frowning cannon.
| The best engineers of Europe have
been for Is years engaged in making
Pretoria as nearly impregnable as pos
sible, and the result is not all evident
at glance, for the main features have
| been kept secret. More than $10,0O0,0 600