The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1900-03-29

direction of the dip If he wishes to
follow the reef beyond these limits, he
must peg out further claims.
single claim is of course too small
to be profitably worked, so what are
known as 'outcrop companies" are
formed to exploit block of contiguous
claims. AS a consequence of this sys-
TEN there are few small mines. The
mine owners are companies, not indi-
viduals everything being done on CO.
lossal scale.
The great feature of the Rand mines
is the deep level properties-that is,
claims located at considerable distance,
often quarter of a mile, from the
original ontcrop and where the reef, by
reason of the angle of the dip, is reach
ed at much greater depth. So regu-
lar is the gold distributed throughout
the reef and so uniform Is the course
of the reef itself that even a second
row of deep levels has been opened up
In many of the mines, where the reef
will not be struck until a depth of
sometimes 5000 and 1000 feet is
reached
But still the reef continues beyond
even the second row of deep levels.
plunGlng deeper into the earth, Just as
rich, just as uniform. as at the out
crop.
All this enormous business of gold
producing concentrated in such a small
area, almost one town. gives facilities
for the perfection of processes for pro-
duction never before enjoyed in the
history Of mining.
One cannot help remarking the thor
ough businesslike principles upon
which the leading English concerns
nave undertaken their mining opera
TONS They go into them on a scale
which is simply magnificent, and once
in there is then no stint of money.
Every preparation is carefully made,
every necessary appliance procured.
All preliminaries are arranged with
the same care and on the same meth
DDS as would be adopted by careful
manufacturer in starting his mills.
The gold bearing district is spoken
OF throughout Africa as the Rand, the
former portion of the name being COM
monty omitted. Gold was known to
exist there as long ago as the begin
ming of this century Herr Mauch.
the German explorer, wandered
through the country and returned to
Berlin with eyes wide open and mouth
agape.
THE country is full of gold" he de-
clared.
Full of goldw repeated the Germans
in wonder.
Yes, from river to river" he replied,
meaning from the Vaal to the Limpopo.
But the traveller had not been home
long when he suddenly fell i'll and
died. So the matter dropped. and talk
Of gold in the Rand was not heard
again until 1856.
In that year a Dutchman, hunting
for gold in the republic, unearthed a
rich patch of the yellow" The Beers.
who up to that time were unaware of
the presence of gold in the neighbor-
hood, gave the fortunate man a large
sum for his discovery and sent him
back to the colony
The Transvaal sons are essentially
an agricultural people and, like all
such, resent the intrusion of civiliza-
ton. Theirs Is an incident, sluggish
nature. impressive and unassertive. ex-
cepting on one subject. They hate tie
foreigner-the uitlander, as they call
him.
So 1t happened that nothing more
was heard of gold I'm tbo ponJ ,,r+;,
the end OF 1884. In that year Mr..
Wemmer and others discovered nor
tons OF the reef which today enjoys
widespread renown. Then followed a
rush OF prospectors, and for time the
held was overrun by enthusiastic. de.
termined gold hunters.
Startled and angered at this thrush
of hated uitlanders. the burghers has
tily issued an order forbidding pros
pectlnS and imposing a heavy punish.
ment on any person found hunting for
gold within the borders of the Trans.
vaal.
But after few months it was seen
that 1t would be impossible to enforce
this decree. Gradually the Beers. own
ing farms all along the Rand. yielded
TO the persistent clamors. entreaties
and threats of the invaders and grant
ed claims. 1t was then that. the Boer
government agreed to recognize the |
claims allotted by the owners of farms.
stlpuiating. however, that those who
WORKED thel paid the prescribed tax