The evening times., 1900-01-04
GOLD IN THE IRANSVAAL
The Enormous Production of the
South African Mines.
The British and Bocr War Causes
Operations to He Temporarily Sus-
less Ridge in the Rand BE-
comes Source of Great Wealth.

The war in South Africa is having a mr.
ceptible effect upon the gold output OF the
world. Director Roberts, OF the United
States Mint, in speaking upon the subject
yesterday, said:
Since the commencement of hostilities
between Great Britain and the two Boer
republics in South Africa, the output and
export of gold from those countries has
been entirely suspended. and ii is no, very
likely that this industry will be resumed
before the war is over. The United States
mint does not receive its quota of gold
direct from Africa, but through European
dealers"
Wonderful and promising are the great
Witwatersrand gold fields, located in the
South African republic, better known as
the Johannesburg mines. This strip OF ter
ritory is about 400 miles long and so miles
in width, and was considered but a few
years ago a nearly worthless ridge, useful
only for the pasturage of cattle and sheep.
In 1889. however, gold was discovered, and
in 1884 the value of the gold product on
was about s50,000. 1t increased with start
ling rapidity, the production Of 1888 being
worth about $4,000, 600; that of 1889, 81
100000; that of 1890, $40, ,OOO. 900; 1891. s15.-
10000; 1892, over $50, ,0G0, ,600; 1898, S26.-
900, ,0G0; 1894, $39, 600 900; 1885, $40, 900 600;
1895, s44,000,000; 1887, s55, 900 0e0e; 1898
$50, ,0e0, goo; 1899, $50 600, 600, an increase Of
80 per cent up to the commencement of
hostilities. This wonderful development
has attracted great attention to South Afri-
ca, and drawn thither thousands OF people
in the hope OF realizing quick fortunes.
Development, 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 are
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 $500, 900 600, and careful
surveys of the field by the use of drills
and other processes of experts show beyond
question that the gold in sight" probably
amounts to Sc, 500 ,000, ,000, while the larger
number of mines which have been 10
Gated in adjacent territory, particularly IN
parts of Rhodesia, give promise Of addi-
tiOnal supplies, SO that it seems probable
that South Africa will for many years con-
tinue to be. as it now is, the largest gold
section of the world.
OF the gold output in 1897. 3,034.67S
ounces were from Witwatersrand; 113, ,972
ounces from the Kaap; 50942 ounces from
Lydenburg; 84,7S1 ounces from Klerksdorp:
223 ounces from Zontpansberg; 5,120
ounces from Swaziland, ETC.; total output
OF 1897, 3,2S9, 720 ounces. In 1897, accord
ing to returns furnished by seventy-two
the number of whites employed
at the mines was $3.50, the amount paid to
them in wages being E2,521 sos; the num-
Der of natives employed, according to these
returns, was 50,791, but the total number
employed was estimated at about 20, 0,000 |
The South African Customs Union COM |
prises Cape Colony, the Orange Free State, |