Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-05-26

2is miles, and to Pretoria 200 miles.
Between the Voal and Pretoria. and
only 81 miles southwardly from the
Boet capital. lies the real bone Of con-
tention--the gold mines Of the Rand,
which have an output more than equal
ing that Of all other gold mines Ia the
world combined.
IT Is only IS years since gold was
found in South Africa, and 10 since the
first stamp mill was erected at johann
nesburg. and yet from the comparative
ly small area 50 far exploited gold to
the amount OF nearly SiO0,0OO.OoO 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 win be destroyed. The out
put Of the johannesburg mines can be
made TO rise $4,000 600 annually and, II
the Beers are unmolested they can de-
rive a revenue that will enable them TO
continue their defense for many years
10 come-in fact so long as their cour-
age holds out. But II 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 viii 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 inconceiyable, But
Kruger and his burghers have already
shown that patriotism Is above every
thing in their estimation and freedom
more TO them than gold OF gems,
Thlrty-seven miles beyond Johannes
burg, more than 1000 miles from Cape
Town, Gil 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
! Transyaal, and the probable last Inn
portant stand Of the Beers. II has a
population In time OF peace Of about
| 1900, It's streets are good, and II Is
/ lighted by electricity and traversed by
surface cars. The most imposing build
| ing Is the house OF parliament, which
cost 81 900, 600. on the opposite side Of
the central square on which II stands
are the law courts, likewise grand and
/ Of modern design. There are also pub
| lie library, market building erected at
a cost Of $4,000, a museum contain
ing a fine collection OF African curlos
and churches Of various denominations,
From natural springs three miles dis
tant the city gets never falling supply
OF pure water, and there Is a good sew
erage system.
While the approach to Pretoria from
johannesburg and the south is compar-
atiyely level, over vast and treeless
plateau. yet on the north, east and west
are rugged mountains rising from lOOC
TO . 1000 feet above the city, the general
level OF which is $500 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 leyeled and topped with
domes Of masonry Rifle pits, bomb
proofs, intricate lines Of fortihcatlons
have been constructed everywhere, un'
I'll there is not a kopje without its
frownng 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 $4,000 O0I
has admittedly been expended, and