The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1900-03-07
KIMBERLEY'S
VAST RICHES
The Enormous Value of The
Diamond Mines.
The Cecil Rhodes Syndicate
Employ an Army
of Men.
ALL ARE WELL CARED FOR.

Kimberley is the diamond region OF
the world, far surprising the mines Of
Brazil in richness 1t is not a city in
the modern use Of the word. 1t is a
great camp in which mems passions rise
and fall as the treasures of the earth are
uncovered or not found. The camp is N
what is called the Vaal Basin, the wash
ground of the river which divides the
Transvaal from the Orange Free State.
The first diamond discoveries there were
made about 1870, but it was ten years
later when EnRlshmen and others real
lied that the spot was the most valuable
of it's kind in the world.
By 1881 the mines which had been
opened had yielded gems to the value
of S20,00O,OOO, BY 1887 seven tons of
diamonds had been taken out valued at
S250,00O,0O0. This record placed the
Brazil diamond mines in the shade and
made Kimberley world wide in its fame.
The Cecil Reodes syndicate known as
the De Beers, came into control of all the
mines after much negotiation. Thissyn-
dicates capitalized for S75, 900, 900 and pays
interest at the rate of 81 per cent per
annum and an annual dividend of 20
per cent. Siuce Cecil Rhodes came into
control OF the mines they have given
out 2 100000 ksrats OF diamonds. To get
at these it has been necessary to wash
100000 loads of blue earth in which
they are found. In the working OF thes
diamond mines thereare employed about
1900 white men and 5000 natives. The
greater proportion OF these men are en-
ployed in the De Beers and Kimberley
mines, the two biggest holes which
greedy man has ever dug into the earth.
The punishment for stealiga diamond is
fifteen years, imprisonment All dia-
monds, except those which pass through
illicit channels, are sent to England, the
weekly shipment averaging from 40,
600 TO $4,000 karats. The greatest out
let for stolen diamonds is through the
Transyaal to Natal, where they are
shipped by respectable merchants. 1t is
said OF the Rhodes that they take good
care OF their workmen. They have built
a nice little village called Kenilworth,
within the precincts Of the mines. In
this ere cottnges for the white workmen.
A club house has here been built for their
use and there is public library. The
equipment of the mines is something re-
marksble Each mine has ten circuits of
electric lamps. They consist OF fifty two
arc lamps. of 1000 candle power each
and 69l glow lamps OF l6 and "a candle
power each, or a total Illuminating power
of about Ga 900 candles. Thirty telephones
located in each mine and over 100 cleo
trio bells to each for signaling The lives
of the workmen are insured and every
precaution is taken TO make their condi-
ton toleriable. The rate Of wages runs
from 81 TO S. per day, unskilled labor re-
oeiving too lower price. What eff ct the
closing Of the mines by war will have on
the world at large it will be hard to say.
Diamonds have already risen in price
but there is large stock on in hand Eng
lish and French hands. CT course all
ladob has ceased at Kimberley and II
the Beers get into the mines they may
win rich prizes.