New-York tribune., 1906-10-28

GARDNER =. WILLIAMS.
The American mining engineer who helped to
create, and then managed, the South
African diamond monopoly.
taste of California mining. had gone when still
young TO explore in South Africa, and had be-
come general manager Of the great monopoly OF
the diamond mines. A fighter of financial battles
and manager of men, writer. a scientist. and
one OF the worlds greatest engineers he so
stamped his personality the people among whom
he lived that he feted and cheered by all South
Africa when he retired last spring and came back
20 the United States TO build home for his leisure
years IN the land Of his birth. Here was man
who played a mans part in perhaps the most in
spring and romantic undertaking of his time.
His father went, with a little capital, to Cali
fornia In the 5Js and the son entered California
College-afterward the University. He wished to
become mining engineer but there no good
mining school IN the country. Perfect yourself
said his father, seven II you have 10 go abroad.
So off he went the Mining Academy Of Freioers'
among the lead mines OF SaXony. On his return 10
San Francisco In 1866 TWO well spent years in the
mint made him expert assayer, and then ne
went TO mining in the Phoebe country OF Southern
Nevada Re came back TO be appointed receiver OF
r. water and mining company IN Northern Cali
fornia Within year the company was paying
dividends for the first time and his diplomacy had
brought into harmony the two warning factions
that had necessitated the receiyeTship.
From this post he was called. by an invitation
who had organized exploring company for the
RothschIds. look for valuable minerals in
i Mashonaiand. Then began his acquaintance with
bush and karroo with the slow advance OF OK teams
h across the level veldt. with the handling of Zuus
and Matabees and other natives. with the sturdy
but plgheaded Beers with the adventurers VINO
were rushing in hordes TO this new Goloonda he
shot elephants and lions lived off the country.
panned and tested the sand and gravel OF every
stream, and secured the region for promising out
crops Or hints OF value On his way back to Lon
den TO report he fell in with Cecil Rhodes who hap
pened 10 be fellow passenger on the steamer-a
meeting that proved TO be the turning point in his
career.
Rhodes had often said that he strove for wealth.
because only through wealth could he hope to
realize his plan OF British empire in South Africa
Chinese Gordon once told him Of refusing a
roomful Of gold with which the Chinese govern
ment wished 10 reward him for subduing the
! TAPPING rebellion.
N what would you have done?" he asked Rhodes
Taken IT," was the reply. and many more
roopfuls they would have given me- It's no
useto US 10 have big ideas IL We haven't the money
10 carry them out"
And since it was on the claims he controlled IN
the De Beers diamond mine that he based his hopes
OF wealth. he talked eagerly with this American
mining engineer, the steamer kicked its way up
the African coast, OF possible ways to make his
diamond mining pay as hugely as he thought it
should. Arm in they paced the deck day
after day and evening after evening. They
kindred spirits Rhodes told Williams what he
knew 5f the wild land that the American had been
exploring. and Williams explained and diagrammed
the art OF mining. And both talked Of and OF
how men may be handled.
After a short stay in England Mr. Williams came
home 10 his family. In the midst OF his visit
he was surprised 10 receive a cablegram from
Rhodes asking him 10 resign from the exploration
company and come out and take charge otalis dia-
mond mine. He started at once for London. met
Rhodes and early in 1888 sailed back the Cape
sf general manager of the De Beers Company He
IL F-Tl s,g-
quickly faIaEiarized himself with conditions
The first step was to work out system OF
6eTground mining that should be safe and econon-
tcai. for the methods IN use had been neither At
successive levels In the tunnels the worknen had
been assiduously cutting the blue ground from
under the feet OF the workers the level just
sboVe and they leaving behind them dia-
mond-bearins rock in the pillars they carved as
supports IN lieu OF timbers He solved the problem
by driving set OF tunnels clear across the mines
from crater wall TO crater wall. The miners in
these tunnels had cleared out the blue ground
above them. and had moved back from the crater
edge, before the next group of miners in & set Of
tunnels forty feet below had begun IN TO blast
down the blue ground above their heads. So on TO
the lowest levels. These men had moved back be-
fore The men IN another set Of tunnels below had
begun TO blast. All the blue ground was thus
taken out and gang az work had another gang
blasting 5ust beneath f. The system revolu-
tion in diamond mining.
He kept several men at work on experiments.
pebbles be carried across a heavily creased sur
face. every diamond IN the mass viii stick in the
grease though all the other pebbles, and even
glass Will aow away. Creased pulsators were at
once installed, and the diamonds are now separated
automatically.
The fuel aroblen is a serious one in the coaiess
end almost treeless country about Kimberly where
the diamond fields centre Recently a coal mine
was discovered in Rhodesia. He at once arranged
TO have most Of its output delivered at the mines
II was OF poor quality and 'clogged the fire bars
cruel" Nothing daunted, he devised CRATES that
wouic burn II economically. II was this sort OF
ready resource, this quickness TO step out Of the
re. that marked his whole policy
He picked his assistants from various countries
many nor rhe United States. but he never lost
touch OK the affairs OF the mines all their rs1ni
ncesienA Nothing OF importance was cona that did
nss pess over his desk and he kept the loyalty Of
bis nE hY Always treating them with scrupuIous
3uscoa When The De Beers mine took fire through
f1as essslsssnsss Of Kst4r who left s. Lighted
candle near the timber. OF the upper levels
shortly after tie consolidation inprsonng es5 man
below. he hurried 81 once TO the mine and ss
nArna*e sah s:tsrward. worked night and day