Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-10-03

earth is there an dSS6ulUAdBS oAWOiA n
ers of such varied types Of race, ma
4ionality. and coloring as are seen In
he souh African diamond fields. There
is hardly a nation in Europe or colony
of the British Empire that has
not some representatives. There are
adventures from the United States,
. Mexico. and South America, and whlte
men from all colonies OF South Africa
mIngle with the masses Oh hati'e
Africans OF every shade Oh dusky nue.
shown by the tribes tnat range from
the cape TO the equator. Add TO TINS
motley throng a sprinkling OF DARK
East Indians, MaIays, and Chinese,
and the Kaleidoscope SHIFTS and color
ings OF this babel in the diamond
nelds may De nnly conceived.
Only about oae-sixth of the workers
in the mines ale whites, and the lar
ger part OF these are employed above
ground on the fioUrs, in the workshops
and in the offices OF the mining COM
panies.
uG uldIOA4Lg Va LAAN "AAAS wa
above ana below ground have their
homes in Kimberley and the other
neighboring mining towns. Wages
paid TO European day laborers on the
surface range from $2.40 to $3.50 a
cay: mechanics receive higher pay,
which ranges from 81 10 So per dav,
and white miners are paid the same
rate Miners VINO prove their comps'
1ence are given contracts for specified
work. by which their earnings are
usually materially increased.
Employees houses III Kimberley
are scattered through the town and
many of them own their own homes.
Some of the miners houses cost <
$40 or over.
In the mines operated by the De
Beers company alone more than 1900
African natives are employed below
and above ground, coming from the
Transvaal, Basutoland, and Becaauna-
land, from districts 1ar north of the
Limpopo and the Zambesi, and from
the Cape Colony on the east and the
south to meet the swarms focking
from Delagoa Bay and countries
along the coast OF the Indian ocean,
while a few cross the continent from
Damaraland and Namaqualand and
the coast washed by the Atlantic.
For the lodging and feeding OF this
great force of native Africans special
provision is make by the erection Of
large walled enclosures called COM
pounds, at the mines and on deposit
ing floors. There are II of these COM
pounds on the diamond fields twelve
of which are owned by the De Beers
company. The largest of all is one at
De Beers mine, and the description of
this viii serve for all, as they are es
sentially alike except in size.
Fully four acres are enclosed by
the walls of the De Beers compound,
giving ample space for the housing OF
its 5000 inmates, with an open central
ground for exercise and sports. The
fences are of corrugated iron, rising
ten feet above the ground, and there
is an open cen raj ground Rp tonof
is an open space Of ten feet between
Lie AEEGE anu LlC bGAQALS5. Al LuC
northern end Of the compound there
is an entrance gate. Iron cabins fringe
the inner sides Of the enclosure d.
vided into rooms % feet by 30 feet,
which are lighted by electricity. In
each room 20 to % natives are lodged.
The beds supplied are ordinary wood
en- hunks and the bed clothing is usu-
ally composed Of blankets which the
natives bring with them or buy a.
the stores in the compound, where
there is a supply of articles to meet
The simple needs Of the natives Be
sides these sores there is a hospital
and dispensary, where any needed
medical attention is promptly given,
and a CT LrCh for religious services.
conducted by missionaries delegated
by the va.fous church denominations.
During week days the church is also
used as a school for the instruction of
the natives, Everything is cared for
with strict attention to sanitation. In
the center Of the enclosure there is a
large concrete swimming bath. in
which most OF the natives are at
times found diving and swimming. as
is wildly shown in the accompanying
illustrations. If any fail to show the
necessary regard to cleanliness they
are compelled to keep themselves
clean.
To enter the service Of the company
each applicant must sign e written
contract binding himself % live IN
the compound and WORK Continuously
and faithfully for a period Of at least
three months or longer ii he so de-
sires. At the expiration OF a contract
the applicant may leave If he chooses
or his contract may be renewed in.
definitely. Some Of the natives IN De
Beers compound have been employed
continuously for ten years or more in
the service Of the company.
The ordinary dress OF the natives in
the compound is a woDien shirt. trous
ers, and shoes. They rarely wear any
under-clothing, and when at work n
the mines pair of ragged trousers "a
blanket, or old breech cloth will often
be their only covering. Occasional
visitors to the mine are startled by
the native disregard for cover. but
the natives are commonly al.
mass the word 'UnfaS" fyvprport from,