The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1907-04-06
PROMINENT MINING EM0xNEE1
INSPECTING our MINES

r. X. Snort arrived in GOldfield
Wednesday from south Africa where he
has been engaged in mining for the last
five years. Mr.. Short was born in San
Francisco but as he was brought to
Nevada by his parents when he was a
year old and spent the greater part of
his life here he considers Nevada his
home. Mr.. Short is a graduate of the
school of mines of the Leland Stand
ford university. He left Carson about
six years ago and went to Australia.
He spent a year among the mines Of
west Australia. going from there to
Johannesburg, South Africa, where he
secured a position as overseer in the
great Langlaate Deep mine.
The mines around johannesburg"
said Mr.. Short in an interview with a
News representative, ARE noted for
their permanency. The gold is taken
from conglomerate beds and the opera
tors can almost count 1000 feet ahead
The reefs, or lodges, are not thick,
averaging from three to seven feet but
they are so extensive that they are
worked at great profit. The cost Of ex-
tracing and handling the ore is from IS
to Sc a ton, and about sc, 900 tons are
milled a month. The district is forty
miles in extent and contains a number
of extremely valuabl properties. The
Langlaate Deep mine has been worked
to a depth of 1000 feet and is one of the
largest producers in the district. All
the underground work Is done by ma
chinery, rock drills being in universal
use, although the rough work is all per-
formed by blacks and Chinese. The
blacks are paid 40 cents a day and the
Chinese a triie less.
Miners earn from IS to SIS a day but
the life of a miner is short, rarely ex-
ceeding Is years. They become af-
flicted with what is known as miners
consumption. caused by dust in the
mines and most of them die young. An
old miner is never seen in Johannes
burg.
IAN important factor in the develop
ment of the South African mines is the
strictly up to date machinery that is
everywhere used. The great reduction
plants at Johannesburg are undoubt-
eddy the most complete and finest in the
world"
Mr.. Short says the contract system of
working he mines is very popular in
and around johannesburg n the re-
suits very satisfactory, both to the
miners and the mine owners. While
the output of the mines is increasing all
the time, other business is not SO good.
The country has been over doomed and
is now suffering from reaction.
Mr.. Short says the Premier diamond
mine, located about 70 miles from
johannesburg, is one of the largest pro-
ducers in the world. 1t is not con-
trolled by the De Beers syndicate, which
owns the great Kimberly mines al
though. it is probable that there is a
private understanding in regard to the
output, the greater part of which ulti-
mately finds it's way to the United
States.
Mr.. Short is greatly impressed with
the outlook for the mines in this dis
trict and expresses the opinion that the
prosperity of Goldfeld has hardly be-
gun. He will leave for a visit to San
Francisco and other coast points today
but will return here about the first OF
June and locate in this city. He Will
have charge of two or three of the larg-
est properties in Goldfeld. the names OF
which will be made known shortly.