Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-31

part of the former are bachelors VINO have
come here to seek their fortunes Many
of these drifted in here at the time OF
the war and were soldiers in the Boer
or English armies When peace was de-
clared the country was booming, and Tor
awhile they found plenty to do. At Hlat
time Johannesburg was growing ike
green bay tree. Many new buildings were
going up real estate values rose out OF
sight, and everything was planned on the
basis of JOHANNESBURG becoming sec
ond Chicago. The money paid In lndem-
mites and for the repairs necessltated Dy
the war brought thousands of pounds into
circulation. and the demand for labor far
exceeded the supply. Mechanics were
imported by the shipload. and wages rose.
Carpenters got s. per. day and other me
chanics proportionately high wages. Then
the bottom fell out. It was found that
the country was overpeopled, and that
the towns were overbuilt The new bust
ness blocks could not be rented. and the
values OF property fell. Houses which
were worth S15. 600 four years ago can be
bought for from SO 600 to 5000 today,
and rents have proportionately fallen.
When the boom burst thousands of men
were thrown out of work and there
are thousands of mechanics in South Al
RIGA who are now a burden on the COM
munity.
A White Mans Job.
1t must be remembered that there is a
prejudice here against the white man
doing what is considered the black man S
work. There are many whites who would
be glad to go into the mines at about a
dollar a day, which is the Kaffirs wage.
but the trades unions and the people are
against it. There are about six times as
many blacks as whites in South Africa,
and the whites feel that they must keep
up their standing as the superior race in
order TO hold their own. So far the white
men act largely as overseers. They do
but little hard work. and, after they have
been in the country but short time, they
get the idea that hard work is degrading
and turn all jobs of coarse manual labor
over to the Kafirs. Some of the whites
have said. / understand. that they will
not labor for less than a living wage. and
that amount is considered to be at least
ten shillings or $50 per day. So you have
a lot of reduced gentleman mechanics
down on their uppers and half starving
out here in this land, which is producing
more gold and diamonds than any other
part of the world.
No Place for Americans.
do not think this is good place for
Americans without capital. There are
large number of our skilled specialists.
such as mining and mechanical engineers,
who do well, but even such men should
have a job contracted for before they
start This is no place to wait for a
lob Indeed, l doubt if there is anywhere
in the world where the bare necessities
of existence cost so much. Houses which
would rent for SIS month in any city of
this size i'm the United States cost here
from So to $50 month; and bachelor
livings-that is. board and lodging-run
from s35 to $50 per month per head.
Clothing Is dear>r than in our c untry.
and as to such Injuries as drinks and
cigars the charges are enormous. Any
kind of a bottle of ginger ale costs %
cents. and at the better restaurants the
price of Scotch highball is half dol
lar l have paid % cents for small