The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-05-11
SOUTH AFRICA: COUNTRY
OF DIAMONDS, SAVACES,
AND HARDY PIONEERS

The Union Of South Africa recently
attracted world attention by mega
tive vote on the proposal to secede
from the British empire. II shou'u
not be strange country to Americans.
With its vast areas taken over from
aborigines; with thousands Of 'ts
white settlers massacred by saVases'
but with others. undaunted, pressing
on in their prairie schoOners ever far
Their into the interior of an unknown
continent; with gold rush winning
a new empire; and possessed toda!
Of stubborn race problem, South
Africa, half way around the worid
from us, has in its history, chapters
which we knew by heart. New YORK
ers can find an even closer If minor
tie to the residents of Cape Town III
the fact that the sites of both ports.
now almost priceless, were b0ush'
from savage landlords for Il few hand
fu!s Of gaudy trinkets.
In one respect, however, the cary
ing out Of what Is now the Union or
South Africa is without its parallel
In the development of the United
States In South Africa the strife OF
two white peoples for control mas
been an all important factor. For
about a century and half the Dutch
had possession Of Cape Town and the
small area surrounding it which har-
bored all the whites in South Africa.
The NapOleOnic wars transferred pos
session to England. and in 1906 the
English assumed q final control which
many VI the Dutch inhabitants re-
scented. In 1885 many Of the Dutch
farmers or beers began trekking
into the interior with the intention
Of settling beyond English influence.
When Englishmen followed them they
trekked farther. Finally, beyond the
Orange river they founded the Orange
free state, and beyond the Vaal river.
the Transvaal republic.
First diamonds and then gold were
discovered In the new states. They
brought great prosperity to the BOer
republics, but they brought many out
siders as well; and the presence of
these finally led to the BOer war as
result Of which the republics came
into the possession of Great Britain.
Aside from the war-torn republics
and mOnarchies of the last few years.
the Union Of South Africa is one of
the youngest Of the important coun-
tries Of the world.
The territory of the Union occupies
the whole southern and southeastern
tip Of Africa In wide strip extending
about $50 miles inland from the In
dian ocean. Its area lacks only 25.-
900 square miles Of reaching the half
million mark.
Toward the inner edge Of the terri
tory of the Union are the worlds great.
est diamond mines, where earth sufii-
cient to fill thousands of cars is
screened yearly for the sake of peck
or two of diamonds. But the few
handfuls Of diamonds exported in 1913,
the last year before the World war
were worth more than fifty million dol
lars and exceeded in value the com
bined value Of the man. shlploads of
wool, ostrich feathers, hides and coal
that sailed away from South Africa
the same year.
Some 200 miles to the northeast OF
the diamond country are the gold fields
In their midst Is the gold-built, won
der city of johannesburg, metropoli,
Of South Africa. After the discover.
of gold in the eighties the city sprans
up almost over night. Though at frs
it was the usual unlOvely mining camp
soon substantial structures wer,
erected, and 1t now ranks, with 1t!
well paved streets. fine buildings, ant
beautiful parks with the leading cities
Of Europe, America and Australia
1t has about the same population a
Denver, Colorado, and Providence. r. ]