Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-04-03
Geographic News
Bulletins By the
National Geographic Society
HI CITY OF GOLD

= "Johannesburg-or 'Joburg,' az
the initiated speak of it's among
cities the stormy petrol Of South
Africa. just 40 truly as 1t is the city
Of gold,'" says a bulletin issued by
the National Geographic Society In
regard to the region in which strik-
ing miners and revolutionists were
recently opposed by the infantry
cavalry, tanks and airplanes OF the
South African government.
THE CRY was born of the great
est gold discovery known to the
modern world" continues the bull
ietin, "and ose to the stature of a
city IN the space of a few years prac-
tically on the diggins.' 1t is al
most on the crest of the Rand,
(officially Witwatersrand) the so
mile ridge of gold bearing con-
glomerate from which the worlds
greatest sti cam of gold has flowed
since 1905 when production passed
that Of sli North America.
Half Worlds Annual Gold
Before the World War the an
nual recovery of gold from the Rand
reached s~175.000, 900, and by 1920
the output had again climbed to
$1,000. 600. an amount which rep
resented roughly half Of the entire
world production in that year. In
1921 the Peak 80 far attained was
reached when gold valued at $780,.
10000 was taken from the Rand.
Johannesburg Is situated about
midway along the Rand. with Q
number of suburbs strung out or
the slopes of the ridge. Much OF
the tremendous wealth that has
come out Of the reef has flowed
abroad, n fact, incidentally. which 1.
responsible for much of the bitter
ness among the white miners and
the Boer farmers. But some OF the
Elillionaires and sub-millionaires
have spent livishly in the country
and these expenditures, as well a:
the millions spent in operation. have
enriched johannesburg. Excepting
three cities near the Mediterranean
which may be considered as belong
ing to a separate civilization, 10.
hannesburg is the metropolis Of At
RIGA. 1t has a population of more
than 100000 of which about 150,00C
are white.
An Up-tQ-the-Minute City
1t is a city of many substantial
buildings, some of -them of many
stories resembling more nearly
American structures than those o.
Europe. Wide asphalted streets
theatres, luxurious clubs, and The
finest hotel south of the equator arr
other features that go to make 10
burg, an up-to-date comfortable
city. In the suburbs are many fine
residences: and the country club will
compare f%avorably with similar in
situations On any of the six CONT
nents.
But despite its opulence Johan-
nesburg still has some Of the ear
marks OF a mining camp. In the
sumptuous clubs booted P~rospectors
are to be seen side by side with
carefully manicured financiers. The
i~ron-roofed shack of the early days
has not entirely Disappeared; CANT
ling hells and grog shops can be
found with ease by miners in the
city to spend their earnings in the
traditional way of the mining camp
Nor is the city, for all its public
improvements and architecture, en-
tirely a twentieth century white
mans community. More than 100,-
900 African natives live within its
limits. Motor cars predominant in
the traffic. but the heavy Boei
wagon has not been thrust entirely
out of the picture. And ms car
ride over the asphalt-or could a
few years ago-in a 'rickshaw
drawn by a feather-bedecked Zulu
City Has Had Stormy Time
Turbulence has been the lot OF
Johannesburg since its birth in
1885. and many of its problems have
pivoted around the mine and
laborers. THE Boer war really
grew out of the discovery of gold
on the Rand and the influx OF
thousands of EnglishmeD. The Ill
raid of Jameson was direct
ed against Johannesburg and at the
same time the city was seized from
within by the British mine opera
tives. Just before the outbreak of
the World War there wa san uprls-
ing of nte whiteminers around Jo-
hannesburg very similar to the re-
cent one, but the difficulties were
patched up because OF the greater
conflict.
The obtaining of labor for the
Rand m;res has always been a
problem of considerable proper
With the mines working at
capacity something over 100000
workers are needed. The local ne
groes preferred work on the farms
among the livestock OF the
White men in sufficient num-
bers cou,d not be obtained, nor
could the afford to pay ex-
clusively white mems wages. At
one time 10000 Chinese coolies were
imported but their presence caused
much trouble and in 1919 the last
of them were depatriated. In re-
cent years tens of thousands of ne
from Portuguese East Africa
been brought in to supplement
the negroes that could be induced
TO work. and the~25.00O more or
less skilled white workers