THE RISE OF JOHANNESBURG

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2306, 19 December 1889, Page 3

THE RISE OF JOHANNESBURG

AN EXTRAORDINARY PROSPECT. A correspondent writing f.om Johannesburg, Smith Africa, b.* ys :— Favorably situate at Johannesburg Is, In t\ slight velhy surrounded by hWie, tbere are still cbjeotfons wbioh militate against o mpletp comfort, Th < ooach rente of some 350 miles from Kloiberly, or of rather Ites from Natal (or its railway termlnns, Lady Bmith), Is tedious, rough, _«rd nnor-mfort-able. The dust m the stree' s of the town Is twfol. Th.ok optque clouds of red sandy particles fly about daily towards mid-day, blinding and choking the stranger. One gets uaed to most things, and even the dust remains unheeded after a time ; but the newcomer prays vainly for rain, wbloh during tho winter— from M*y to Septtmber — Is practically unknown. Otherwise the weather Is perfect. A bright warm sun m a oloudless sky day after day, and cold — sometimes frosty, but e'ear and starlight— nights, al) tond to make a very delightful climate, If it ware not for tha uncocquered end uoconqaer* able dust storms. The future of Johan ; ntaburg Is already practically assured. Though rents may be exorb.a-.ily high (one pays £30 per month for a foucroomed tin sh_.nty), though some mines may not pay dividend?, and wo.-klDa capitals In many loetanoes ere Inacffic'.ent for tbe nnderUkings, yet, with aU thase objections, the existence of gold !b so undeniable, the deposits so ilch, and eventual y co evidently payablo, that too many hundred of thousands of pounds (i will be m'l'iocs era long) have been emharked m bulld'ng and In legitimate trade generally ever to allow the town to 'sink ioto anything Uke insignificance. There are not wanllog those who prognosticate a foture for Johannesburg which Is positively blinding In its brilliancy. Th-.y promise a million Inhabitants In five yeara. an outpat of gold whioh shall gild the whole world, a oommerolsl .mportacoa threatening the established trade centres of tbe old world, and a political and sooial position seoond to no city In Africa, north or south. Oertaln lt Is that there Is a permanency, a solidity, and a thoroughness aboat the buildings whioh augurs well for the future' Wages In the building trade are very high day laborers being paid 20- to 2Si a day : but this sUta of things cannot last. A reaction Is boucd to set m, when building and rents reeume a normal level. One advantage wbloh Johannesburg possesses over Klmberly Is its comparatively large supply cf fuel, nh'tb makes tbe looal brick a relatively oheap artiole of commerce. For one brick house In Kirn* berly there are fifty m Johannesburg. Not that the familiar corrugated iroa roof aod wall is absent j far from lt. On all sides that wonderfully convenient form of houee bulldbg material Is u.ed ; and, seen from any of the neighboring hills, the town hau tho upp-oavance of a sea of uniform Iron roofs.