THE MIRACLE CITY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3801, 28 August 1936, Page 11

THE MIRACLE CITY

RISE OF THE METROPOLIS OF THE GOLD FIELDS. ( JOHANNESBURG’S JUBILEE. Fifty years ago (in 1886) gold was found in the “ Witwatersrand ” (ridge of sparkling waters), more or less accidentally. Further discoveries were made, and ere long the Government sent an official to proclaim the area as a “goldfield,” open to prospectors and diggers. A number of men from Barberton, Kimberley, and other centres speedily found their way to the new fields. Tents and shacks of varied pattern were set up, and, the field was given the name of “ Ferriera’s Township ” —an event the jubilee of which is to be duly celebrated by an exhibition at Johannesburg in September. At first it was thought the gold at Witwatersrand was similar to that at Barberton, largely alluvial. Many others were sceptical of the permanency of the gold deposits. Towards the end of the year 1887 more and more people drifted towards Johannesburg, as “ Ferriera’s Township ” had been re-named, and the further discovery made that the banket or reef was consistent even at some depth. Syndicates and companies came into existence by the score, although in many instances their capital was largely paper. Orders were dispatched to Europe for machinery and crushing plant, much of it arriving at Algoa Bay and remaining on a dumping ground there for a considerable time, largely owing to the lack of forwarding facilities.

GROWTH OF THE TOWN. At this time (1888) the railways in Cape Colony extended only as far as Kimberley, and in another direction Colesberg. At these points hundreds of bullock waggons collected. For passengers stage coaches of a type familiar to the people of Great Britain a century earlier came into use, and were kept busy conveying migrants from all parts to the new ponit of activity. The new township commenced to take shape on a plan made out by a Government surveyor, though it appeared much like a confused collection of shacks, tents, and wood and iron buildings.

As new discoveries were made the township rapidly extended its borders, and an era of building began. Money was plentiful and speculation common. A boom set in at the early part of 1888, and wild gambling took place in the shares of companies, many of which were mushroom and faded out ultimately.

The millionaires returned to their ordinary avocation sadder and wiser—many with enough paper scrip to paper a room, if not in some instances a house, oil of which had become utterly valueless. Still Johannesburg progressed, and new suburbs sprang into being. Beyond the boundaries new townships took shape as fresh discoveries were made. It was found that even at a considerable depth mining for ore could still be carried out profitably.

RAILWAY EXPANSION.

Then an era of railway construction set in. By agreement Sir James Sivreight, then Commissioner of

Crown Lands in Cape Colony in 1891, extended the Cape railways over the Orange Free State from Colesberg to the border of the Transvaal. The Transvaal Republic had given permission to a new organisation, the Netherlands Spoorweg Maatschappy Reperkt, to build a line from the Portuguese border through the Transvaal. To assist the Netherlands company an embargo was placed on goods from the Cape, and the latter adopted the device of discharging their loaded waggons on the border and having them transported to Johannesburg by waggon. ,

The embargo nearly led to a conflict. The Cape-Colony Premier demanded unrestricted passage, which was grudgingly granted. In Johannesburg, the town, substantial buildings were -taking the place of the many shacks and wood and iron buildings, comfortable hotels being erected, and handsome stores replacing the places where formerly business had been conducted. Side streets, where a few cottages had been built, became important thoroughfares.

THE WAR PERIOD. Then came the Jameson Raid and the subsequent South African War, and the town remained stagnant for a time, as the British residents had fled to the coast. After the British occupation, under Lord Roberts, had restored matters to normal activity, it was anticipated that a further boom would take place. One did materialise, but was short-lived, and

in its place speculation in land succeeded, and extraordinary prices for k eligible business sites were realised. K A university building of considerable size and imposing appearance came into being. The hospital was considerably extended as the population increased. The small townships within a few miles east and west of the main reef became larger and more important. The effect of this

development was widespread; the coast towns profited by the increased shipping and the farming community found a rich market for its produce. GREAT DEVELOPMENTS. In no other country in the world was the paramount importance of its mineral resources more clearly seen than in South Africa. Roads and railways converged upon the goldfields, and Johannesburg was not only the centre of the Witwatersrand gold mining industry, but was the countrys’ biggest agricultural market, and had become its commercial centre. The door of industry in South Africa had been opened with a golden key. Virtually Johannesburg had supplied the initial capital for industries operating in the country. Without the marget originally supplied by the goldfields, the agricultural, coal, and fruit industries would never have reached their present degree of eminence.

In the natural sequence of things South Africa’s white population has grown from less than half a million in 1886 to nearly two millions. The population of Johannesburg to-day, white and coloured, is nearing half a million, and with the numerous towns that have sprung up within a few miles, and which owe their existence to the mining industry, the total population must not be far short of three-quarters of a million. Truly an astonishing record for fifty years. The gold premium brought another boom about. Mines which had been considered unprofitable to work owing to their lower ratio of gold or heavy overhead expense once more resumed work.

ARCHITECTURAL IMPROVEKENT.

The surroundings of the city have improved to an unbelievable extent. Open spaces, parks, beautiful avenues with well-kept and handsome residences abound. Buildings of three to four storeys in the city have been pulled down and ten to fifteen storey blocks erected in their place. Residential flats, blocks of warehouses, factories of unique and pleasant architectural design are still being erected, and the whole aspect of the city is undergoing a change. Its outline resembles that of New York on Manhattan Island. It is truly the miracle city of the century and the Mecca of the thousands of visitors who now flock to South Africa on holiday, business, or pleasure bent.

EMPIRE EXHIBITION. To commemorate the jubilee of this wonder city an Empire exhibition is to be held at Johannesburg during the concluding months of this year, which will coincide with the period of the discovery of the Witwatersrand goldfields.

It id to be a national effort in the widest sense, and representative of every part of South Africa. The event will be on a most comprehensive scale and of a scope and character comparable to the Wembley demonstration of ten years ago. Its keynote will be the progress of South Africa and of the British Commonwealth during the past fifty years. The history, achievements, and lines of future development will be illustrated in a variety of ways. Great Britain, India, the Dominions, and the colonies will have an opportunity to demonstrate their cultural and commercial development. Art, science, education, sociology, handicraft, and homecraft will be displayed, in particular the assistance which science has given to the producer of every part of the Commonwealth.

Aeronautic developments will figure prominently, and it is hoped that the latest achievements in this direction will be demonstrated both by stationary exhibts and in the air. Although the exhibition will be a “ Wembley ” in character, it will be more compact, easier of comprehension, and have a greater trade bias. The preliminaries for the display have been under way for several years past, and a large staff is already in occupaion, with a force of labour engaged on the works. Native war dances, pagfeants of picturesque African history, early Boer settlers, fearsome Zulu chiefs, and other notable figures will be enacted in the vast, central, open-air stadium, designed to contain 12,000 seats in the stands, and a total of 20,000 persons when its grassy floor is included. Great Britain and the other Dominions and colonies are designing their own structures. Important undertakings like the railway administration, the iron and steel works of Pretoria and the Transvaal Chamber of Mines

are all having their own buildings, many of the ideas embodied being unique. Scotland will be represented by a beautiful pavilion.

A MODEL FARM. Agriculturists are to obtain a modem farm building, showing every kind of machine, fitting, and “ gadget ” calculated to bring the farm into line with modern mechanisation. Gay modernism is the outstanding feature cf the wihning designs in the architectural competition organised as a pheliminary to the great display. The series of great halls, which will have a total area of half a million square feet or more, will make a feature of simple square modem outlines. Concurrently with the Empire Exhibition a long series of important

conferences will be held, for which the preparations are now being made. Specialised dipslays (will also be be given. Its steady progress has not been without effect on the coast towns or ports. Capetown, Port Elizabeth, East London, and Durban have all benefited enormously from the gold industry, and other industries, agricultural, etc., have likewise developed and added their quota to the growth and importance of the shipping centres Port Elizabeth in particular, the settlers’ city, where in 1820 several thousand emigrants landed on the bare sands on their way to the interior. It is now equipped with one of the finest harbours on the coastline.