The Transvaal veld was much greener, and more rolling, than that of the
Orange Free State. Johannesburg came into view about 9 a.m.; but
instead of making direct for it, the train sheered off and came to a
halt at Elandsfontein, six miles east. It was then we first obtained an
intelligent comprehension of the term "Main Reef," to whose production
of gold the existence of Johannesburg is due. Its total length, I am
told, is 38.5 miles, to be accurate, and along this a chain of mines,
well equipped and developed, exists, out of which, however, only ten
miles of the reef can be profitably worked under the present economic
circumstances. The working of the remaining twenty-eight miles depends
mainly upon the removal of the burdens, upon low wages, abundant labour,
cheap transport, etc. The richer and dividend-paying section of the
Reef contains such mines as the Langlaagte, Paarl Central, Crown Reef,
Pioneer, Bonanza, Robinson, Worcester, Ferreira, Wemmer, Jubilee, City
and Suburban, Meyer and Charlton, Wolhuter, George Goch, Henry Nourse,
New Heriot, Jumpers, Geldenhuis, Stanhope, and Simmer and Jack. To
either side of Elandsfontein runs a lengthy line of chimney stacks,
engine houses, tall wooden frames, supporting the headgear, stamp mills,
with clusters of sheds, huts and offices, hills of white tailings, and
ore. To the westward these become more numerous, and as the train moved
from Elandsfontein towards Johannesburg, it clung to the side of a
commanding ridge by which we obtained a panoramic view of mine after
mine, each surrounded by its reservoirs, hills of tailings, lofty stores
of ore, iron sheds, mills, offices, and headgear structures, until
finally they occupied an entire valley. Presently, while we still clung
to the ridge, we saw that the scattered cottages, with their respective
groves, were becoming more massed, and looking ahead of them we saw the
city of Johannesburg, filling the breadth of a valley, girdled by a thin
line of tall smoke-stacks, and dominated by two parallel lines of hills,
the crests of which rose perhaps 300 feet or so above the city. The
scent of eucalyptus groves filled the air, for now the ridge on our
right was given up to cottages, villas, mansions, each separated by
firs, eucalyptus, flower gardens, and varied shrubberies, the whole
making a charming sight, and a worthy approach to the capital of the
mining industry.