LIFE IN THE "CITY OF GOLD." EXPERIENCES OF AN OLD CAER- PHILIAN

LIFE IN THE "CITY OF GOLD." EXPERIENCES OF AN OLD CAER- PHILIAN. A letter dated April 14, 1895, bearing the Johannesburg postmark, has been received by Mr. Lascelles Carr from Mr. William Edwards, formerly of Caerphilly, who some time ago sailed to the Cape with the object of making his fortune. After sending greet- ing, Mr. Edwards goes on to narrate how he was, enabled to obtain employment. His experiences mey prove interesting to intend- ing fortune-hunters at the Cape. He says: "I am pleased to state that the height of my ambition has been reached long before I had anticipated it would—that is, of getting suitable employment in the 'City of Gold,' and although it was a very expensive trip, I shall, hewever, soon right myself here. An advertisement appeared in the 'Cape Times' on Tuesday, the 25th ult. :XV,,nted, a smart man to travel Johannesburg (town only).—Apply, between ten and eleven a.m., at wine merchants, Cape Town.' I called, and found the passage and stair- case well lined with applicants of all ages, some unmistakably wearing the trade colour, waiting their turn to be interviewed by Mr. I could not afford time to wait my turn, so I asked them to allow me to go in, explaining my reasons, and remarkisg that my going in would not in any way- enhance my chance amongst so many, and that it would most likely end in a 'shake in the hat.' I saw him for a few minutes, and went away, finding applicants were still 0 coming. A day or two later I was sent for, being one out of three. I was engaged con- ditionally on my leaving on the following even- ing. I telephoned my employer from the spot. He consented. I agreed. Mr. advanced me £10 on account of my salary, without any security whatever. I left next evening, my Cardiff and Cape friends seeing me off with a true British 'three times three. Continuing, Mr. Edwards says:—"I am delighted with the place: the air is simply perfect, and in the suburbs it feels as bracing as if I were walking on top of Cefn On, one of the range of Caerphilly Mountains. The gardens are so home-like (flowers only; I have not seen a vegetable of any kind growing here yet), with their daiy and violet borders, pinks, carnations, verbenas, nasturtiums, splendid show of dahlias and chrysanthemums, honey- suckle, roses, &c. in fact, it does my heart good to have a look at them. Such a glorious change compared with Cape Town and its surroundings, where everything looks so parched! "My first evening here I was curious to find how many Welsh names I could find in the Directory. I commenced with the Joneses, and one of the first I saw was an Edward Jones, consulting engineer, 'a Caer- phillian,' who knows both myself and my wife from our childhood. He is a man of great influence here, and has been in Africa upwards of fifteen years. For years before that he was chief engineer to the De Beers Company, Kimberley, one of the best berths in the Colony. He is now managing-director to the Great Eastern Collieries at Springs, about twenty miles from this place, and which is turniiu- out a 'big thing.' He was the first to introduce deep levels into the gold mines here. He was living at. his old home in Caerphilly for a short time some fifteen years ago In cros ing Commissioner- street a few days ago someone shouted out, 'Hallo, Mr. William Edwards, Caerphilly, how are you ?' It was the son of Mr. Williams, who built Treharris. Brewery, and is now. I believe, a lime merchant at Penarth, living at Park-place, Cardiff. The same evening, in perusing one of the papers, I saw a report of a presentation of plate to a Mr. Begbie on the occasion of his marriage, coupled with the name of J. Monfries, of a certain engineering works, who made the presentation. I walked to the works before breakfast next morning, and found out that he was the J. Monfries who was working at Pwllypant Quarries under his uncle, the late Mr. Monfries, 27 years ago. He now holds a first-class position, being foreman of the smiths and boilermakers. I left his cousin, Mr. J. L. Monfries who used to be at the Cardiff Bute Docks Office, at Cape Town. He is engaged as clerk at a builder's office there." Mr Edwards concludes by saying that lie is certain there is a large fortune to be made by anyone enterprising enough to form a syndicate to start a steam laundry, as this business is practically unknown "and un- worked at Johannesburg. For washing one white shirt, five collars, two pairs of cuffs, and five white pocket handkerchiefs he was charged 4s. 9d.