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THE MOVING MEN
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the
discordant interests in the diamond mines. Each reached the conclusion
that it was no longer possible to continue to work the mines divided
into small holdings which were controlled by men antagonistic to one
another. Rhodes's interests were mostly in De Beers mine, and Barnato's
largely in the Kimberley mine. In the same year, 1880, in which
Bar-nato floated successfully his first diamond-mining corporation,
"The Barnato Mining Company," consisting of a few claims in a rich
section of the Kimberley mine, Rhodes and others founded the De Beers
Mining Company, on the contiguous diamond-bearing crater.
It is of interest in this connection to trace the origin of De
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Beers
Mining Company through the early years of De Beers mine. In 1873 Rhodes
united his claims in De Beers mine with those of C. D. Rudd, and they
slowly increased their holdings. Robert Graham joined them in 1874,
and later Runchman, Hoskyns & Puzey took part with them in the
purchase of Baxter's holdings. This combination, in addition to mining
their own ground, took pumping contracts to drain the mine. Besides the
above combination there were other competitors for the purchase of
claims, such as Dunsmure & Alderson,
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btow & English, and these three firms gradually acquired all the best ground in De Beers mine except the Elma Company, owned
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