1904 in South Africa explained

The following lists events that happened during 1904 in South Africa.

Incumbents

• Governor of the Cape of Good Hope and High Commissioner for Southern Africa:Walter Hely-Hutchinson.
• Governor of the Colony of Natal: Henry Edward McCallum.
• Prime Minister of the Cape of Good Hope: John Gordon Sprigg (until 22 February), Leander Starr Jameson (starting 22 February).
• Prime Minister of the Orange River Colony: Alfred Milner.
• Prime Minister of the Colony of Natal: George Morris Sutton.

Events

February

• Pneumonic plague breaks out in Johannesburg.

June

• 22  - The first of 62,000 Chinese labourers arrive in South Africa to relieve the shortage of unskilled mine workers.

Unknown date

• Der shtral, a Yiddish-language newspaper is founded.^[1]
• The Social Democratic Federation (SDF) is established in Cape Town.

Births

• 16 February  - Philip Rabinowitz, South African record-breaking sprinter (d. 2008)

Deaths

• 3 June  - Vincent Tancred, South African cricketer (b. 1875)^[2]
• 14 July  - Paul Kruger, exiled president of the South African Republic, dies in Clarens, Switzerland, at the age of 78.^{[3] [4] [5]}
• 1 November  - Willem Eduard Bok, politician (b. 1846)

Railways

Railway lines opened

• 1 February  - Cape Western  - Maitland to Ottery, 71NaN1.^[6]
• 1 March  - Cape Midland  - Le Roux to Oudtshoorn, 16miles.^[7]
• 7 June  - Cape Western  - Paarl to Franschhoek, 17miles.^[7]
• 15 June  - Free State  - Thaba 'Nchu to Modderpoort, 45miles.^[6]
• 17 August  - Cape Eastern  - Indwe to Xalanga, 31miles.^[7]
• 1 September  - Free State  - Hamilton to Tempe, 41NaN1.^[6]
• 7 September  - Cape Eastern  - Amabele to Komga, 271NaN1.^[7]
• 17 October  - Cape Eastern  - Middledrift to Adelaide, 56miles.^[7]
• 3 November  - Natal  - Pietermaritzburg to Elandskop, 35miles.^[6]
• December  - Cape Western  - Artois to Ceres Road, 4miles.^[6]
• 15 December  - Transvaal  - Langlaagte to Vereeniging, 44miles.^[6]

Locomotives

Cape

• Four new Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the Cape Government Railways (CGR):
  • Two experimental superheated 6th Class 4-6-0 locomotives. In 1912 they will be designated by the South African Railways (SAR).
  • Four Karoo Class Pacific passenger steam locomotives. In 1912 they will be designated by the SAR.
  • The last eight 8th Class 2-8-0 Consolidation type locomotives. In 1912 they will be designated Class 8Z on the SAR.^[8]
  • The final batch of ten 8th Class Mastodon type locomotives. In 1912 they will be designated Class 8F on the SAR.
• Six "Type B" 4-6-0 steam locomotives enter service on the Avontuur narrow gauge line in the Langkloof.
• A single 0-4-2 inverted saddle-tank locomotive named Caledonia is placed in service by the Cape Copper Company as a shunting engine at O'okiep in the Cape Colony.

Natal

• Two new Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the Natal Government Railways (NGR):
  • Twenty-five Class E Mountain type tank locomotives. In 1912 they will become the Class G on the SAR.^[9]
  • Fifty Class B Mastodon type mainline steam locomotives. In 1912 they will be designated on the SAR.
• The Natal Harbours Department places a single saddle-tank locomotive named Sir Albert in service as dock shunter in Durban Harbour.

Transvaal

• Five new Cape gauge locomotive types enter service on the Central South African Railways (CSAR):
  • Five Class 9 Pacific type locomotives.
  • Fifteen Class 10 Pacific passenger locomotives.
  • Thirty-six Class 11 Mikado type locomotives.
  • Eight Class F Baltic type tank locomotives in suburban service between Springs and Randfontein.
  • A single experimental Class M Kitson-Meyer type articulated steam locomotive.
• The CSAR rebuilds most of its Reid Tenwheeler tank locomotives to tank-and-tender locomotives. In 1912 these converted locomotives will be designated Class 13 on the SAR.

Notes and References

1. Poliva, Joseph Abraham. A Short History of the Jewish Press and Literature of South Africa from Its Earliest Days Until the Present Time. Johannesburg: Prompt Printing Co, 1961. p. 62
2. Hall . B. T. . Schulze . H. . 2000 . The Cricketing Brothers Tancred, Part 2 . The Cricket Statistician . 112 . . . 7–14.
3. News: LATE HEAD OF THE BOER REPUBLIC PASSES AWAY IN HIS HAVEN IN SWITZERLAND Close of Patriot's Remarkable Career Marks the End of an Epoch in South African History. . XCVI . 44 . 14 July 1904 . Page 1, columns 5-7; page 3, columns 5-6 . . 20 December 2022 . California Digital Newspaper Collection.
4. News: BOERS MOURN CHIEF'S DEATH Flags on All Government Buildings in Pretoria Are Placed at Half-Mast SORROW OF BURGHERS Memorial Services Will Be Held in Dutch Churches Throughout the Transvaal . XCVI . 45 . 15 July 1904 . Page 4, column 2 . San Francisco Call . 16 December 2022 . California Digital Newspaper Collection.
   • News: DEATH GRIEVES FRANCE. Passing of the Boer Patriarch Arouses Widespread Regret. . XCVI . 45 . 15 July 1904 . Page 4, column 2 . San Francisco Call . 16 December 2022 . California Digital Newspaper Collection.
   • News: LAST HOURS OF KRUGER. Unconscious for Three Days Before Death Gave Relief. . XCVI . 45 . 15 July 1904 . Page 4, column 2 . San Francisco Call . 16 December 2022 . California Digital Newspaper Collection.
5. News: 1904 Arlington Journal . . 108 . 29 December 2022 .
6. Statement Showing, in Chronological Order, the Date of Opening and the Mileage of Each Section of Railway, Statement No. 19, p. 185, ref. no. 200954-13
7. Report for year ending 31 December 1909, Cape Government Railways, Section VIII – Dates of Opening and the Length of the different Sections in the Cape Colony, from the Year 1873 to 31st December, 1909.
8. Classification of S.A.R. Engines with Renumbering Lists, issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer’s Office, Pretoria, January 1912, pp. 9, 12, 15, 36 (Reprinted in April 1987 by SATS Museum, R.3125-6/9/11-1000)
9. South African Railways and Harbours Locomotive Diagram Book, 2’0" & 3’6" Gauge Steam Locomotives, 15 August 1941, pp21 & 21A, as amended