QUARTZ MINING MEMORANDA.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 220, 27 January 1874, Page 5

QUARTZ MINING MEMORANDA.

CARRICK RANGE. The manager of the Heart of Oak is still driving on the line of reef. He reports no change as yet, but next week he intends cross-cutting to the other vein. The manager of the Star of the East has about three hundred tons at grass, waiting for ijhe machine to start. Unfortunately, through ; nhe pressure of business upon the firm o c Kineaid and M'Queen, the Star-and-Oak machine has not been able to resume crushing since the holidays, for want of shoes and false bottoms ; but they are now on the road, and in a few days the mill will be started. Both the Star of the East and Heart of Oak directors are very unwillingly compelled to lose the services of Mr S. Williams, who has tendered his resignation as manager of the two companies. During the time he has been in that position, he has given every satisfaction, and the directors will have some difficulty in supplying his place with as good a man. We believe the reason of his leaving is, that he is wished by his partners to bu manager of the Young Australian Co., in which he holds a very large interest. A. company has been formed to thoroughly prospect the hill above the Caledonian and Try Again Co.'s claims. These two reefs, besides some leaders that have not yet been worked, are known to run into the hill, and the company intend to drive a tunnel into the hill at a low level to cut these. A contract was taken by Messrs Thomas and Cameron on -Saturday to drive the first two hun dred feet, and the company expect in this distance to cut at least one of the known lines. The manager of the John Bull company reports that they will start crushing on Tuesday next, at Mr Logan's machine. There are about seventy tons of stone at grass ready for carting down.

Carrick Water, Race.—The manager reports that since the New Year he has only had eight men at work. About a mile and a half of the race that was cut had rock to be taken out, it being found advisable to do the quarrying and blasting apart from the racecutting. This rock cutting has now been brought up to the end of the race, and the race itself, from Duffer's saddle to near the first creek, is quite ready to have the water turned in. In fact, for about half the dis tance water is now running in it from the small streams along the course of the race. The race, where the water is running, seems all that could be desired ; it has a good fall to the mile, and the soakage is comparatively small, considering its size.

Bannockburn Water Race Co.—A correspondent sent us the following last we«k, but too late for insertion. He says :—" The most important item of news this week from the Bannockburn was the completion of the Bannockburn Water Race as far as Smith's Gully. The fact of it having been in course of construction for considerably over three years, and during that time having repeatedly changed hands, until at present not one of the original promoters is interested, in it, shows clearly that many difficulties have been overcome that were not at first anticipated, but which are not at all unusual in the arduous undertaking of cutting a race a distance of over twenty miles, as in the present case. The flowing of extra water down Smith's Gully on Saturday last caused quite a sensation among some of the miners in the neighbourhood of Quartzville. Groups of "men were seen loitering about the terrace, wlio have been long anxiously waiting for the water, to commence operations on ground which has lying idle for years for the want of it. The fact of Mr Owen O'Neill having sold his interest in an extended claim of two acres to Mr Charles Blanchford, of Potter's gully, for £SO, the claim being almost untried, speaks well for the estimation of the ground in the neighbourhood. I think the present shareholders may congratulate themselves upon being the owners of a very valuable mining property, and they may expect some handsome dividends, and that will lead to more water being brought into the district if at all practicable. The extent of sluicingground is practically unlimited. The arrival on Saturday evening of Mr G. W. Goodger, accompanied by his son and another gentleman, caused some faces to put on a pleasant look, it having been rumoured that a christening would take place ; but upon inquiry it was fon net that Mr Gooclgor came out expressly with the guage boxes, and that the the christening would be held over till the completion of the race to Pipeclay gully, which will be in about three weeks' time.