TROUBLE AT THE TALISMAN MNE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 923, 16 September 1910, Page 5

TROUBLE AT THE TALISMAN MNE.

FIRE DESTROYS PUMPING POWER. OPERATIONS TO BE SUSPENDED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ' , Auckland, September-15. '~ This afternoon a fire at Karangahake destroyed the "Old Woodstock Mill," the property of the Talisman Gold .Mining Co. Tho "Old Woodstock Mill," which was situated at the junction of. the Waitawhela Stream, with the Ohinomuri River, must. not: be confused • with the Talismah Company's, twu other treatment plant?, the "new mill," and- the" "old mill," .which are. situated higher up the Waitawheta.. V. The prime, importance of the "Old .Woodstook Mill" 'is not. the treatment maohlnery that it contained, but Uie air compressors which supplied the motive power to: drive the pumps in the :shaft.. Unless'the pumping can be kept going, tho most productive levels of the mine, Nos. 12 and, 13, must apparently ho flooded. ■ -

'Telegrams received ' from Karangahake state that " a part of tho ' Talisman, alp. compressing plant was totally destroyed," while the AVaihi correspondent, "of the "Herald" telegraphs: "One or two of the Talisman Company's smaller air. 'compressors were in the building." Inquiries ■ made, however, of the: attorney of the -, company,. Mr. •A. Hanna, show .that a temporary but serious stoppage of mining operations is imperative. The ,air compressors that drove the pumps in the mine have been destroyed," stated Mr. Hanna, who added . that he had received the following telegram from the mine manager, Mr. H. Stimsfield:—::

: "Woodstock, battery- plant destroyed by fire. This': will-stop mining ■ operations for a , time,. Cannot say . . how long at present." _Asked how long it would take if now air-compressing plant had to beimported ,and installed, Mr. Hanna said .it -might ;be six to:nine.months. Ho could not see. any .way. of driving tho pumps other' than .-by; compressed air. . It would not. be possible to instal a steam engine in the shaft. . Some time would b'a lost, ■ but [ .the /gold was still' there, "only' it 1 would' take longer to get it out. Ho could malio no definite statement as to the period of cessation. The stoppage of - pumping would mean that the - water would rise to the No. .12 level. The damage, it may be' added, will' bo .considerable, but' tho. Talisman Company -is: well insured,;as -well 'as being, in a strong- financial ' position,-and- the money loss Is- not so:-serious' as the'timo lost. ' 1 is whether' the'' o'utputting -il It . Bt ®PP e d long enough to interfere' with the payment of.the regular dividend. The destruction of ;'the : motive -power that works the: pumps is doubly unfortunate for -the' Talisman .Comoany at a time when. it is increasing its -shares, thus enlarging the area, over which' divi-' Mends must bo paid. . - ■. .No estimate*of\ tho : damage could bo obtained locally this evening, nor any list ,of the -; insurances,- excentV that , the compressors; :,the- contents ' of the "Old Woodstock Mill," were,, it .is . stated, .-old machinery, ,hot'at present in use. The compressors were.driven, by a pelton .wheel; 1 and there was in the building a steam engine that sorved as an auxiliary power In tho ojs.nt of tho water supply breaking down.. A suggestion has teen made locally that; as the.VTalisman',Company's'.-pumn-;ing reduced water: in the,-Crown shaft. -.the . Crown .pumps might,' if powerful 'enough,:-; cope ' with .-: the ; water, in -the Talisman shaft., - No. ln?ht' can -be: thrown this.' suggestion is practicable.