MINING ITEMS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 646, 4 September 1874, Page 3

MINING ITEMS.

Garrick Range. The Star of the East Company's claim, have about one bundled tong of stone in the tunnel paddock and commenced crushing about a fortnight ago, 1 and they were expected to wash up yesterday, so that in my next I may be able to furnish you with the result, hut it is expected to run about an ounce and a half to the ton. The claim is in excellent working order, which reflects great credit upon the mining Manager, Mr A. Cameron They are at present engaged in constructing a horse-tramway from the tunnel pal deck to the machine, a distance of about twelve chains, with a gradient of fourteen inches to the nine feet, and it is expected that one horse will be capable of drawing fifteen bundled-weight. The most noticeable feature is the air conductor—this consists of galvanised iron pipes which are laid along the roof of the tunnel, into which a perpendicular pipe of about 20 feet fits into a barrel with which the horzontal pipes connect. At the end of the perpendicular pipe and above the surface a funnel is attached, into which a small stream of water empties itself, and by this means the air is forced into the mine, but this will soon be dispensed .with, as the party are now engaged'sinking a shaft on tho hill to meet the “ stops ” —this is down upwards of ninety feet. The reef is in some places about five feet thick, but its average width may fairly be put down at two feet nine inches. Since writing the above, the crushing has been completed, the result bein 192 ounces from IG2 tons.

Watson and party’s claim which adjoins the New Standard, is looking well j they have put down thrse shafts twenty-eight feet, at which level they got water—here, the reef looks much better than in any other part, and I understand they contemplate bringing up a tunnel, whichwill drain the ground. Tho reef is about three feet thick, and seerrsto be very rich. They have a hundred tons at grass, which they are prevented from getting crushed owing 1 1 the exorbitant demand asked for crushing by their neighbors, the Royal Standard Company, being nothing short of 10s an hour, (an eight stamp battery) which is only capable of crushing from SO to 85 tons per week. This is bad enough, hut tho story is only half told, as in addition they require Watson and party to find the hands to feed the machine, which would put them to a weekly outlay of L 7 4s, making a total cost of LBO per week, and thereby considerably reduce the value of the gold. The Try Again, more commonly known as the “ White Horse ” are still tunnelling and getting out stone, they have twenty, to twenty-five tons at grass.

Tho Caledonion have , their tunnel in about one hundred feet, and have only two men at work, who allege that they can only drive a little over a foot a week. The question is frequently asked why more hands are not employed, as by judges it is believed that they will need to drive about another one hundred feet before getting through this solid rock, and to make it pay three shifts at least should bo employed.

The Young Australian (Williams and Edwards) is looking as well as any claim on the Carrick, The crashing battery lately purchased by them is under contract to be erected by Christmas, so that returns cannot be expected for tho next five or six months, tho motive power, ''water, is to be supplied by the Carrick Range water race Company, who have agreed to have their water iu by tho time the battery is erected.

On the road to Quartzville one passes Doctor’s Flat, distant about half a mile from tho main road, and as its name indicates, situate in a hollow. The workings here are chiefly tunnelling. Hazlett and party, and Browne and Barkcs are in about the same distant, 900 orJIOOO feet, and are getting very fair returns. There arc but ten claims, which are divided by Bipu-clay Creek, leaving six claims on tho north side and four on the south. »At first glance the place presents the appearance of a healthy rural village, and consists ot twenty-six dwelling-houses, surrounded by little gardens. There are six or seven married couples, who from; thejsubstantial structure of their domiciles appear to have made up their minds to remain and make Doctors Flat their homes for a considerable time.

Further on, you lighten Adams’s Flat, which is occupied by six parties, all of whom are single men, and 1 must say that, were 1 to choose my quarters it would he Doctor’s Flat, as everything appears there to be iu much' better order. This place boasts of eight or nine dwellings, Bruce and Anderson rre reaping encouraging returns, and like the others are engaged in ground sluicing. At Smith’s Gully nearly all the parties are thrown idle, owing to the scarcity of water—the workings are “ terrace.” In tho Creek a party of Chinamen have set in, and it is believed are doing very well. Bendigo. We have it, on the most reliable authority, that the Lucknow Co., Bendigo, have struck the reef, and that it is of exceeding richness. Whether it is that the stone is so very rich, or that it is wished to keep secret the thickness, underlie, or of the reef, wo know not; but the precautionary measure of securing the mouth of the tunnel by a strong door has been adopted.