GOLD DREDGING.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 13 May 1901, Page 2

GOLD DREDGING.

“It was prophesied”—we can’t say by whom —that the month of May would see the turn of: the tide in gold dredging, when wo shall have overcome our first troubles, consequent upon miscalculations, lack of information, and “starting before we wore ready.” And the prophesy apparently is being verified, for the month began well, and last week continued satisfactory; the Leviathan return being perhaps the best feature of the week, indicating as it does that sand claims —or rather claims near the sea beach—for the Leviathan can scarcely be a sand claim—arc as likely to pay as others in our rivers, creeks and swamps. Taking the ten dredges that have given returns, which appear in another column, we have an average of ‘2Ol ounces per dredge; or a total of 205 ounces. As eighty ounces will well cover all expenses, there remains 125 ounces of a value of: £SOO to go towards dividends, and the pleasing part of it is that there is every hope that next week will show an improvement.

Duller Junction —29 ounces, This dredge was delayed by the floods and consequent upon the high state of the river could not dredge to such advantage as would have been tke case if the water had been at its usual height. Witk a full weeks run and a normal river the return should go a good deal higher.

Reeves’ Proprietary—lS ounces 5 dwts. This claim shows a falling off as compared with the previous week, but then the lesser time accounts for this,

Maori Queen —31 ounces. This result was obtained for 15 days work, but it must be remembered that the greater portion of the time was taken up with what may be termed “making ready” work. Those wko know the ground best speak well of it, the only doubt being as to whether tke machine is strong enough.

Pactolus—24 ounces. This dredge had a fair run of 12(1 hours, and a good many expected a larger yield. If, however, the Pactolus has not so far given any sensational yields, it has always given a real good margin of profit, and it is looked on as absolutely certain that it will greatly improve.

Waipuna —Gh ounces. A dissappomting claim has tke Waipuna been up to the present. Last week, however, cannot bo taken’ as a fair criterion to go by. The recent high state of tke river brought down a large amount of silt in which there was no gold, but which had to be dredged through. The dredgemaster s looks forward to more successful work in the future.

Grey River—lß ounces for 112 hours. This dredge during tke week never found tke bottom, so that the better and heavier gold is being “left below/’ The company are now dredging on a rising reef and about tke end of next week should find bottom. Boring is also being continued alongside the dredge. Last week a bore was got down 24 feet when the pipe broke off, and operations had to bo commenced afresh.

Greenstone Junction. —lo ozs 3dwts 13grs. This dredge, which so far has not yet bottomed, is just now turning round and heading up stream. In a couple of weeks’ time she should be on the golden run. Gueexstone Creek.— ll ounces 3dwts. This return is for a week and a-half. The material now being met is hard and difficult to break, and must prove a great strain on the buckets, which at present rarely come up more than half full. It is hoped to get into a better run of wash shortly.

Leviathan.—l 3 ounces. This was one of the ploas'Sint surprises of the week. The dredge evidently struck the wash sooner than was expected. It is to be hoped that this machine, which is now working admirably and getting an immense quantity of material, will continue to keep up the record. She is now heading for a portion of the claim where there arc a good deal of tailings, but good gold will possibly bo found at the side and underneath.

New River Owing to the flood the dredge was stopped for three days, and did not wash up. Sufficient however, is known, to warrant the assumption that a six days run will bo as good as any yet obtained in the ground.

Kelson Creek— 4o ounces for the week—shows a falling off. But it is quite as much as was expected, and in no way reduces the value of the claim, the dredge being at present somewhat cramped in her operations in order to get past the bridge over the creek.

The heavy flood in the river on Friday night enabled the Old Diggings dredge to be safely floated off the sand-bank on which she stuck a week or two ago. On Saturday afternoon the dredge had dropped down the river a good distance, and should reach her own ground without further interruption.

It is currently reported that the Molcoia dredge has again been unfortunate enough to get stranded, (lie heavy flood of Friday night having proved too much for her moorings to withstand. We sincerely hope that the dredge is not damaged and that she will he at work again, as the last few weeks’ returns showed her to be on splendid gold. The Rock lands Company is reported to have purchased Burley and Walker’s property. J 1 that is the case, the dredge w ill be aide to bottom straightaway and prove the value of the ground. The purchase of (he property, rather than the the incurring of a dreary loss of time occasioned by working without bottoming Lo llic original cluim, should he pleasing !o shareholders and increase the value of he shares.

Mr, C. A. Ulrich, mining agent, Wellington, has patented a dredge, which is built upon a new principle, and is likely, ho hopes, to cause a revolution in dredging methods. The system is that of a central cylinder, which, when revolved at moderate speed, acts like a centrifugal pump, and forces the sand on to the boxes for treatment. Mr. Olrieh claims that his intention can bo lilted up for £'2ooo, or for a much smaller sum than that, as against the £BOOO required for (he ordinary bucket dredge. In order that this dredge may work in heavy ground, the inventor has fitted the cylinder with a rock scraper, fehould sunken logs bo met with, 1m says the cylinder will simply stop working, lie says the dredge will bo found capable of working to a depth of 80 feet. He intends to construct one at his own expense on one of the West Coast claims, ia order that it may be properly tried.