FERRY THE HUMAN FROG

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 12 August 1901, Page 2

FERRY THE HUMAN FROG

We would remiad our readers that the above marvellous performer will make his final appearance at Greymouth to-night— Monday. Miss Millie Berboton who was too ill to appear on Monday last, will appear to-night in her budget of songs. We advise all who have not seen “ Ferry ” to avail themselves of this opportunity. He himself is well worth the price of admission ; he is indeed a wonder.

AN IMPORTANT LAUNCH

The North Beach Dredge.

The first Golden-sxad Extractor.

In go’d mining circles on the West Const Saturday will be remembered, and marked as a day on which an important function took place ; an event that may have an immense bearing upon the future of gold dredging on the West Coast. That event was the starting of the North Beach dredge—the first floating machine to at. tempt tiro treatment in largo quantities of our auriferous beaches. In other ways, where circumstances have been favorable, the o sands have been successfully treated, but it is not at every spot that a water supply can be obtained like that which does such good service at Barrytown—indeed there are

but one or two places whore such requisites are to be found. If, therefore, we are to successfully treat our vast auriferous beaches that extend from Karamea on the north to- Jackson’s Bay on the south, a distance of over 300 mileg • it is believed that they must be treated by modern dredges having special appliances in the shape of extra gold-saving tables with a wide area, and provided with many cunningly devised apparatus to secure an even spread of sand with a constant but not too strong a ilow of water. The dredge which was started on Saturday proposes to deal with beach sands on the above lines. And ’tis sincerely to bo hoped that success will crown the enterprising shareholders who relying upon engineering skill and ingenuity, and being convinced that the gold is there, have put their money into the experiment Under such conditions it was scarcely surprising that something in the shape of a “formal opening’’ should have bceu organised. That it was organised and successfully carried out will be seen. The most important thing to be accomplished was to secure the attendance of tho “Newpaper Man,” who, as wo all know never does any good but, generally, makes most noise—and in those days noise and talk is often accepted as evidence of knowledge and ability. Of course we don’t say so; wo merely voice public opinion thereon. Well Mr Faithful SENT US AN INVITATION. Mark you that fact. A real solid “invite.” i None of your “canvassed for Ducal articles sent it unasked for, on his own card, gilt edged at that. Our vanity was fairly “ got at we reckoned we’d go ; especially as there was a fourno it was only three—horse drag placed at our special service. Other people came into it but they don’t count. And we went, we saw, we sampled, and we were convinced that there was no fooling about the North Beach Directors. They meant “bis.” They intended to get that fine gold or ’“bust,” and we rather think they'll get the metal. At all events they think so for none of them said said, “ Say old fellow, just make you a present of a hundred shares,” which is generally the case when it’s a “ dead cert to bust,” ON THE TRACK. Seated in Mr Brown’s comfortable and commodious drag—he calls it “Boyal Mail” why, we don’t understand; their certainly was no royalty inside, unless indeed it was in the superabundance of hard headed Scotchmen; but of coarse it was a mail cart alright, for there were no females on board—wo started. On Cobden bridge, one of the wheels got into the rail track just as the second “trap” following on broke a trace, and we had to walk—we mean the three horses—at double! slow—while one of the Campbell’s MoPhkrson’s McLean’s or Crombie’s aboard whistled the Dead March—till we reached the ancient city of Cobden. Through this historic place, with its palaces and piles stupendous, our Jehu drove with lightning speed scattering the inhabitants—one boy, two dogs, and a noisy rooster in dire confusion. Gained the bridge and past the m*gnificent new u:\iversicy now being built, we came upou a grand piece of macadamcscd highway—boulders three inches in diameter beautifully rounded and polished. Our gee-gees were willing, but the driver reckoned he’d better go slow to enable the passengers to admire ihe beautiful pebbles of which the highway was composed, the stately ancestral halls that peered through the lofty trees, and the fine promenades and luxurious seats whereon tho nobility, the youth, and beauty of the city were enjoying their afternoon siesta or indulging in mild flirtations. Theondofthe avenue bordered on one side with plantations owned by the proud Mandarians of China was at length reached ; a turn to the north, a couple of hundred yards onwards, and tiere nestling on a picturesque—we heard one of our pa-sengers call it picturej-cue-like lay the North Beach Dredge THE IIRIDE OE LAKH! RYAN. Alighting from our drag—you will note we persist owing to the invitation in calling it ours—we noticed Mr Faithful carrying in a careful and delicate manner a suspiciously largo portmanteau, on which the consignee had evidently forgotten to mark thereon “ Glass, with care.” Wc made a mental memorandum of this fact for future use, and, as everything comes to him who waits, so we found in this case that our wait was not in vain. But wc had better tell our readers something about THE DREDGE As she now floats gracefully near the southern shore of flic Lake. From the top of the road the picture is one that would please the eye of a painter, send lovers basking on its shore into the seventh heaven of delight, and even caused one of our party—a Scotchman again—to break into song—at lea-t we presumed it was song though to us the language was terribly uncanny—as he remarked “Ae mon what a graun’ place for the bagpipes.”

But to the dredge. We have not on the Coast seen a machine her equal. Well balanced, with a slight depression towards the elevators—we are not quite sure which is the bow—she looks to the most casual observer a real solid worker, while the very substantial housing shows that good care is to be taken of the men as well as the machinery. Once on board you cannot help being surprised at the completness of everything, the excellence of the arrangements, and the ample space for moving about, every part of the machinery and tables being get-at-able without scrambling over difficult and almost impossible places. Of the machinery itself one cannot speak too highly, while the easy way in which it worked was to the uninitiated ample evidence of excellent work, perfect fit, and ample power. DESIGNEES AND BDIDDEEB.

The engineers—Messrs Outten Bros, through there Greymouth Representative, Mr William Faithful, are to be compimcnted—and indeed were highly complimented by the directors—upon the excellence of their task. The dredge is admitted to be probably the best erected on the Coast. The pontoons 90 feet long 26 feet beam and C feet deep, were built by Mr Sweetman, the frame being of hardwood and plants of red pine. When we say that both Mr Faithful, the engineer, and Mr Taylor, Chairman of Directors, declared that the work was most faithfully built, that'thero had not been a drop of leakage we take it that nothing further is required at our hands to show that Mr Mr Sweetman did his work well. The machinery which appeared to us to be first rate and was built by t he Dispatch Foundry. The ladder will dredge 25 feet below water level, the buckets are three cubic feet capacity, boiler 20h.p., return tube type, pump loin centrifugal, delivering water equal to ten Government heads, the engines are 10 h.p. compound by Marshall, Son and Co., The elevators are arranged to lift sand and gravel and deliver it 25 feet above water level. The tables are to a miner the most interesting part of the dredge for upon their suitability depends the success or failure of the whole. The tables on this dredge have several improvements ; the one that first strikes the miner being the admirable arrangement of slides fixed in the main race for increasing or diminishing the volume of water pas-ing over the tables. In treating line gold this is most essential, and on the North Beach dredge an effort at all events has been made to cope with the ( difficulty. The tables have a spread of 52 feet by 9 feet in length, and room could be made for extending the length about three feet further. Whatever may

be the result of this company's work, and there can be no doubt—and competent engineers belonging to other foundries have declared so—that for a complete and soitnd dredge in every inspect thh North Beach dredge cad scarcely bo surpassed, including the electric light plant, which by the way is installed;

The dredge started this morning, but as she is intended to dredge to the north it will probably take a fortnight to clear her way round; but then wd shall bti anxious.

THE CHRISTENING. The company—and there was a very fair sprinkling—having inspected every part of “ the ship,” and been answered innumerable questions by the obliging officers, were asked to assemble on the “quarter deck," where tho Mayor of Greymouth was about to enthuse those present by speaking a few words prior to the “ christening ’ and order “to go.” M Accordingly we proceeded there, and

Mr. Matheson stated tho object they were assembled for—(this fact is made known notwithstanding the that everybody knows it: just to maßi doubly sure)—and in dealing with- the question paid a well merited tribute to all who had had aught to do with the dredge—the directors for their enterprise, Mr, Faithful for his excellent work, Mr. Sweetman for the good pontoons, and the Dispatch Foundry for their splendid machinery, “ and ” he added “ as lam a director of the Foundry I won't praise the machinery, but for all that its first-class and most creditable.” (To which we—the we this time means the audience, emphatically said Hear, hear.) He trusted the Company would prove successful. (To which we all fervently said Amen). Mr. Matheson then asked Miss Taylor to “Baptise the Baby.” The baptisnal bowl in the spape of a crystal casket of sparkling champagne hung by a blue silken ribbon to the ladder was brought into collision with the bow of the ship, tlio wine sparkled as it flowed o’er, and the ceremony was over, the lady receiving the ribbon and golden top as a memento of the launch, and proceeding to the engine room set the machinery in motion.

Again his Worship was in evidence. “We’lldrink" said he “the health of the Directors." And it was so accordingly. The proposer gave great credit for tho wort, and the excellent manner in which it was done. “ Messrs Cutten Brothers” he declared had shown how they could do work, nor could it be otherwise he quite innocently remarked seeing how faithful a representative they had in Mr. Faithful, Ho coupled the toast with the name of Mr. Taylor,

Tho toast was then drunk to & meddly in ten different keys *• He’s a jolly good fellow."

Mr Taylor responded, and said that years ago he had taken thousands of pounds worth of gold out of the ground adjoining, by the old primitive grab dredge, and he was perfectly satisfied that payable gold existed where they now purposed working. The only question was whether they could save it, and after what he had seen the dredge they were now on, doing, he was satisfied they could save a very large percentage.

Mr Faithful’s health was proposed and duly responded to, Mr Faithful highly complimenting the Dispatch Foundry and Mr Sweetman upon the excellent work done.

“Mr Hamilton of the Foundry" was next toasted with musical honors. The latter gentleman, in reply, said that at first they had difficulty in getting an order for a dredge, but now it was recognised that they were turning out about tho best dredges in the colony (cheers), and could get as much work as they liked.

“The Press” and “Ladies" having been honored and acknowledged, that indefatigable shadow-catcher (Mr Ring) “ posed ’’ and “ snapshotted " the company, and “ Home boys, home " became the order of the day.”

All went well till that ill-fated structure—Cobden bridge—was reached, when, lo and behold, our drag fully laden two conveyances in close attend£»jß

were at the centre of tho structure

by a dog cart going the opposite way. There was no passing, and the owner of the cart said he was first on the bridge and he’d be if he go back. Well, we could’nt go if we wanted; and so here we were a nice kettle of fish. One would’nt and the other oould'nt. Things were beginning to get a bit breezy when Mr Jay essayed the part of peacemaker. He abused his own side, and told the enemy he was right, and that it would serve us right if he (the enemy) struck us up to dooms day, but he added their not all to blame; and for the sake of myself, that’s (Mr J) one one other —(we of the Stab) righteous man it would be generous on your part to back again and let the transgressors pass, treating them with that contempt they deserve. Our opponent calmed downunder the seductive influence of the peacemaker and backing his horse and dog* cart from the centre to the Grey side let us pass, but the look he gave Driver Brown haunts mo still. There was fire and brimstone in that glance.