GREENSTONE.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 478, 6 February 1869, Page 2

GREENSTONE.

(from otto own correspondent.) 3rd February, 1869. The steady increase of population still setting in here is something wonderful, miners and storekeepers imagining that the place must be almost made of gold: There is no doubt that gold; is getting, and in some claims in large quantities ; but still, taking it on the whole, nothing has yet been found to. support such a number of business and mining people. The Cape Terrace commanded another rush on Thursday last, but nothing of any consequence was struck; The sinking on. tlii? terrace is much about the same as the ; general fun of the Greenstone district,, being on a false bottom. The diggers, upon the terrace, who are already on gold,, seem to be pretty well satisfied with theirprospects, which induces others to still 1 keep prospecting further on towards the: Eight-mile ; indeed it is hard to say where : the payable* gold is oh the Cape Terrace,, there being no decided lead; and sometimes a good prospect obtained in one: claim and the next to it nothing to speak about. Within the last week there is a. decided increase of population on this-ter-race as well as on the Duke of Edinburgh, but from what, a person could gather no more gold was getting than before, or, at all events, in quantities that would make but very little difference in the escort. The stores, bakers, butchers, and, in fact, one might say almost all trades, commencing business oh the two terraces are something wonderful. . Should no mom commence, there are enough now to just manage to. make a. living, and no more. The last week's washing managed to clear off the bills that had been incurred, and, in a manner of speaking, the miners on. the two terraces .will have the next washing to the good. , Water is still wanted badly, and until some company is formed to bring water in from a high level th& miners will always be short, more or less. A race is in course of formation to. bring in water from a small creek, but it is very seldom that there will be more water than what they require themselves* Up the Greenstone Creek a rush was. reported on Friday last, but from what, could be gathered nothing to speak about was obtained— payable gold in some claima say L 3 a man a week, and others a. little better. • . The Argus Terrace still keeps its ■ population, with a slight increase, on the last report ; strange to say, although this is the terrace that has been worked the longest, not a store is to be seen on it. Certainly one thing, it is in close proximity to the township, so that the residents . can always come down when they wish. There was gold got to the., extent of two. grains to the dish some distance back on the Argus Terrace No. 2 ; but water is the main want again here, as it is inmost instances on the high terraces. The township flat is getting a thorough turning over, and it is not at all improbable, should a dry spell of weather still continue, that some gold might be struck close to where some of the stores are now going up, which would necessitate their removal ;■ indeed it would be hard to say where such a thing as sinking on the township flat would end. There is, very little doubt but that gold is distributed over the whole of it, and no doubt that in time the whole of the flat will be worked. I may still continue with the different, diggings, and then generalise. There are some parties set in to work down the creek between the Three-mile and the, township where a little gold has been got, so much as three grains to the dishhavingbeen washed, but this could not be considered general. The place where the gold is obtained is on a high terrace to the left. I think it very probable that the whole of this terrace will ultimately be worked. The Three-mile Creek does not improve much, miners wishing to go to. the centre of the workings either one way or the other, and the Three-mile, being situated between the Junction and the Greenstone, people do not seem to care to stop there, although gold has, and indeed is, getting there, but in small quantities. Arriving at the "Junction as you come down the creek, there is absolutely another township going up, which, should it increase as it is doing at present, bids fair to almost outrival the Greenstone township itself. As a general rule, the buildings going up are more substantial than what are generally found on a new rush. The residents at the junction seem to. have great confidence in the place, and indeed from what can be learned have no doubt that gold will be struck that will enable a good few miners to settle down for some time to come. :■"■ A rush took place to a 'terrace a little below the Junction. Prospects that one should not mention are talked about, but. the real truth consists in some having got. a very fair payable prospect, and claims are marked off in all directions. The rush took place yesterday, so that nothing very definite could be ascertained ; there is no doubt gold has been struck which will. pay, should it not turn out too patchy, but in another week a person niay depend upon a certainty as to whether the Junction is going to be another digging centre or not. The receiving Btores at the Junction are something to be wondered at, and there are several new ones going kp ; they are required, as qhould there, be any very heavy rain, a stock down at the: Junction would certainly relieve, the Greenstone from perhaps almost famine. As it is, on account of the tine weather, the merchants, on the Flat are laying in! large stocks; and they are wise in doing so, as perhaps, should there be a week's rain with the present population, the stores would be almost cleared out. Some six boats are. already making sometimes two trips a day to supply the Junction storehouses, but as. fast as they get the goods they are packed with the- horses up to the Greenstone. One would not be surprised to. see two or three more boats on the river, but if Buck is the case, it will be just as it always is, the trade will be overdone, and then no one makes a living. The number of people now on the Greenstone and district cannot number less than 2500, and one is surprised to see so" many in the street, of an evening. Taking everything into consideration for a. digging township and a new rush, it has. proved the most orderly as yet of any on the West Coast, and it is to be/hoped that i it will always be the same..