MINING NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 579, 2 October 1869, Page 4

MINING NEWS.

UP-RIVER DIGGINGS. (from oxtr o,\yy correspondent.) Nelson Creek, Sept. 22. The .deep lead between Matter's and Lagoon Terrace is being gradually but steadily opened up. Another shaft has ■.truck payable gold as good, if not better, thanthe other claims already on the lead. The tail-races which are being brought up will thoroughly drain the ground, and until they are finished, which will take three weeks yet, progress will be slow. At Hatter'B Terrace the race companies are in full work, with average results. This terrace haa never realised the extravagant expectations which were formed about it when it was first rushed, but it still maintains the bulk of the population, and will continue to do while the ground is being worked in the systematic manner in which it is at present, for it is, only by economy, water, and labq-i, that the ground about Nelson Creek will ever be made to pay. The township here has assumed an importance never dreamt of by tho original "Hatter," after whom the terrace is named. There are now three stores, two billiard-room 3, two butchers' ' shops., two bakeries, tive public-houses, a blacksmith^ shpp, and, of course, the indispensable skittle-alley. There are a few •miners leaving iqv the other rushes in the neighborhood, but their places tire soon filled up by others. lam sorry to say that the business people are bitterly complaining of the conduct of a few blacksheep whom they have trusted " not wisely but too nu'icli." These defaulters have, principally, taken their departure for the new land of promise at the Thames, and the Creek is well rid of them. One of these heartbroken emigrants toolc A public farewell of his sorrowing creditors in a pathetic and eloquent valedictory address, he wound up by assuring them, that he " left the Creek richer, far richer, than any of them, for he took away from the place a h innocent conscience, which was more than any of them possessed." There are a few miners working further up the main creek, but, except iv individual instances, they are not doing much. The country further up is generally shallow, and therefore more easily worked. At Lagoon Terrace, Potts' party, and Letcher and Co., are still sluicing away with the usual success. There is a new brewery in course of erecj ion- here, whioh speaks well for the belief iv the permanency of the place. At Try-again Terrace there is nothing pew to notice. The '*■ blacksmith's" celebrated claim lias changed hands, with the exception of one share, which is still held by Mr O'Hanlon. This claim, taken altogether, has been one of the best, if not the best, ever worked on the Creek. It is two years and three months since the plaim was opened up first, and it is not worked out yet by any means. Mould and "Qocking have extended their tramTray to the edge of the terrace ; they are convsying tho headings from the back lead, and washing them with water collected from the tail-racea. I believe the speculation is paying, and I have no doubt ■when they get their works in full operation their returns will be remunerative. This subject rpminds me of the Jong-mooted question of bringing a sufficient supply of water on Tryagain Terrace for the purpose of washing it away in * face. There is nothing visionary orspeculative about this scheme, for it would merely be a question as to the time and money it would require to £ake the water-in. Here are hundreds of acres of auriferous 'ground cleared of timber, intersected in all directions by iail : races, which could be utilised for the more economical working of the ground, £ fall for the tailings of more than 200 feet deep and of unlimited extent, an average of 20 fee.t of washdirt, which will pay tucker by washing with a cradle ;"• and yet mining speculators will leave the Coast in search of a profitable investment for their money. A careful calculation has been made, and it is found that water could be raised from Nelson Creek and Wought at a sufficient elevation' to command not only Try-agaiu Terrace, but the coiinti-y on b>th sides of the creek for two miles lower down, at ao outlay of L3OOO. If this source of supply should not be sufficient or be likely to become exhausted, *ihe water could be raised either from the left-hand fcaik of the' Xhaura' River or from' the source of Nelson Creek, itself the Lake Hochstetter. There are not the sa.me engineering difficulties to contend with in this case as there are in the Lake Brnnner scheme, and it is well known that before this race was brought within four pileaofrTry-againTerracesufficientmoney •prould be realised from .the rent of the water to pay for the construction of the race as it went along. : : ; At German Gully, Jenkins and party have struck payable gold at last. They h.ave. been fourteen months taking up their tail-race, and I am happy to say they have come on payable gold before, they expected. This has been a work of such extraordinary magnitude for a party of ininers to undertake single-handed that it deserves special mention. The length of tail-race is 2600 feet from the starting point to where gold lias been, struck ; twelve shafts have . been sunk along the course of the race and driven into each other, the last' one of wluch js. 70 feet deep.. The water was' so troublesome in some of these shafts that sinking them from the. surface had to be abandoned, and the parodixical operation of "sinking them upwards" had to be resorted to. They have three or four years remunerative work before them, and they have the good wishes of every one in the district for their ultimate success. I may as well inform your mining readers that all the diggings, on and about this Creek are accessible at all times, now, Kinsella's ferry; at the" bottom of the Preok • Potts' ferry, at tho Middle Township ; and liocheadV ferry at Hatters' Terrace, respectively keep the communication open at all times.'