UP-RIVER DIGGINGS.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 710, 6 August 1870, Page 2

UP-RIVER DIGGINGS.

(PROM OCR OWtf CORRESPONDENT.)

AHAURA. August 4. The rush at Sullivan's Creek, about which so much noise was made three weeks ago, has not/resulted in anything of any consequence. The prospectors'an d one other claim are likely to pay wages, but otherwise there is not much chance of its turning out so well as wasexpected. There was no occasion for making such^a^fuss about a dish of this earth,^because miners must be aware that the ground .wfiich is likely to be of value^ must* necessarily be limited, on all these, terrace rushes...,^" The newly opened diggings between Lansfdou's and the Coal Mine are driving a good many away ifrom this locality, and the reports of the rich Half -ouncje Creek, have created a sensation throughout the district. ; ' • -: ' . . • The bridle track to Callaghau's is. being surveyed by Mr Surveyor Coe ahd^his staff ; a good route has been discovered through the bed of >a creek, ; which runs into the Abatira opposite, the landing, about a quarter of a mile below the town. The distance to Mr' Jonathan Auld's, Cnow Powel's)store at Callaghan's, will be about four miles' from the Ahaura; arid ■it is only about two miles from 'Powel's to Hatter's Terrace, Nelson Creek. (Phis track willbe of great benefit' io the miners at Callaghan's, and also to the business people at the Ahaurt, besides opening np * a considerable track of comparatively rich country which is known to be auriferous, . but it h ; as. hitherto been unacce3sa%le. The credit of having this track made is due to Mobbts Peter Bjof klund, Thos Pindlay, Powell, and others, arid they deserve great praise for the energetic niauner' in „ which they pushed the matter for'ivkrd, but is a disgrace to the Governmefit^hat it should become necessary for private individuals to thu3 perform, its work. -We have heard riothirg farther about the new main road to the Arnold. Our grave and reverend seignors of the town gave vent to their wrath a short time since, against our very ignoble and disapproved bad masters at Nelson, but it is evident the Government at Nelson 1 ibok v»pon, our . indignation meetings and votes of censure, much in the manner as; the Coal-heaver regarded . the thrashings his wife used to give him. On being remonstrated with, by his fellow*, on-jbhe ;im- ;- propriety of lowering the dignity and endangering the interests of the busi* nes3, by allowing his Jwife to beatS > him, [especially as his weight was fifteen stone, he excused himself |by saying^ that the. ',' hammerings he Jgot from his old womattJC.-fam-mused her and didn't hurt him, so what was the odds?" It is said that permission to erect a bridge over the Ahaura river: and charae

tolls thereon, has been given to an enterprising to nrnsman, who is ready to proceed . with the work at once' if the site would be fixed by the Government. ■ :..; |; The Grey Valley Hospital Committee are pushing the... establishment of that institution forward rapidly. Plans for the building, are being prepared., and sufficient funds are in hand to make an effective start, so that it only remains with the authorities to fix the site. The township is . still . improving — . another new hotel has been opened, and tenders are out for the erection of two more. The town has suffered a loss in the temporary retirement from business in it of one of its oldest and most respected inhabitants, Mr William Morris. That gentleman has always taken a prominent part in every movement for the good of the town and district, and his upright conduct and good business.habits had gained for him the respect and confidence of everyone in the district. There is nothing new from the Napoleon district, except a slight rush which has taken place to Spec's Terrace, between Napoleon and There is one party on gold, and others are- sinking- - . _ The Court sits at Napoleon on Friday next, and several important mining cases are set down tfor hearing. The striking of gold at the Orwell Creek end of the Mosquito lead, and the disputes about the frontage^ are likely to lead to a large amount of litigation. ' A foreigner who is known by the • soubriquet of " Teremakau "—I object to the use uf nicknames, but 1 '"was \fixabl© to fiud out the man's real name— had* his hand crushed in a dreadful, manner' on Monday. He was felling a sapling, and he attempted to push it off before it was sufficiently cut through, when itrebounded and caught his hand against the sfctimp, and mangled it fearfully. A subscription was made for him, and he was forwarded | to GreymouthbyDrDonovan'siiireMon, who did all he could for the sufferer^ . The track from Napoleon to the Ahaura is finished, and it will be thrown open when Mr Mergin, the Inspector of Roads, passes it. It will be a great convenience, and by its opening packers and travellers will be relieved from the payment of the heavy tolls charged on the: present tracks. Messrs Evans and Co. are getting on rapidly with the erection of their large water-wheel, at their leasehold iat Orwell Creek. There has been an' immense amount of labor and money expended by this company, and it is to be hoped |hat jL their spirit and energy will be adequately rewarded. ! ' : : Messrs Noonan Brothers and party are still levelling the mountain of washdirt in their claim lower down the creek. ' This aud all they are working in now is 60ft in height. This, party's claim and waterrace is considered the most valuable mining property in the distript, and the company have every confidence in the permanency of the yield of goldfrqm jj^ for they have erected handsome and substantial weatherboarded cottages, and laid off gardens, evidently with the inten? tion of making a long stay. HALF-OUNCE, August 3, The lead at this, place ia. : progressing in the mos,t satisfactory manner. Some of the . claimholders have had amall ; trial washings ; others have large paddppks full of washdirt ready for washing, a^nd others have every preparation made to commence stacking washdirt. Swansen, Bos ted t aud party have, washed tht, dirt from three or four Jetij of timber (about 10 loads), ancl obtained 230z gold; a yield which intjy be considered exceedingly good, for the party have taken nearly three 'feet washdirt. This company struck the gold some time

ago, . but the water in the ground interfered with its. working, in consequence of the iaii face hot being deep enough to drain it,' and it Was found necessary to go back, and .bring up the tailrace at a lower lovel ; it is now deep enough to allow the company' to" work for nine months without further.:;. trouble. . Swansen and Co intend. erecting,a whim or a whip, as they ; think that by means of either of these appliances they will be able to work the claim more economically. At the mouth of the tunnel, which is 600 feet long, a capstain is rigged aud the trucks are hauled up a steep incline from the inner workings. This mode of operation has beeji found to be both tedious and laborious, but the party were compelled to adopt it or else construct a tramway for some hundreds of yards down the creek, iv order to get room for the disposal .of the mullock coming out of the drive. Ask aud; Brandt and party, who are next to and below Swansen and Co, have also struck payable gold, and the first truckful of washdirt was wheeled out on Saturday night This company have been compelled to lower their tunnel nearly five feet to get a sufficient fall, but it is now deep enough not only to work their claim out, but any of the adjoining claimholders will be able to drain the lower part of their ground by cutting branch tail-races into this one. This party Jiave been compelled to go a long distance down the creek to get a suitable washing place, the bngth of the tunnel and tramway, with the extension of the latter, is now nearly two thousand feet, and a good substantial paddock has just been erected. The party next above Swansen's claim, Lindlumb and Co, have also had a small washing. Nine loads were washed, and the yield was 18oz lOdwt, or over two ounces to the load, with 2ft Gin washdirt. A share has changed hands in this claim at a high figure, Carlson and Co, above Lindhimbs, are ready to start washing ; the dirt is expected to shape as well as that in the other claims. Anderson and party, who are next, have struck the lead and the washdirt (there are three feet of it) prospects seven or oight grains to the dish. This company drove over the gold some time ago, but this was not discovered until the tunnel was in scne distance past the run. A monkey shaft was sunk in the tunnel about 30ft from the face, and the gold was found. The partjr then sunk a shaft from the surface, but they find they are working at a disadvantage, and they have decided to erect a whim.

Boulen and party are next. They are also on payable gold. Thos. Noble and party are. th,e last on gold at the upper end of the lead. Some months ago this party obtained a good prospect in the end of an old and abandoned tunnel some hundreds of feet in from the creek. They found on examination that the old tunnel was not low enough, and a new one was commenced lower down the claim. This tunnel is now in 270 feet, and from the appearance of the stuff they are driving through it is supposed they are coming on the lead. Several other claims are at work above, but the occupiers are only prospecting. Gold was found in most of the upper claims near the bank of the creek some time ago, but not in any instance in sufficient quantities to pay, although when it was first discovered ii caused quite a large rush. At the lower end of the lead Cosgrave, Rankin and party have finished the erection of their whim. This party were obliged to knock-" off in consequence of the water when the shaft was down 40ft; they expect to reach the bottom within 15ft more. This whim is the first yet erected in the Napoleon district, and it is constructed in a workmanlike manner. Archibald Ferris aud Co. , in the next claim, have been on gold for some time. This company have been doing a considerable amount of prospecting in searching for another run of payable ground supposed to exist in the claim. .•/The: water became too troublesome, -and operations were transferred to another part of the claim for the purpose of- getting out washdirt. There are nearly 60 loads "of dirt in the paddock on the surface, which is expected to wash over au ounce to the load. The tmwn&l in this claim had been driven in and abandoned previous to the present party taking possession of it. Ferris and Co. sunk a : monkey shaft in the end of it, and with great difficulty, owing to the water, they bottomed on payable gold ; they then sunk a main shaft from the surface, and in this, shaft they are now work•ing. The next is au amalgamated .Company, J. M'Veigh and party, and W. Magrath & Co. * These claims are situated in the flat, under the Scandinavian Terrace. M'Veight and Co. bottomed a shaft some time ago in their claim on the western reef of the deep ground : the bottom was dipping, and since the companies have been amalgamated another shaft has been bottomed on Magrath and Ginty's claim, and in a drive which was started to the west, the lead was found. The prospects are very good, but the ground cannot be worked to advantage without a whim or a waterwheel. The shaft was bottomed with great difficulty in consequence of the mmense body of water in the ground, *» and the party deserve great credit" f or the plucky manner in which stuck day and night to their work until they proved the value of their claim. The company are all of them experienced miners, and they have siich confidence in their ground that they are building substantial weatherboarded huts for themselves. The next is also an amalgamated company, William Faler and Co. and Sinnott and Co., the shaft is down about 15ft and the water is troiihleavme already. The next clami below is held by Michael Dunn and Co., and Charles O'Hard and Co., amalgamated ; this company intend to erect a, ■water-wheel. William Melody and 'party and another company are amalgamated, and sinking below this claim, and the ground is marked out and occupied for nearly a mile further down the creek. The prospects of this lead are looking very bright, and there is every reasonable ground for supposing the workings will be profitable and permanent. The lead has been gradually but surely developed at a largo outlay of time and money, and in one instance at the sacrifice of life. The miners who are on the gold have worked patiently and perseveringly in the face of almost insurmountable obstacles, and they deserve all they will get. The township is likely to become an important place,. and it would be advisable, before building begins on an extensive scale, if the Government set apart a suitable site. There are objections to the present situation of it ; it is in old worked ground, i difficult of access, and limited in space ; '

already the owner of one fine house in course of erection has been warned by the owners of the claim on which he is building, that he is trespassing, and if he docs not come to terms he will have to shift. This matter should be seen to at once, or we will have a repetition of the No Town difficulty. Half-Ounce can be reached from Napoleon in about five miles by way of Lardi'a' track, which is kept by the proprietor in splendid condition ; altogether he has set an example which might be followed, with credit to themselves, by other parties, by abolishing the tolls. The diggings can also be reached from the Ahanra and Totara Flat, by taking the new road to Duffers at the back of John Dooien's farm on flat, " .and following it up Duffers Creek to the junction with Half-Ounce. Lardi's track from Totara Flat to Napoleon can than be followed till the township at Half-Ounce. The new road from Totara Flat to Duffers is now open. It has been faithfully and substantially made, and reflects great credit on the contractors, Messrs Conners and Co.