UP-RIVER DIGGINGS.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 724, 8 September 1870, Page 2

UP-RIVER DIGGINGS.

(from otjb own correspondent.) HALF-OUNCE. September 7. The striking of the lead in Wildridge ana party's and Sheehan and party's amalgamated claim has caused, quite a stir at Half-Ounce. The jcompany made several unsuccessful attempts previously to bottom, a shaft in the deep ground, but they were driven out by the water. They then sunk a shaft on the reef — to avoid the loose gravel overlying the deep ground — to a depth of 50ft, and drove it 70ft westward. At the end of the drive indications of gravel were met with, and, on pricking the, roof, a prospect of-— some say sgrs, and others Bgrs, to the dish was obtained. Another part of the roof nearer the shaft was tried,' and neither gravel nor' gold -could be touched, consequently the party conclude they have only come on the edge of the lead in the end of the drive. The ground was still dipping, and the water was very bad, so the party have determined to sink a new shaft further westward, as nearly as possible over the gutter. This new shaft has been commenced. Tha discovery of the lead in claim is important, because, from the number of shafts which had been sunk in all directions vdthout gold being found, doubts were beginning to be entertained as to whether it would continue : but this sets the matter at rest. This is the sixth ordinary claim below the last golden hole.

The next claim above this is also an amalgamated one, owned by Michael Dunn and party and Charles O'Hara and party. They have also sunk a shaft in the reef, and opened out at 37ft. They have driven 30ft. They came on the gravel this morning, and they expect they are coming en the auriferous washdirt. This is the fourth shaft in this claim ; the others were either lost or bottomed shallow;

There are three parties amalgamated in the next company— Faler and Company, Sinnot and Company, aud Muldoon and Company. They have sunk five shafts, and drove in the last one until -they were almost into the deep ground, when they were driven ont by the water. Another new shaft has been commenced on the western reef, and the lead is expected to be cut at 30ft.

The next party — Magrath and Companj and Ginty and Company (amalgamated)— have been on gold some time ; but they have been preparing to erect a water-wheel and to bring ' in water to work it; The wheel is nearly ready ; it i 3 an over-shot, 16ft in diameterj with a 2ft breast. This party struck the gold at a 38ft level, and 30ft westward of the shaft. They are sinking a new shaft on the gold. In the old one, they intend to erect the elevator pump. Ferris, Cahill and party, next above, have just finished a washing of fifty loads of dirt, which yielded quite. as well as well as the party expected, because,; being the first washing from the claim, there was necessarily a large quantity of headings and other rubbish in it.

The next is the first of the tunnel claims, that is, the first party working from a tunnel. The owners, Ask, Brandt and Co!, owing to the great length of the tunnel, have been retarded by bad ventilation, consequently they have been compelled to sink an air shaft, which is nearly finished. They have also had a good washing. Cosgrave, Raukin and Co., who are next, have had the most difficult undertaking of any party on the lead. They have just bottomed their shaft, and it has taken seven months to do it and the work in connection with it. They bottomed at about 50ft, and continued sinking to a depth of 70ft to make a well. They have erected a horse whim, which was kept constantly going, and for the three weeks previous to bottoming they were assisted by volunteers from the surrounding clams, who kept the windlass incessantly at work night and day, and it took. all their efforts to keep the water down. A little gold was found in the shaft, but the lead is supposed to be further to the west, in which direction the party are driving.

The next is an extended claim, Gustensen and Co., and the parly have been sinking a monkey shaft in the tunnel ; it was bottomed on good gold oh Saturday at 13ft, and the tunnel is therefore 13ft too shallow. This is a serious matter, seeing that the tunnel is over 600 ft long. Gold which will pay has, been got on the shallow reef in this claim.

The next claim, H. Swansen, J. Bosted and Co., is reckoned the richest on the lead. They have had a good washing recently, 21 oz 2dwt out of 15 loads with nearly three feet of washdirt. (It must be understood that when the exact result of any washing is given it is with the distinct permission of the claim which is being described.) This party and the two next. Lindlumb and Co. , and Carlsen and Co., have extended claims, so that they have a long spell of remunerative work before them. ' :

There is awater-wheel on the next claim, which has just been erected. The claim is owned by Charles Andersen and party, but the wheel is the joint property of Andersen's and the party above them — Michael Breslahan and Co. The pump — a lift, with a four-inch box— will be placed in a shaft on Andersen's claim, and a drive will be taken to Breslahan's boundary, where they are sinking a shaft.

The lead crosses the creek here, and the next party, Eric Bostedt, Thos. Noble and Co., are also on gold, but they have been retarded by a series of lawsuits, which has ended as usual by leaving the parties just as they were before they began.

There are several parties working in the tributaries of the creek, . higher up, principally prospecting, and the ground is marked out at the lower end for nearly a mile below the last claim on gold. The water does not appear to increase in volume as the lead is traced, downwards, but this may be partly accounted for by a change in the nature of the rooks on which it is laying ; they are entirely different at either end of the lead. There are now thirteen claims on gold, and a number at the upper end are on gold, but not iv sufficient quantity to be considered payable on a new lead. Several shares have been sold at good prices.

The township is increasing in size wonderfully ; there are already four stores, a bakery, and a butcher's shop. There are 3 shoemakers' shops, and a sharebroker's, 2 hotels, and a dancing-room in course of erection. Sites have been purchased fi-r billiard-tables. Building sites fetch comparatively high prices ; this, and the cost of clearing, will make building expensive. The place bears every appearance of

permanency, but unless something else is discovered besides the lead at present at work, there is room only for a limited :. population. It will be seen by the foregoing account ;tbat it requires time, patience, skill, and money to devolop such, ground as this, and those who come to this place with the expectation of get- • ting on payable gold in a month, or even six months, unless they are very lucky, will be grievously disappointed. NAPOLEON. : , .^ September 6. The 'rush to Half-Ouface Creek has greatly affected Napoleon both in mining, and -business matters, because -it has drawn away most of the miners who were making small wages in : the old ground, and a number of the men who were working for wages in the claims. , The township has a deserted appearance, that is in comparison to what it used for- , raerly to have, but business, as far as it is done, is sound, owing, it is supposed, to the fact of there being very few unemployed people in the district. - The principal topic of among the miners lately has been the case of encroachment on the Mosquito Lead, The parties Messrs Fagan and Co. and Kirby and Co. amalgamated ■ themselves nearly twelve months ago to take, in a tunnel to test their several claims on the Mosquito. The tunnel was taken in about 1500 ft when the lead was struck, and then each parly began to work in their own claim. It was during .the working of the ground the alleged encroachment took place. The parties, fortunately for both sides, did not bring the case into Court, especially when they had the example Cosgrave v. Neilson on the Italian Lead before their eyes, in which case it took nearly all the gold thafcjcame out of the. claims to liquidate "the law expenses. Fagan's and Kirby's parties have settled their differences by arbitration, and it is a pity they ever fell out, after sticking so manfully to their "work together before they got a speck of gold. There are very few- claims at work now on the Italian lead, but the miners who are working there are. said to be, getting well paid. '' " ;i ..' ■ jCqffey's Terrace is almost entirely deserted ; the ground there never turned out according to expectations. There are still a few parties at work on it. There is some talk of forming lanS Improvement Committee, and such a body is sadly needed. The track through the town is in a disgraceful condition ; antk wouldn't- it be as well -if the businesdr people themselves would for a while lay aside their pipes and set to work? at it? They would thus save money, and keep themselves out of mischief at the same time. The track to Half-Ounce, near the old Police Camp is all but impassable, and a day's work with, six men would make it all right. The Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts sit on Friday, but there are very few cases set down for hearing: ThS majority of them from this place wiU be/heard at the Ahaura, at the sitting of the Court there. Clarke and Evans, at Orwell Creek, are down 22ft with their large paddock, 30ft x 30ft. From the appearance of the stuff they are on at present, one would think they were coming to golden dirt. -The gravelis getting tighterand more mullpcky, and the wash is becoming coarser, filled with immense granite boulders, and one or two grains to a dish can sometimes be obtained. The water-wheel works beautifully ; indeed, it is a model in its way, and it keeps the paddock as "dry as a bone." If this parly succeed in striking gold to pay here, they will cause a revolution in gold mining up the river ; for it . will be the first time the main bottom has been reached under, similar conditions, and under difficult circumstances. Noonen Brothers and party are making the most of their fine water-race, and the quantity of , debris they run away in a mouth must be enormous^ judging from the hole they have made in the side of -the ' range. The face is now over 60ft, high ; but it disappears like snow before the sun when the large body of water the party command is brought to bear on it.