CHARLESTON.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 724, 8 September 1870, Page 3

CHARLESTON.

A correspondent of the Westporb Times furnishes the following information respecting the Back Lead : — First' among the claims, whether the extent of working plant is considered, or the quantity of gold that has been taicen out of the ground is the Maori Chief Gold Mining Company. This company commenced operations some three- years ago, and, with the improved system of working the ground now in vogue, the claim will give three to four year's work. At the outset an eight-horse power engine was placed on the ground, driving two batteries of five stamps, each stamp weighing 3001b\ The ground original Ly taken up has long since been worked out, and they now hold a lease of eleven acres. Upon taking up the lease the engine was given up, and a water- wheel erected on the old crushing site of the Dublin City Company. The water-wheel effected a very important saving in the items of labor and fuel, while the increased facility with which the ten head of stamps were drivenenabled the company to put a largely increased quantity of cement through the batteries. About 500 tons of stuff are the weekly average of the present crushings— i a result "which attests the superiority of the plant. The depth of cement throughout the claim varies from six to fourteen feet ; the tramway at present in use for conveying the cement to the shoot is about .400 yards long, and the trucks ,are worked by horse power. There are twelve men employed by the company and che average monthly returns are from L7OO to LBOO ; the last dividend was at therateof L2l per week per man, and the amount of gold taken out of the ground during the three years the company have been at ' work is between L 22.000 and L 24.000. ! Two of the original shareholders recently sold out and proceeded to England, and the parties who at present hold interests are -Messrs Wilson, Jackson, ODea, Quigley, King and Baker.

The Excelsior. Company consists of three shareholders — Messrs Jenkins, Taylor, and Franklyn, and these employ ten wages men. The plant consists of a wheel, 28ft in diameter, driving .eight heads of stamps, each 2701 b, and they put through about 350 tons of cement weekly. They have about half a mile of tramway ; with r light iron rails. This party are working, a two and a hah! acre lease, and have sbme years' work still before them. The returns J was unabie to arrive at, but the claim has been loog known as . paying well, and has already yielded a very considerable quantity of gold. t * The Enterprise Co. consists of six shareholders who have only three additional men employed. There are about twelve '. months' work still in this ground, but in addition the company hare secured a lease of six acres, which they will subsequently work. They have a great depth of cement, averaging fourteen . feet, and crush about 400 tons weekly by means of two iron batteries each of six head of stamps of 1801bs, driven by a water-wheel, This claim adjoins the Maori Chief and ranks next to it in productiveness. The average monthly yield of gold is from L 650 to L7OO which, after deducting expenses gives a dividend of Lls to LlB, weekly, per man.

The Cosmopolitan Water-race and Gold Mining Co. was registered under the Limited Liability Act upwards of three years ago. This company has twenty acres of ground in various leases, worked by ten men to whom the ground is let. TJie batteries consist of nine head of stamps in all, of 1801bs, aud they crush 400 tons of cement weekly. The water rents amount io L 35 per week. The Dublin City claim was being by worked ground-sluicing, but they have now a water-wheel and stampers. The plate 3, after a short crushing look remarkably well, and the prospects- of- this claim are very favorably spoken of. Hurley and party hold a five-acre lease with several years' work before them. The party consists of three, in addition to four wages men engaged, and their preseut earnings clear of all expenses, are L 8 to LlO weekly ' per man, and their' pros-

p_ects are said to be improving. They pu^ through, about 300 tons of cement weekly, the machinery consisting -of- a* powerful water-wheel driving eight iron atamper3 of 3701b5. each. Carroll and party 'are the holders of a six-acre lease, and consist of five shareholders, with four additional men employed on wages. They crush weekly 240 tons of cement by means of a waterwheel and iron stampers of 2001bs each, and average net earnings of LlO to Ll2 weekly per man. O'Brien and party hold an extended claim, the party consisting of five. They crush about 300 tons weekly, and their average earnings are L 5 to L 6 per week. Jolliffe and p.%rty, consisting of. three shareholders, are putting through about 90 tons weekly, crushing only by day. The claim is an extended one, and the party are doing moderately. Harris and party, consisting of two, are ground-sluicing, with very satisfactory results ; and Colvin and party are cutting a tail-race with the same object. Excepting Scanlan aud p^xty, vrhohava not fairly set in to work, the above are all the claims being worked en this lead. These workings, independently of crushing the cement, will give employment for years to parties ground-sluicing, as the surface will pay well under the latter system of working,