RAINY CREEK

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1671, 12 December 1873, Page 2

RAINY CREEK

fINANGAHUA HERALD, DEC. 10.] From the foot of the spur, forming the boundary of No. 4 North, the ascent to the prospecting claim, a distance of about half a mile, becomes more difficult, but the distance hence to the machine site 'is inconsiderable, so that the transport of machinery would not be a very serious matter, Jußt at this point the forks of the creek are reached.; and it is in the right-hand branch that the golden deposits were recently discovered, nuggets mixed with quartz, varying in weight from 7dwt to 4oz, having been of common occurrence. The character of the gold indicated the quality of the reef, which, doubtless at a lower level than yet tested, will be found to carry good gold similar to other reefs in the Inangahua district. On reaching the prospecting claim, one is really struck with amazement; ■at, the spectacle presented. The, cone of the range is one vast mass of quartz, having an r extreme width of very nearly eighty feet, and this large blow has been traced throughout . the entire length' of the company's ground, namely 100,000 ft. The surface stone, therefore, is variously.estimated at from 20,000 tons toaoo,ooo tons, carrying a very fair show of -gold, fully equal lo what has been met with in Adam Smith's line, It will thus be seen that this is a splendid propertyy only awaiting the outlay of a moderate sum to ..be highly productive. At two levels — 70 feet and 50 feet — tunnels have been -put in ; and in the former especially, shortly before the timber gave way and theground settled down, some astonishing stone was met with. On one occasion, when Mr Glenn, of Greymouth, was visiting the mine, quite a thick leaf of -gold was exposed, and a specimen of the sacce was retained by that gentleman. A shaft has also been sunk, though, for some .unaccountable reason, off the reef, which was reached by driving at a 70-feet level a distance of 25 feet. At this depth the reef has a course 10 points west of north, very " little underly, firm well-defined walls, and d thickness of six or seven feet arid upwards. Taken altogether, the property is one of the finest in the Inangahua, and it only remains matter for surprise that an enterprise of such pith should have been so long permitted to lapse, as the show of gold is really quite up to the average, while the wondrous facilities for obtaining stone can scarcely be conceived except by an eye-witness. From the tunnel'to the machine site is a steady easy gradient, so that no difficulty would be. found ,in r laying» and working the tramway, The next important consideration is the motive power, and respecting that there can be nq question whatever but that steam would have to be employed. The 'creek supply, however, would suffice for tables of 25 head of stampers, or . a much larger number if a dam were constructed and elevators used. And with regard to fuel, close to the machine site there is a magnificent seam of excellent coal — at least it is pronounced to be superior to that in Murray Creek, which has been proved to answer any purpose, -both for steam and blacksmith's purposes.. Good coal in abundance, and close proximity to the machine site,,must prove a very important consideration with capitalists proposing to embark in the mine. In respect to the quartz, its quality and abundance can admit of nc^juestion. It is there, palpably ■ in view, moss-covered and carrying a scant vegetation. About 150 tons, are stored alongside the tramway leading from the tunnel, a.nd gold is easily anj| pretty generally visible. A few hundredweights of stone was, sent by Mr Ramsay to Auckland, and this was taken from all parts of the reef, totally regardless of quality, in order that a safe estimate could be arrived at of the quality of the stone. The result of its being crushed, and the gold extracted in the ordinary way, was an average yield of lid wt per ton. This may not sound < yery graaji beside the returns at present b,eing oHt tamed in other portions of the district, but it is amply sufficient, under the , circumstances, to render the mine, if properly worked, wonderfully productive, and capable of paying large dividend?. P,