MINING

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1932, Page 6

MINING

THE BIRTH OF BROKEN HILL

EUCHRE GAME FOR £1,260,000

SYDNEY, July 6

In the west of New South Wales stood the grim and forbidding Barrier or Barling ranges. Early, explorers had traversed them and had written of them—mostly in words of gloom. i J rospectors had visited and tested them, leaving with a curse ns disappointment dispelled golden hope?. The 19th century was drawing to its close before,there came any inkling of the enormous riches which the for-bidding-looking hills bore within them (says a writer in the “B.H.P. Recreation . Review”). The dawn of a new era began when silver was discovered at Thakaringa, Umberberka, and elsewhere.

Not far distant were the ranges. A section, known o'n account of its rugged skyline as “the broken hill,” occupied portion of the horse paddock of. Mount ' Gibbs Station, a‘ pastoral property owned by‘ McCulloch, Sellars and Co., of Melbourne. George McCulloch, a nephew of the senior partner, was the manager of the station. Of the station staff, Charles Rasp was a boundary rides, and Philip Charley was a jackaroo. Rasp was a man whom the West knew and admired as a “shrewdie,” and he was specially valued by his employer. In his off time.:, and at other times when his duties led him that way, he made superficial examination of the “broken hill’s” geology. Kis knowledge of mineralogy was not great, but he cogitated on what he saw, comparing it with what he had Jearhed from his observations around the mines of Milverton. All imbued him with the un..hakeable belief that there .was some- ' thing very rich in the hill. Although instinct urged; him to immediate action, he was held back by his native caution, augmented by the fact that experienced prospectors had pronouncthe hill to be worthless—a. mere “hill of mullock.” RASP “PEGS'THE HILL.” A trip to Adelaide on business for the .station was -the means of' forcing Rasp to making a decision.- In Adelaide he purchased a small volume: “The Prospector’s Handbook.” A close study of its contents was followed uy another and keener; inspection 01 trie ■ hill. The ligirt of his: newfound knowledge illumined the result or Ins efforts. He found there was mineral in large quantities, mineral which ‘ he believed to be 1 tin. The news of the ‘ find’ was communicated to a couple of mates, engaged in sinking a dam not far away. Prompt action followed, and: the'hill was pegged. Rasp told George McCulloch; the manager of the station, what he. had done. Quickly he, outlined (the proposal. A syndicate would be formed. • He ; would make one,' and. the • station hands could come in, as many .-as wished to. The plan was adopted. A syndicate mf seven, ~a _ syndicate., never ‘ registered,- was".Tornied to develop the “broken hill” for tin. This syndicate' of Charles Rasp,' boundary rider; George McCulloch, station manager ; George Urquhart, sheep overseer; George A. M. Lind, storekeeper and bookkeeper; Philip Charley, station hand;* David Lines, dam sinker; James Poole, his mate. Shortly afterward the syndicate found itself in difficulties.' The money it had put into the venture was scon exliaused, and the weekly drain oil its earnings from its ordinary occupations began to prove ir-some. The need to raise more capital became imperative. The work being dene was the very mininiun allowed by law. The position was acute. Unwittingly the Government of New South Wales sent the man who was destined to preserve the wealth, of the “broken. hill” to the original prospectors. William Jamieson, surveyor of the Mines Department of New South Wales, was dispatched to the Silverton field to survey some portions of it. A conspicuously able officer he was, big m body and mind, and of dominating, personality. Out of curiosity lie visited tile, leases on the hill, and, beeomng interested in them, he decided to invest. One or two otters followed his lead, and the original syndicate of seven became a syndicate of 14. The syndicate also "Was never registered. It.is on record that shortly after the foundation •of this syndicate two shares were sold for £25 each. Hence we find that the first value of the Broken Hill Proprietary was £175. Since then the mine has paid £ll,405,754 in direct dividends and cash bonuses. AN HISTORIC EUCHRE GAME. Still a long way bad to be travelled before the mjne 'became ‘-established “and began pouring out- its treasures. There were times when the stoutest hearted of the original holders became despondent and wished themselves •well out of their venture. The syndicate slid wanted money. McCulloch offered fcr. sale one of his two, shares for £2OO. Along came a new chum named, Cox. He offered £IOO for the share, then raised it to £l2O. Ultimately Cox laughingly challenged McCulloch to play a rubber of euchre for the, share. If McCulloch won Cox would pay him £2OO. If Cox won lie would get the share for £l2O. Cox won the rubber.

Surely.no game of cards in history ever had such a fortune depending on it. That share, had it been retained intact, in a few years would have paid Cox £1,260.000. He did not hold all o!' it, but he kept sufficient to qnahle him to return to England a Very wealthy roan.

The months sped by and the forc lines of the “broken hill” and of the tout hearted 14 saw many fluctuations. On October 4, 1884, an ad- . ertisemant appeared in the “Silver Age,” Milverton's first essay of ~ourn.- . li, s m, as follows:—“Miners wanted to contract for sinking 109 ft, from the qottom of the shaft at the Blroken Hill. Apply Poole and. James’ Camp, •.Nine Mile Tanks, Mount’ Gipps.” Phis was the first advertisement the Broken ‘Hill 1 mine ever inserted; A fortnight -later a .second advertisement .ailed for tenders for driving a tunnel'9ooft into the hifl. These advertisements brought forth a roar of derision from the population of Silverton the members of which regarded these •bushmen and staticn-hands” as epazy fools bent on throw ing away good- moijey. Th a little while, however, this laughter died out, and Milverton’s residents were gaping in amazement at the news—confirmed, not «. mere mining rumour—of- the liscovery at the hill of ore of immense richness. RICHES AT LAST DISCOVERED. Philip Charley had been on a holiday trip to Melbourne. On bis return to Mount Gipps, almost bis first action was to visit the hill, intent on seeing hbw things were shaping. It xas a momentous vi-it. The miners answering his questions by telling him that they were sending up «just the Usual stuff—low-grade lead ' ore. Charley began pottering around. He picked up some ot the ..stuff and idly broke it between his fingers. His eye was caught by some grey, specks which lie picked but with his ' knife. Excitedly, he called out. “Chlorides! These ere chloride.. !”

The miners ran to him, but tljey laughed at his excitement. “Its cai.onate of copper!” they told him.

He persisted in his belief, and galloping off to the homestead', he arranged for an immediate meeting of the syndicate. Bulk samples were sent to Adelaide for assay. The result disclosed the presence of silver equal to 800ozs to' the ton. The best previous returns bad been but 2oozs.

*At last the grim Barrier had yielded up its secret. The doors were open, .and'the richest silver-lead mine known to the world wn.? about to begin business. Li a very brief time the Broken Hill Ptv., Co., was formed and from then on for many years, a continuous stream ol wealth flowed from Broken Hill.