CROMWELL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 50, 14 January 1870, Page 3

CROMWELL.

(From our owa Correspondent.) The water supply is now reported to have fallen short, and serious apprehensions are entertained for the remainder of the season. During the next week or two the shortcoming will not {operate so severely as |it would otherwise have done. Washing-up preparatory to the holidays has become general, and a smaller supply of water will suit that purpose than would be required for general sluicing purposes. Still, there is no immediate prospect of relief. One or two showers fell during the past week, but the dry ground and parching sun soon obliterated every trace of it, and the surrouniing watercourse and gullies are now as dry and parched as ever. One of these showers was rather a smart one. It was accompanied by a thunderstorm, and intelligence from the surrounding districts state that considerable damage has been done. A portion of the road along the Dunstan G-orge was carried away, and for a time vehicles travelling that road were delayed, though not seriously. At the Cromwell Plains the rain was heavy, but it was not by any means terrific, consequently we may conclude that we only received the tail end of tbe storm. Of the washings up some very good ones are expected. The runs have extended over periods of three and four months, and as the time put in has been upon the whole full, a good underlay of gold should be turned out. The reefs continue to progress satisfactorily. On the Bendigo line, so far as they have been opened up, they exhibit an excellent prospect. The original prospectors, Logan and party, have had a dispute among themselves, and at the last sitting of the "Warden's Court a judicial trustee was appointed on the application of one of the shareholders. Further proceedings . in the matter will take place, and it is more than probable that there will be a dissolution of the copartnery. Let the issue be what it may, there is not the shadow of a doubt but that Mr. Logan and Mr. Groodger are the pioneers of quartz-reefing in Otago. But for the indomi'able perseverance of the one, .and the unbounded faith of the other, .the Bendigo Grully leads might have remained long enough undeveloped.

The Aurora claim battery will be ready - for work in the course of a counle of weeks, and it is more than likely that machinery will shortly be erected on some of the others. TheSaxby, on the Bendigo line, is the latest instance'of a very promising prospect. Last week three dwts. were taken out of the rixbiv'e casing, and from the position of the claim stone ccu'd be raised at muih less than a mine could be wrought in the majority of cases.

The head of the Cromwell Council has at least been taken into Court to show by what right he exercises his functions. At Cromwell they have a strange way of transacting "business. No soonor was the writ served than a special meeting of the Council was called, and a resolution unanimously psssed that a certain solicitor should be retained to defend the suit. Of course this implies that the law expenses are to be defrayed by the ratepayers. This is local self-government with a vengeance. The inhabitants are to be rated to defend a suit in whicbthe acting Mayor's position is challenged. That is a new state of affairs, and the question arises—What shall we have next?

Jan. 1. 1870.

The events of tlie last few have been of a mixed character. Scarcely had the gaieties of the season been entered upon before a melancholy event took place which has cast a gloom over the entire community. Mr. J. ~W. Garrett, well known as one of the pioneer quartz-reefers at the Bendjgo Gully, was killed on the evening of Thursday last by a fall from his horse. During the day Mr. Garrett had been attending the Cromwell raees as a steward. In the evening He returned to town, and abc Hut 10 p.m. left on horseback for the Lowburn. On the road he was joined by a companion, and the two rode together at a speed of six miles an hour. At a part of the road, three or four miles from town, Garrett fell behind, and his companion (named Barclay) was alarmed to hear what he described at the inquest as a splash. On returning to ascertain the cause he found deceased lying on the ground in a pool of water. On attempting to raise him he found that he was either deiid or dying. Assistance was procured as fast a3 possible, and the deceased removed to Cromwell. Medical aid was immediately procured, but life was found to be extinct. Deceased had evidently alighted on his head, and broken his neck, thereby producing instantaneous death. There are circumstances which give a deep shade to the sad event. The evening before the accident deceased took part in an amateur concert which took place in one of the hotels. To that very same apartment his.body was removed, and on the same boards on which he had sung twenty-four hour 3 previously his body was stretched out a lifeless corpse. He was, comparatively speaking, a young man, and after years of anxious toil he had just attained to a position of comparative affluence.

The races passed off successfully, al though Grarrett's death caused thein to drag heavily towards the end. The district horse showed to good advantage.

The long-continued drought has now changed, and within the last few days v e hav had copious raius If it only continues it will make the hearts of both the miner and agriculturist rejoice.

In wishing you the complements of the season allow- me to congratulate you on the show you made in the last escort returns. Tou may believe it, there is gold in Mount Ida yet. [The above letter reached us too late for insertion in our last issue.]