EXTRAORDINARY NEWS FROM THE PALMER.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 290, 19 September 1874, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY NEWS FROM THE PALMER.

(Prom the ' Guardian.')

FRESH ALLUVIAL DISCOVERIES OF IMMENSE RICHNESS.. According to our latest advices (August 5) the great * alluvial rush up. the river is increasing in richness and extent, and the news that is daily -received from it is perfectly. astounding—so much so that the 'Cooktown Herald' has thought it best not to publish its' correspondent's letter, who, though a most reliable authority, still his report oil the. new rush might have the appearance of a fairy tale, describing as he doesfthe. rush to a first-class "Tom Tiddler's groujjd." -He says everyone who chooses to put a pick.in the ground cannot go wrong-—gold is everywhere; and although the rushes are quickly worked out, fresh ground is being opened in every direction, especially- towards the Mitchell, and the lead was evidently taking towards the Walsh and the Tate; between which rivers there was an immense amount of country to open. Our correspondent says that all the people are mad—everybody is off to the. rush; policemen - resigning, road party deserted; in fact laboring men were not to be had for love or money. The reefs were quite deserted for the alluvial, and the 4,000 people on the rushes were nearly all on gold, the average earnings being from loz. to 4oz. per day, "and a great number as much as lOoz. to 20oz. per diem. The gold is easily got, and in large quantities, and over a large area. Several letters have been-handed to us by residents of Couktown, - the-" gist of them all being to advise each writer's friends to go up—that the rush was the best alluvial one ever opened in Queensland, and that from loz. to 6oz. per day was the general average of earnings of diggers. The ground is awfully broken and rugged, and teams cannot get to it, so diggers will have to rely on their horses for provisions, especially during the wet season, O'Grady says that Jessop, Smith, and Stewart are working as one.party in a ravine on Jessqp's Creek, eight miles from Saddy Creek upon which, there were at least 500 people, all getting good gold. Jessop's .party obtained 561b. weight (6720z.) irT four weeks, and O'Grady was shown byJessop the result of one' morning's work, which was 3|-lb. weight (420z.) The 'Cooktown Herald' of 5 th of August says •.—'■ From the-tenor of the last letter of our correspondent, we may judge By the late news ieceived that what he said as to the richness, &c., of the Palmer Goldfields, is quite true Several men who have arrived in town the last few days state that the Palmer is everything

that has been said about it", and that at the onset of the rush there ' was a far greater number flocking to the ground, with less encouragement than there is at' present. Every mam who returned v from the Palmer Kiver, be": he ' pig-iron,' • corn-husk,' .or ' banna' digger, gives a most encouraging . "report of the new field, and one and all say that is the richest and largest goldfield ever opened in Queens - land. Nearly every man who comes from the diggings is possessed of more or less gold, and during the last few days our local banks have-had as much as they can do in banking, small parcels. The men that have returned all expressed themselves in : the highest terms of the goldfields and nearly every man openly states that he will return-as speedily as possible, so soon as he can get horses upon- which he can depend during the next season. Large quantities of gold have arrived in town of late, and during the last few days, and the shipment per Lord Ashley anil Boomerang, 8,0690z., was received by that means. ' Several men, we know for a fact, broughtT,ooooz., and one man brought in.no less than 2,0000z Jessop's party arrived in town bringing 6,0000z , which was got in - a very little time; so that on the whole, everything on the Palmar is .in a most flourishing condition. The banks shipped by the Boomerang over 6,0000z.. all brought down by private hands, and" it is said that at least 25,000 oz are awaiting escort at Palmerville, for conveyance to Gooktown."

ANOTHER PICTURE.

(From the ' Thsiines'Star.')

Ihe deluded individuals who were attracted to some months - ago by the reputed richness of the newgold discoveries are returning one by one. The familiar , faces; which of old adorned the verandah, and were then missed for a time are once, more beginning to put in such an appearance as fever ague has left to ; them, and some of' them are honest enough to say there is no place like the Thames yet. This is saying a good deal, but it is what some .of the deluded ones' can say with thankfulness?on : returning from a country and a climate, to escape from which with life is a mercy. There is too much reason to fear, however, that some of the bone and sinew of the mining population who were aUur jd from this ■by the prospect of suddenly becoming : rich are now undergoing a process of :- incremation on the tropical plains of the 'Palmer—a process which requires no firework accessoriesbyond the; sun's fervent heat to complete what the climate begins. Only those who have returned can speak of the narrow escape they have had, and the horrors ,to which they voluntarily exposed themselves in the prosecution of their search for gold , which appears to have been as generally unsuccessful as the' reports which attracted them were exaggerated.