ARROW FALLS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 301, 4 December 1874, Page 3

ARROW FALLS.

. The site of the Company's operations is at one of the most romantic spots on the course of the Arrow river, known 'as' the Arrow falls. I will not here attempt their, description: They consist of a succession of falls or rapids, and the flowing water and gravel has cut the rocks down so that they stand-hundreds of feet high on either side of the narrow gorge occupiied by the river, but a large mass, of- rock, many thousands of cubic yards, has fallen and filled:up the bed to a height of 50 to 80 feet this backs up the water and gravel, and the river now runs over the top. .Many parties of miners have tried to bottom the bed immediately above the falls, but hone succeeded in obtaining bottom near them, although some of them trot down 40ft Mr. J A. Miller, present mining manager, being a thorough practical .- mirier, went to the 'of the fall an 1 started a tui'ffiel, at -a level which' lie jiV'ged at least sufficiently low, but they drove to a tall ors bench .of reej, . and havi.:p- proved it to' cross the' rivei' bed' from *i.ie-lo si le, thv-Y'Tfist'oV t!ic tnjv. anj drov- tj!! another like b-. neli'oi' fal! w-;«

reached. Three consecutive benches were reached by two' tunnels, and the third ! tunnel was driven sixty feet, when the party—having driven altogether nearly': 500 ft.—-had to cease operations for want of funds, and the works have stood as theywere from that time to the present. It is thought that one more bench exists, up which it will, be necessary to mount before the works are fairly in the regular river bed, but this is mere conjecture. The facts arc, that it is about 80 feet from the surface of the river above to the. level of the tunnel below About forty feet has been sunk, and no sign of bottom, obtained. The character of the remaining forty is yet to be proved, and the manner in which this will be probably effected will be by pushing on the present tunnel, which-is in about sixty feet, until rock or wash is struck. If. a sudden rise of the reef is encountered, it will be necessary to rise oyer it and then drive on again. When " wash" (stuff with gold in it) is obtained, and there is reason to think that the general level of the river bed, has been ascertained beyohd doubt, then the work will be proceeded with in the usual manner which is, to drive the tunnel along the course of the current (deepest ground) and when a convenient distance is reached, a shaft is sunk into the tunnel from the surface, and thus the payable'ground on either side of the tunnel can be worked out, leaving the main tunnel, built, with stone on both sides, and. covered with strong, timber or stone caps, to act as a main tail race, keeping two or more side drains open at the same time to act as safety drains, in case of any temporary accident to a portion of the main tunnel. Auriferous gravel may be raised; to the surface by a whim, or passed out by trucks along the main, tunnel, and washed at its mouth. A.bout half-a-mile of river bed will require to be worked in this way, and the . regaining portion of the ' Company's property it is practical'to sluice, to great advantage.—' Correspondent to the ' Bruce Herald.' :