CORRESPONDENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 69, 22 March 1871, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE

; t ' v ■ ■ THE BRUNNER COAL MINE. To the Editoii of th-jo. Nelson Evening Mail Sir — The Grey River -Argus which is, if the proprietors' statement is credited, " the best conducted journaLonVHie West Coast," has of late been the medium of disseminating some curious views on the subject of the Bruuner Coal-m'kie. In the issue of the 14th inst. is an articfe on the Brunncr mine and the Nelson Government, which may tend to mislead those who do not know the district. I will therefore point out one or two statements which I think will convince anyone of the utter unreliability of the Argus article in question, and of others of a similar nature that have preceded it in that journal. Here is quotation No. 1 : — "If a capitalist applies for the Bruuner mine he is told by the Nelson Government that he must bring his coal down their side of the river, for no other reason than because it is their side." In answer to this unfounded statement I may observe that all the engineers who have been consulted on the subject, have given their verdict in favor of the line being carried down on the north side of the river for the following reasons. Ist. The only mine that can be profitably worked is on that side (north) of the river. 2nd. The distance is a mile and three quarters less than on the south side, aud in contrast to the proposed line on that side of the river, there is not an engineering difficulty betwen Cobden and the Brunner mine. While on this question I may as well observe that the oracular "we" of the Argus a few months ago expressed himself on this subject thus— '• despite the opinion of all the engineers to the contrary, we still hold the opinion that a railroad can be constructed as cheaply on the south side of the river as on the north." Again, "as the trade, shipping, and general conveniences for the transacting ' business are all on the other side of the river, the making a railway or constructing wharves or other appliances on the Nelson side would be merely a wasteful expenditure of money if his competitors were to bring down the coal on the south bank of the river." I presume the trade and shipping will be where the coal is ; as to the " general conveniences for transacting business" I am at a loss to understand what is meant, except that it is the wharf, which is constructed of white pine andrimu, aud some of the piles are not now within 3 feet of the shingle, and those which were driven three years ago are as rotten as can be. Now I maintain that, so far as real substantial wharfage accommodation* is concerned, both sides of the river am"' much of a muchness," neither sidepossessing..a foot ; but a stone wharf could be constructed at a much less expense on the Nelson side on account of the close proximity of the rock. A capitalist would laugh at competitors bringing coal down on the south side of the river. The fact is, about five and a half miles from the mouth of the Grey River is a splendid seam of coal of excellent quality. On the north side of the river the seam rises about two in five, on the south side it dips that much, and of course cannot be worked without an immense outlay for machinery, for pumping, &c, consequently it is impossible for the south to compete with the Brunner seam. The Argus thus calls on the General Government to work the two seams in conjunction, that is, make the easily worked one pay the expenses of the other, which simply means raising the price of coal to about double that at which a capitalist could deliver it if he leased the Bunner mine alone. Youra, &c, Black Diamond.