THE ROMANCE OF BROKEN HILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 13 July 1907, Page 4

THE ROMANCE OF BROKEN HILL.

"Mr Charles flied at Adelaide cm the '22 nd May, will be remembered in Australian history as the discoverer of the great silver mines at Broken Hill which iiro known now throughout the world. Xnt a quarter of a century ago Mount Clipps run was known to but iVw people in Australia, and then it was a sheep walk. There was excitement iii l!ie air in tlic early eighties, due to the discovery of argentiferous galent in the Silvcrton mines, and prospecting parties M-ouied thfc neighboring country. Not lo them, however, but to the boundary rider who knew nothing of geology was the discovery of the silver-lead deposit duo. Charles Rasp, who was employed in this capacity at Mount Gipps station, got to know in the discharge of his duties pretty well, the whole of ihe rim. JTe thought this indicated tin ore, and he started prospecting in partnership with two men. They pegged out a claim, afterwards known as Block 11. and with the money which four additional shareholders put into the yenlure they took up six more blocks, partIv because thoy thought tho appearance favorable, and partly to keep off troublesome neighbors. The country thus obtained by these men with their capital of £•100 is now Broken Hill—the richest silver-lead mine that the world has seen.

H would be easy, of course, to say that this was pure luck, and tliat 110 particular credit was due to Charles Hasp for Ms discovery. But one has to remember that many a boundary rider be- , fore him had gone through the pad- . docks of Mount Oipps run—men just as i wel! equipped as he for the work which : he did—and that none of them noticed t the peculiar formation, or if they noticed . it, took no further trouble in the mat- • ter. The faculty of observation which - lie had cultivated was accompanied by the enterprise and the determination which go towards the making of the ; successful pioneer in whatever undertak- ' ing or walk of life. For the work was I , by 110 means nil done when the blocks , had been pegged out, and shafts sunk • here ami there. The returns were pn>r at first, and at times the hearts of the prospectors failed them. They thought the lode was done, and some of the men were inclined to give up the Btruggle. "There was no accommodation," said Mr Hasp in his description of those bitter days, "water and provisions wore scarce, and the weather ivas trying." Hilt, the syndicate kept pegging away, all but one of tlieui, who sold for I'lO a share which was worth millions. Mr Rasp himself never lost faith iu the venture, and he, showed his confidence by buying this share, together yri)>« half the shave of another prospec' ■" later on. He did not indeed nntieipate ,-uch a glorious result as was in store for him, lmt ho had unlimited faith in it right through, and, as he said, "always thought it would be a fairly good thing." The reward for his keenness of observation, for his laborious days, for bis courage and endurance, eanie with romantic suddenness and in overflowing measure. Unlike the old shepherd of lirunton Stephens' poem—who daily tramped over the hidden riches of Mount Morgan, nor dreamed of their existence—Charles Hasp turned bis knowledge of the scene of his 'bilies to account. Australia has benefited largely by the (pmlities which transformed an ordinary boundary rider into the discoverer of the richest silver-lead | mines in tiie world.—Sydney Morning Herald. ' ' I