CHARTER TOWERS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1768, 26 July 1888, Page 3

CHARTER TOWERS.

The following items about this famous mining town are from a private letter to a well known Lyttelton resident, who has kindly placed them at our disposal: — . Charter Towers is the largest inland town in North Queensland, and is ,woll known as turning out large quantities of gold every month. Valuable mining machinery is now erected. J n the deep sinking the miners work day and night in shifts, so that the work is never stopped; often when working out at nights the big blasts are distinctly heard, even though fired low down, and sometimes the ground is distinctly felt to shake. Every miner has to change his clothes complete when he comes up to the mouth of the pit off duty, and leaves his working clothes behind to be examined by a man appointed for the purpose, so that no gold is taken away. However, the writer has seen one or two specimens of fine nuggets which have been caaried in the men’s mouths. When the shifts change the yells and shrieks of the whistles from the various engines make a regular pandemonium. The town is scattered over three or four miles; wherever the reefs run richest there the houses are thickest. The mining exchanges are open every night, and shares are bought and sold by auction, which provides a very reliable market, and gives confidence to those concerned. —Press.