COOLGARDIE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2747, 6 December 1894, Page 3

COOLGARDIE.

Mr R. McDonald writes to us from Coolgardie, under date November 15, 1894, as follows : As a large number of Geraldine residents wish to have a reliable report from Coolgardie, and knowing yeur paper has a large circulation in that district, I hope you will find space for this letter. The Coolgardie goldiields are about 400 miles inland from Perth. Travellers go by train from Perth to Southern Cross, distauce about 280 miles. From the Cross to Coolgardie is 121 miles. Coaches run this distance in two days and a-half. All goods are carried by waggons and camels to Coolgardie, the price of carriage ranging from £ls to £2O per ton. The whole country is one vast sand desert. Occasionally patches of bush are passed though, the average height of trees being about 20 feet. There are ho running streams to be seen, not even surface water. Wells have to be sunk at different stages along the road to get water, and when found is mostly salt and has to be condensed. It is then retailed out at from 4d to 6d per gallon. After arriving in Coolgardie I was surprised at the size of the town. The floating population is estimated at 10,000 inhabitants. The houses and shops are mostly built of canvas and corrugated iron. I only noticed one house built of wood. Coolgardie goldfields, are not what the papers say they are. All alluvial ground has been worked out long ago. Some of the miners are working Ihe old tailiugs the fourth time to keep themselves from starving. Some nißke from three to six shillings a day, others make nothing. A good many live on the scraps left over from meals in the hotels. I would strongly advise all wdrkiug men to give Coolgardie a wide berth. There is no work of any description to be got, and there are hundreds in the town doing nothing. All alluvial ground is worked out, so there is no chance for a man to get gold. The new discoveries of alluvial reported in the papers from time to time are very little good. A. few days and they are completely worked out. Trade is very depressed at present. The mines are granted exemption for the Christmas holidays, consequently they are stopping work, aud all the miners are leaving for Perth. The sanitary arrangements are very bad in Coolgardie. Fever is very prevalent here. About twenty deaths have occurred in the week, and it is to be feared that when a fall of rain comes a regular plague will rage in the town. There is no doubt but some of the reefs are very good aud can show good stone. I went down Bayley's claim to-day. The shaft is 300 faet deep to the bottom level. There are four levels in the mine, the first being the best, gold showing very freely in the stone. I also saw some very fine specimens of quartz studded with gold. There are fifteen head of stamp batteries at work, bat they will be stopped in a week or two on account of water. Water is 4s per gallon iu Coolgardie. The town is full of condensers. Living in the town is £b 10s per week, but in a tent one can live comfortably on 30s per week. The only show here is to go out prospecting, and then it is a chance if a reef is found. Myself, Messrs Stuart and Greig, and two 1 miners are going out to prospect a part called Siberia. We intend, if necessary, to give it a twelve months' trial. I will give an estimate of our outfit for the beuefit of anyone intending to come over to- try prospecting. We have bought three camels for £2OO, capable of carrying 15cwt. Then water barrels, bags, miners' tools, and provisions for six months will cost another | £100; then incidental expenees along the road means £SO. A party of five should have from £l5O to £2OO each, so as to be able to hold out till they thoroughly prospect the country. . In conclusion, I would strongly advise all working men to keep away from Coolgardie for the next eighteen months.