CALEDONIAN LOW LEVEL.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4860, 7 August 1884, Page 2

CALEDONIAN LOW LEVEL.

y- The following full report of tho working and cost of the rock drill was forwarded; by the mine manager on Tuesday:— "During the past week Hie drire at; 649 ft level has been extended a further distance of 28ft, making the total distance from starting point 637 ft. During the '-'■' first part of the week ; lßft were drivenin the." same sandstone class of country as reported in my last, but at this point, on Thursday last, a hard bar was met with, which has been -penetrated a distance of 10ft. This bar is equally as bard as any wo hate hitherto met with in the drive. Although the same progress cannot :be made ih-.^ this ; class of rock 'as ;iii' the sandstone, still I consider it a favorable indication, showing that the countryjis noways broken or disturbed, and making the chances of success even better between the back of the bar and the slide. I hate also the honor to furnish you with a second full report on the work carred on! by the rock drill, and by which you will see the great advantage it has proved, both as to time and cost, over hand labor, and I consider that fully three times the amount of ground has been cut than would hare been by hand labor/and at a much less cost, as you will observe the cost per foot furnished includes rails, sleepers, airboxes, timber, steam to work the air»compressor, &c, &c. The wages from starting in February to end of July, £724 18s 6d ; to accounts(February July), £534 15s ,8d; making the total cost :£1259 14s 2d.: A^distance of 637 ft. has been driven, the average cost per foot.be'ng 39s 6d. Besides the b^r we are in at present, and which is ipw cut into 10ft, we have passed through' three previous ba>-d granite bar?, respectively 16, 41, and 39ft, or 96ft in all,^which has ? materially increased the cost of the work. During the 24 weeks there has been several delays at different times, of fully 4 weeks., so that the working time has not • been more than 20 weeks, which makes the average distance driven nearly 32ft per week. I consider the progress has been very satisfactory, taking into consideration . that nearly one-sixth of ; the drive has been in blue granite, and had this granite been driven by band the distance per week, would not have averaged more than 6 to 7ft.—T/A. Dunlo?," ■; A^Vv^^ '■■'..: ROCEY POINT. No breaking down has taken place in the third stope since Tuesday afternoon, the men having been engaged stripping,, putting up another pass, and timbering. The lead/willj however, be taken down tomorrow morning. ■';'■■.•- ■'■"■■ ■'.■■■:"- -'.v x ~'y:■'.■■ V r£ N^^ EDitEK A, (OTgNUI). v : s I A gentleman who visited this mine yesterday; informs us that good gold was seen in\.breaking;:;dpwn';the.NpV;2'TWf-:ia:;:! the;low level. Betortingiwilivtake< place to-morrow, and a good payable yield is expected. The road from the mine to the battery is now so bad that the carter has refused to work.iipon it- ■r^---.' r:-:-^.f^^y%'. - y : ..: MoANATAißr;—Diamond and paytytyi day banked lOozs gold; :\.-;^;tr-::---&;.