OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4971, 15 December 1884, Page 2

OUR MINES.

DEEP LEVEL OEOSS.

No quartz has been broken for a few days in the drive at the Imperial No. 5 level. Tbe No. 3 reef emits a large quan^ tity of gas when broken, and as the air is already light, the manager is leafing the lode standing for the present, and confining his attention to stripping. As soon as No. 5 level of the Saxon shaft is dry, the No. 2 reef will probably be driven on seaward, as ventilation can be more easily secured in this drive than in the one on No. 3 reef, and it is not likely to prove much more difficult to communicate from here with the drive below than from the point where it was first intended to sink. QUEEN OF BEAUTY.

The manager reported to-day:—" We are still making satisfactory progress in sinking the shaft, 14ft having been again sunk during the fortnight, making a total of 58ft below No. 10 level, or 718 ft from the surface, and 78ft deeper than the Big Pump shaft. This leaves only 22ft to sink previous to opening out for an 80ft level. During the fortnight four lengths of pipes (two on each lift), with the necessary rods, have been added to the pumps, and the shaft timbered and made secure. The ground has been a nice clean sandstone, with the exception of the N.W. corner, where the dark stratum of ground has again slightly made its appearance, but as the sandstone country still dips from the south-east, or from the point where I expect the reef to come from, I consider that everything looks very favorable for getting a good gold-bearing reef when we open out. Pumping machinery: I am happy to say that notwithstanding the increased depth of the shaft the machinery still works with the same ease and smoothness as when the first alteration was made. As a proof of the capability of tbe pumps I may mention that they were idle 7 hours one day during last week, and in 5| hours after the pumps were started the men were enabled to resume work in the bottom ; the pumps having thus reduced the accumulation of 12J hours' water in 5| hours.—Thos. Badfobd." THAMES GOLDEN CROWN.

The list is now open for shareholders to apply for their portion of the new issue of 15,000 shares. The negotiations with the Caledonian Company for the use of the lied Queen shaft have not been completed, and consequently the work of removing the old heymour machinery is in abeyance. The manager reports that the battery has been running full time during the week, 15 head for the Cambria and 5 for the Darwin. The Darwin has now stopped crushing, and Dryden and party, Caledonian tributers, have started. In the mine there are four men employed cleaning out a winze between the 170 feet level and the old crosscut from the Cure bottom workings. The crosscut is standing all in good order, and it is from this the first winze will be suuk on the Waiotahi No. 5 reef, and driving will also be started from here along the body of quartz supposed, according to survey, to be the Cambria reef. Cleaning out this winze will give ventilation and travelling way through the Crown shaft.

SAXON. A start waß made today to put the machinery in order, preparatory to commencing baling. The manager (Mr J. Coutts), writing on Saturday, says :—" I inspected your mine to-day, and found everything in very fair condition. Some of the principal works carried on by the late companies atNos. 3 and 4 levels were the sinking of winzes on No. 1 and 2 reefs from No. 3 to No. 4 level; also driving on each of these reefs at No. 4 level. No. 2 reef is on the south side of the shaft, about 30ft. from No. 4 chamber ; at this point the reef upwards has been blocked out for some distance on each side of the shaft, with payable results. The London G.M. Co. has driven on this reef over 200 ft. eastward from where the com* pany previous to them stopped driving. I saw gold to»day iv this reef, near the Iboitom of the drive, about loft, in from where the London commenced driving. From here to the face of the drive the reef has only been taken out in places. A winze has been sunk on this reef from No. 3 to No. 4 level, but little or no quartz was broken down. The reef is about 15in. in thickness, and I have every reason to believe the block of ground above this level will pay to take out. Some distance back from the face of this drive a crosscut has been put in on the south side, or footwall of this reef, which has been driven on here about 60 or 70 feet; also a winze has been sank down on this reef from No. 3 to No. 4 level, and payable gold was got in sinking. The last crushing the London broke out was taken from near the bottom of the winze, and yielded, lam informed, about l^oz pec load. There is a considerable amount of crushing dirt here, and there is some excellent mineral showing in the quartz. I would strongly recommend that six or eight men be put on here to break out quartz at once, and I have no doubt it will prove payable. I would also recommend the sinking of the shaft. Some of the best gold the Prince Imperial had was obtained below the level of the bottom of this shaft. The No. 2 reef should also be cut in a few feet of j sinking. lam also informed that a favorable change of country is coming in the bottom of the shaft." CALEDONIAN,

Good headway is been made with the crosscut at No. 3 level, 23ft having been driven since the contractors took charge. A leader 3 inches wide, and carrying good indications for gold, is running with the crosscut. There is still about 200 ft to drive to cut the Red Queen leader. At No. 2 level the leading stope is over where the gold was got in the drive, and the leader is looking very well. Some repairs to the timbering of the shaft wiU be made at Christmas.

SOOSY POINT. The manager is driving both east and west on the croseleader cut last week, but so far.no more quartz has been brok.ea than that taken down while cutting tfayoagh the lode. The country is a vsyy favorable class of sandstone^ $nd gold is showing in the leader The aiopes are looking about t^e same aa usual. GOLD EETUKNS.

Dabt.—Ross and party have backed 3ozs 19dwtsgold.

Lithe Jimmy.—Ste^eftUQß and party have finished a for 25ozs 13d wta LosrsjHiND. — Johnstone and party, tributers, have crushed a parcel at their own mill for 4ozs gold.