WETHERSTONES DEEP SHAFT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 83, 11 September 1869, Page 3

WETHERSTONES DEEP SHAFT.

(To the Editor of the Tuapeka Times.)

Sir, — Though admiring the virtuous indignation of " Miner " in your issue of the 4th inst., I thiuk it only charitable to put him in possession of more correct information on some of the matters he has alluded to.

The Committee, as yet, know no reason why they should agree with " Miner's" opinion that " the £80 subscribed, with the Government subsidy, represents at least £250 ; " and it appears to me probable that " Miner's" letter, if uncontradicted and unexplained, may prove a very sufficient excuse for the Government to avail of, that they may refuse the subsidy. " Miner" says, " the contractor well knows there is not a practical man on the Committee." The contractor has informed mo — and indeed I have long known the fact — that there are on the Committee two practical miners, one of them having had considei'able practical experience at Ballarat. " Miner" says the contractor (he believes) will be deprived of air before he follows the reef ten feet further; this, when it happens will be a miracle in a small way ; however, I supppse " Miner " means that the air will be so vitiated as to be dangerous to health or life. Here, likewise, the contractor (an experienced miner who "has been employed at Ballarat") differs from " Miner," and says that, owing to the centreing put in by the present Committee, the air is as pure in the drive as on the surface, and that he will engage to drive 200 feet if necessary without requiring machinery to force air.

He states that the main shaft should have been sunk fourteen to thirty feet through the bed rock. The Committee had specified for sinking fourteen feet into the bed rock, but did sink only seven feet, for the simple reason that sinking fourteen feet, with the preparatory work of removing water, &c, would have consumed very nearly the entire of the money at their disposal, as the contractor required £10 per foot for the additional seven feet of sinking. Moreover, I have been informed that in no case at Ballarat has there been so great a depth as thirty feet in hard rock till the gutter has first been found to be payable. "Miner" describes (as he thinks) the proper mode of working, and asserts that it would cost only half of what the work, as at present done, costs. Now, sir, as figures are the only reliable criterian in such matters, and mere assertion, however stout, is vox et praeterea nilril, I trust that " Miner" has made sufficiently accurate and sufficiently detailed calculations to prove his statement, and that he will hand over such calculations to you for your edification, and to be published as a boon to less experienced miners. However, his plan was exactly in every respect the plan provided in the specification as at first drawn out, but the Committee, after carefully considering some suggestions made to them, thought they saw reason to alter the arrangement, and adopted the plan now being carried out, on the grounds both of less cost and greater fitness. It is difficult to understand the animus displayed by "Miner" towards the Committee. They certainly have done the best they could for the undertaking, neither wishing for nor expecting personal advantage in the matter. They devoted much time and trouble to it ; they subscribed to all the collections, contributing, I think, about three-fourths of the last collection, and the entire of the collection previous to tbat. When about to recommence the work at the shaft, about twelve months past, the Committee applied in the local papers to miners and others to assist them with their advice: and

| having got no such aid, one of them, — a person of no mining experience, but of I considerable experience in drawing out specifications, and as an engineer, — had to procure and collate, as he best could, information from miners and others, and on such information to found a specification and agreement. — X am, &c. One op the Committee. (To the Editor of the Tuapeka Times.) Sir, — Allow me space for a few remarks respecting tue deep shaft at Wetherstones, and also in reference to a letter in your issue of the 4th inst., signed " Miner."

1 never entertained any hopes of a payable discovery being struck in the deep shaft, as I always considered the deposit similar to that of the Blue Spur, which would not pay to a prolit if water cou^ no * be brought to bear upon it for s^ u * cvl o- nave no intention to disco ura o e enterprise, rather the contrary ; aB a S ood r ound sum of money has be en expended i n a t_ tempting to reach the gutter, it wou ld be a great pity to see the shaft abandoned for the sake of £200 or £300 to give it a proper test ; if nothing is discovered payable the matter will rest in oblivion for ever. Nor yet do I consider the writer's mode of working the deep shaft the best — by " sinking from fourteen to thirty feet in the bed rock, and driving until the gravel is reached." This method is very dangerous as well as an expensive mode of working. I have had some considerable experience in the mother country through rock strata. At the depth of fourteen feet water had to be sent down to bore the drill holes for blasting ; at the depth of twenty feet, sixinch pumps had to be erected to keep down the water to enable us to proceed with the sinking of the shaft ; and if a similar spring was tapped in Wetherstones, it would prove perilous to all future operations. As Dr. Halley says, the preventative is better than the cure, remarking, in handing the extracted tooth to his patient, " There, that will not pain you again." Nor yet will it be a painful regret to the Managing Committee if they do not attempt to sink in the bed rock that distance. The suggestion I would offer is, to sink a sump in the bed rock for a water reserve four feet deep, then commence a drive about sixty or eighty feet in length ; at the end of this drive cut out a stall or platform, in order to rig a windlass ; commence a blind shaft, and sink to the bed rock ; should you find the rock dipping at the same angle — 26 deg. — continue as above stated. It would be a ridiculous attempt to drive on the main reef for any length, as ne person could use a wheelbarrow at that angle ; and moreover, just imagine a small stream of water following a man driving at that angle in a sitting position, if it was only two gallons per hour. I think if " Miner" had to perform a similar contract at the same angle he would find himself in a very uncomfortable position. As long as the Committee keep the workings confined to the cement until the reef is found running in a horisontal shape, they stand every chance of avoiding water springs. "Miner" speaks of the contractor being deprived of air; it is an easy thing to supply the shaft with air ; say thirty yards of double-width calico, made into a small hose, well dipped in boiled oil, which closes up the pores of the web and makes it airtight ; let it hang down the shaft ; connect it to an atr-receiver at the top os the shaft in a hopper-shape form. The same have answered in deeper shafts than Wetherstones. " Miner" is quite right in some of his remarks. There should be some men of experience connected with the management, and not give contracts to parties unless qualified, for the sake of a few shillings, who hang on for a mere existence. — I am, &c, Blue Spurian. Blue Spur, September Bth. (To the Editor of the Tuapeka Times.) Sir, — In reference to a letter signed " Miner" in your issue of the 4th September, I consider it nothing but just, as the contractor of the deep shaft, to correct a few of his statements. I, as miner of fifteen years' evperience in deep sinking, have never known the j main "haft to be sunk to a depth of I thirty feet in hard rock before the gutter was proved to be payable, and, according to my experience, I con3ider the Committee's mode of working the deep shaft is the " least expensive and the most successful." " Miner" says the shaft should be sunk at a depth of from fourteen to thirty feet. It was the Committee's wish it should be sunk to a depth of fourteen feet, but finding the rock so hard tnat ib .could nob be sunk under £10 per foot, the Committee thought it advisable to alter their opinion, as the amount of money in hand, after draining the shaft, would not sink any more than fourteen feet. " Miner" states that I shall be deprived of air before I drive ten feet furtner. I am prepared to drive 200 feet further, and will not require any machinery to force air down the shaft. I should like to know if " Miner" knows what the centres, in the shaft are for. He also states there is no practical man on the Committee. I beg to inform him there are three practical men on the Committee ; one of them I know from experience to have had great practice in deep sinking at Ballarat. Is " Miner a practical deep sinker ? as I think very little of his experience. I should like him to visit the deep

shaft and inspect the work done — that is if he is not afraid of foul air — as he appears to take so much interest in | other perple's affairs. I think it would j suit him better to mind his own busi- ! ness. — I :im, &c, The Contractor. Wetherstones, September 9.