BLUE SPUR.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 183, 10 August 1871, Page 5

BLUE SPUR.

(From our Mininj Correspondent.)

Owin^ to the late severe weather mostly all our water-races are completely s-iowed up, consequently the workings aid all bui at a stand-still f.>r want of a sufficient snpply of watex*. But as the accumulation of snow 0:1 the ranges gives a good supply during the winter m mths, we ca»'t grani'le.

Messrs. ILiles and ll hide, aid White & C >„ are washing up, an I driving for a fresh start. The British American Cornpmy fire 1 a large blast on ftl >nday evenin wi h gooi effect. The larga naming s expected to h« flushed this wj.-Ic I'liey have been held bauk greaMy for want of tim'»er. Morrison and Co., th* S'elsoa Co.npa ly, aid (Jrait Kxt^nlel Company are working half time, so we have plenty idle time.

A rmh of co isidenhle extent from the t<> a supposed reef at the foot of Mv ims Gully enlivened us for a fjw day*, ft appears a modern Rip Van Winkle fell a»leep s anewliere abont six yeiraa.j>. ILilns just woke up aniim.i_rino 1 he hid disc >vered a very rich, reef — that is t > bsl ev<i his own account. Not beim in a position to nypn it himself. h«j liid lii-* case h -fire soai i of oar w 'alfchy neighbours, who, of c mrse, thoiight they w*re in for something grind what with old Kip's glowing inscription of the gold Hb had picked oub und < aled inians at £200, thay soon inadd up th-ir minds for action. Agreem juts were duly an 1 leg illy drawn up by a solicitor t>> mike all safe, a'»d tlm precis sp<»t to lie in id i kn"wn privately. Next. >n>rning a fe>v indivi luais might hive been seen leaving the Sour o:i horseback, cirrying ra'her suspicious bundles lawfully rapt n«>. As we havj no constable stationed here, Wd c>uld only surmise the content* of th^ bnidles. The ir^uera! opi io'i wa? thafc they res-mbled 12 feet lt*i.gths of 3x2. IL-wevwr. the mystery wis a >on cleared un, for in next morning's issue of tlie " Tnap ika Times " a lease application for 23 acres of a qanrtz reef aj)pearsd, with the horsemen's names attache I. A3 w? had nothing e'si to do, of c mrae fol.o>ved »'i t. and got a claim as near the prospectors as possible. Fii a short tima the «rouid was pg-jtgHl ab-uU six miles, the ae r ond day as many more, and pos^iblv wo ild be ppggi'itr yet but, after a h ird half-d iy'a work by the lucky holders, not a vpstiie of quartz coul I b-$ found. I be'i ye old Rip said th > quarz had turned blac'c, as nothii'^ coul I be f n,nd but hard burnt slate. Hub great change.* take pace in a few year. However, it is hop >d something good may come out nf it yet, an it is believed a quartz reef exis 8 sotnewh°r>i in the neighbourhood. Owin^ to the mv üb>r of speci nens founl, n<>mio -c might think it worth while to give it a better prospecting.