EXTRAORDINARY NEWS FROM THE PALMER.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 392, 19 September 1874, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY NEWS FROM THE PALMER.

FBESH ALLUVIAL DISCOVEBIES OP IMMENSE BICHNESS. According to our latest advices (August 5) the great alluvial rush up the river is increasing in richness and extent, and the news that is daily received from it is perfectly astounding — so much so that the " Cooktown Herald" has thought it best not to publish its correspondent's letter, who, though a most reliable authority, still his report on the new rush might have the appearance of fairy tales ! describing as he does the rush to a first-class j " Tom Tddler's ground." He says everyone who chooses to put a pick in the ground can- j not go wrong — gold is everywhere ; and although the rushes are quickly worked out, fresh ground is being opened in every direction, especially towards the Mitchell, and the lead was evidently taking towards the Walsh and the Tate, between which rivers there was an immense amount of country to open. Our correspondent says that all the people are mad — everybody is off to the rush ; policemen resigning, road parties deserted j in fact labour- i ing men were not to be had for love or money. The reefs were quite deserted for the alluvial, and the 4,000 people on the rushes were nearly all on gold, the average earnings being from loz to 4oz per day, and a great number as much as lOoz. to 20oz. per diem. The gold" is easily got, and in large quantities, and over a large area. Several letters have been j handed to us by residents of Cooktown, the gist of them all being to advise each writer's friends to go vp — that the rush was the best alluvial one ever opened in Queensland, and that from loz to 6oz. per day was the general average of earnings of diggers. The ground is awfully broken and rugged, and teams cannot get to it, so diggers will have to rely on their horses for provisions, especially during the wet season. O'Grady says that Jessop, Smith, and Stewart are working as one party in a ravine on Jessop's Creek, upon which, there were at least 500 peaple, all getting good gold. Jeßßop'a party obtained 561 b. weight (6720z.) in four weeks, and O'Grady was shown by Jessop the result of one morning's work, which was 3_lb. weight (420z). •'' The " Cooktown Herald " of sth August says :— "From the tenor of the last letter of • our correspondent, we may judge by the late news received that what he said as to the richness, &c, of the Palmer goldfields, is quite true, Several men who have arrived in town the last few days state that the Palmer is everything that has been said about it, and that at the onset of the rush there was a far greater number flocking to the ground, with less encouragement than, there is at present. Every man who returned from the Palmer River, be he ' pigiron,' ' corn-husk,' or ' banana ' digger gives a most encouraging report of the new field, and one and all say that is the richest and largest gold-field ever opened in Queensland. Nearly every man who comes from the diggings is possessed of more or less gold, and during the last few days our local banks have had as much as they can do in banking small parcels. The men that have re- | turned all expressed themselves in the highest terms of the goldfield", and nearly every man openly states that he will return as speedily as possible, so soon as he can get ' horses upon which he can depend during the next season. Large quantities of gold have arrived in town of late, and during the last few days, and the shipment per Lord Ashley and Boomerang, 8,0690z, was received by that means. Several men we know for a fact, brought lOOOoz., and one man brought in no less than 2000oz. Jessop's party arrived in town bringing 60000z., which was got in a very little time ; so that on the whole, everything on the Palmer is in a most flonrishing condition. The banks shipped by the Boomerang over 60000z., all brought down by private hands, and it is said that at least 25,0000z., are awaiting escort to Palmerville, for conveyance to Cooktown."