CHARLESTON.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 706, 3 September 1870, Page 2

CHARLESTON.

(fROII A CORRESPONDENT.) September 2. My last letter concluded with a promise to furnish particulars of the mode of operation and the productiveness of the more important claims on the Bark Lead. First among these, whether the extent of working plant is considered, or the quantity of gold that has been taken out of the ground is the Maori Chief Gold Mining Co. ' This company comeneed operations some three years ago, and, with the improved system of working the ground now in vogue, the claim will give three to four years' work. At the outset an eight-horso power engino was placed on the ground, driving two batteries of five stamps, each stamp weighing 300 lbs. The ground originally taken up has long since been worked out and they now hold a lease of oleven acres. Upon taking up the leaso the engine was given up and a water-wheel erected on the old crushing site of the Dublin City Company. The. water wheel effected a very important saving in the items of labor and fuel, while the increased facility with which the ten head of stamps were driven enabled tho company to put a largely

increased quantity of cement through the batteries. About 500 tous of stud" are the weekly average of the present crushiugs—a result which attests the superiority of the plant. The depth of cement throughout the claim varies from six to fourteen* feet; the tramway at present iu use for conveying the cement, to the .-hoot is about 400 yards long, and the trucks are worked by horse power. There are twelve men employed by the company and the average monthly returns are from £7OO to £800; the last dividend was at the rate of £2l per week per man, and the amount of gold taken out of the ground during the three years the company have been at work is betvveeu £22,000 and £21,000. Two of the original shareholders recently sold out and proceeded to Englaud, and the parties who at present hold interests are Messrs Wilson, Jackson, O'Dea, Quigley, King and Baker. The Excelsior Company consists of three shareholders—Messrs Jenkins, Taylor, and Frauklyu, and these employ ten wages men. The plant consists of a wheel, 28ft in diameter, driving 8 head of stamps, eucii 270 lbs and they put through about 350 tons of cement weekly. They have about half a mile of tramway with light iron rails. This party are working a 2| acre lease, and have some years' work still before them. The returns I was unable to arrive at, but the claim has been long known as paying well, and has already yielded a very considerable quantity of gold. The Enterprise Co. consists of six shareholders who have only three additional men employed. There are about twelve mouths' work still in this ground, but in addition the company have secured a lease of six acres, which they will subsequently work. They have a great depth of cement, averaging fourteen feet, and crush about 400 tons weekly by means of two iron, batteries each of six head of stamps of ISO lbs, driven by a waterwheel. This claim adjoins the Maori Chief and ranks next to it in productiveness. The average monthly yield of gold is from £OSO to £7OO which, after deducting expenses gives a dividend of £ls to £l3, weekly, per man.

The Cosmopolitan Water-race and Gold Mining Co. was registered under the Limited Liability Act upwards of thre years ago. This company has twenty acres of ground in various leases, worked by ten men to whom the ground is let. The batterries consist of nine head of stamps iu all, of 180 lbs., and they crush -100 tons of cement weekly. "The water rents amount to £35 per week. The Dublin City claim was being by worked ground-el aiciugjb ut they have now a water-wheel and stampers. The plates, after a short crushing look remarkably well, and the prospects of this claim are very favorably spoken of.

Hurley and party hold a five-acre lease with several years' work before them. The party consists of three, in addition to four wages men engaged, and their present earnings clear of all expenses are £3 to £lO weekly per man, and their prospects are said to be improving. They put through about 300 tons of cement weekly, the machinery consisting of a powerful waterwheel driving 8 iron stampers of 370 lbs. each.

Carroll and party are the holders of a six-acre lease, and consist of five shareholders, with four additional men employed on wages. They crush weekly 210 tons of cement by means of a water-wheel and iron stampers of 200 lbs each, and average net earnings of £lO to £l2 weekly per man. O'Brien and party hold an extended claim, the party consisting of five. They crush about 300 tons weekly, and their average earnings are £5 to £6 per week. Brennan and party have a lease of seven acres which employs fivo shareholders in addition to two wages men They crush 280 tons of cement weekly. yielding an average of £6 to £7 weekly per man. Their water is conveyed from a creek by a long race which contains two miles of fluming. Jolliffo and party, consisting of three shareholders, are putting through about 90 tons weekly, crushing only by day. The claiuys an extended one, and the party are doing moderately.

Harris and party, consisting of two, are ground-sluicing, with very satisfactory results ; and Colvin aud party are cutting a tail-race with the same object.

Excepting Scanlan and party, who have not fairly set in to work, the above are all the claims being worked on this lead. These workings, independently of crushing the cement, will give employment for years to parties ground-sluicing, as the surface will pay well under tho latter system of working.