CHARLESTON.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 714, 22 September 1870, Page 2

CHARLESTON.

THE TOWN LEAD. (TBOM OITB OWK COBBESPONDENT.) Tuesday. The above Lead, though not the first locality in which gold was discovered in Charleston, was, nevertheless, the cause of the first extensive rush to the district, and it still maintains the favorable reputation acquired in the days of its early development. Portions of the Lead have been already worked three distinct times, and on each occasion with highly satisfactory results. Two parties, M'Carthy and party and Sullivan and party, who set in to work at the commencement of the rush, are still engaged on the Lead, the former having three years, and the latter two years, work in their respective claims. The ground stilt unworked extends for miles, which, with a plentiful water supply would afford remunerative employment to an extensive population.

The recent dry weather has already given rise to a great scarcity of water, the Deep Creek darn, covering an area of two miles, by an average width of a mile, has already fallen a foot, and other first-class supplies have become deficient.

At the Town Lead some of the claims have stopped operations for want of the necessary element, more especially where the mode of working is by ground-sluicing. The old Queen's Own is being worked by this system; the party now working the ground on tribute consists of three men, who succeed in making fair wages.

Sullivan and party, who work ground adjoining, hold an extended claim, and have been located on the lead during the past four year. They are crushing and ground-sluicing, but the battery is at present idle for want of water. The stripping in this claim is about 14 feet. T!ie ground is held by five men, who succeed in making good wages, and if they had a constant water supply the returns would be exceptionally good. Adjoining Sullivan, are O'Donnell and party, who consist of three shareholders. Their battery is also idle owing to the same cause, and they are at present only ground-sluicing. When in full working order their earnings are from £7 to £8 weekly per man. They have been engaged during the past three years in the ground, and still have twelve months' work in the claim.

M'Carthy, Murray, and party, who are among the oldest occupiers of the lead, hold a lease of three acres, which is at present protected while the party are engaged working the ground under Princes street. They have three wages men employed, and are making splendid returns. The ground now being worked consists of cement, and is passed through a battery. Ground, similar in character, when pounded by hand in the early days, yielded £l2 to £l4 weekly, and, with the increased facilities possessed for crushing, their returns must be enormous. The lease is worked by ground-sluicing, with the assistance of hydraulic power. In addition to a highly payable claim, the party hold one of the best water-rights in the district, yielding an average income of £3O weekly. Mitchell and party, who are also ground-sluicing by a system of hydraulics, are making satisfactory wages. The party consists of three shareholders. Craddock and party, who are working ground below Mitchell, consist of three men. They are ground-sluicing and hydraulicing, and have about six months' work in their claim. Leggatt and party, consisting of three, hold a claim adjoining, and have about twelve months' work before them. They follow the same system of working.

South of Princes street are Cadigan and party, consisting of four shareholders. They have been engaged about eighteen months in their claim, and are likely to be still occupied for a like term. This party purchased, solely for the purpose of working the ground, Crewdson's Eoyal Mail Hotel and a butcher's shop adjoining, as also the right to work the ground occupied by the " Herald " office, and Dwan's auction mart, the total purchase money being £lls.

Larkin and party, who, by-the-by, are stated by thn local paper to be about worked out, have still nine months work in their claim. There are three in the party, and they also are ground-sluicing by hydraulics. A similar system of working ia adopted by Lunday and party, consisting of four shareholders, who hold a five acre lease, and have about twelve months work still in their ground. A party of four men, known as Hill and party, hold a three acre

lease adjoining. They work the ground on the same system, and will be employed for three years. The claim is paying excellent wages, although a fourth share was disposed of on the 2nd instant for £UO only. The share is generally stated to have been jold much below its value. Murphy and party, consisting of three men, jre also ground-sluicing by hydraulics, tad have about twelve months work in their claim. At the lower end of the Lead, Ferguson and party and Monnier and party, each of three men, are strip. ping 10 feet, and crushing the cement, ffhich ia about six feet thick. Their earnings are from £3 to £4 per week, md there are acres of ground unoccuEied, from which similar results might e obtained. ! Daley and party, consisting of six ien, are working a five acre lease by round-sluicing, with very satisfactory ■suits. The above'are all the claims at prent working, and the number of men engaged does not probably exceed sixty, while if water were cheap and ibundant, their is ample room for JOO miners.