Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth, WA : 1855 - 1901), Friday 28 July 1893, page 18


niE AS / /-' RN a OLD FJEL l-8.

Reports op the Warden's Visits to DtTNDAS HfLLS AND COOLOABDIB.

Under date the 15th of July the Warden at Southern Cross (Mr. John M. Finnerty

has furnished the following reports to the Under-Secretary of Lands : — C1 ? J_l ? f^t ? T ? ^__ 1 *r * nAn ** %. _ .

©outnera vjross, tiuiy 10, mya. — l nave the honor to report for the information of the hon. Commissioner of Crown Lands that I went to Dundas Hills. I was unable to obtain anyone who had been to the workings there. I searched through the hills until 1 was short of rations, but could not find any workings other than alluvial. While there there were 30 hours' rain, and with the boggy ground my horses were completely tired out. I returned to Coolgardie. A few days before leaving Coolgardie for Southern Cross I met a man named O'Donnell.oneof the original finders of the Dundas. He informed me that the workings were several mileB to the southward of Dundas Hills. I would have then returned to look for them, but my horses were not in a fit state. I hod to borrow a horse to bring me back to Southern Cross. O'Donnell informed me that the Dundas find was no good. Southern Cross, July 15, 1893.— I have the honor to forward, for the information of the Hon. Commissioner of Crown Lands, report on the Coolgardie portion of the Yilgarn goldfield, from which I returned on the 12th instant. A considerable

township has sprung up at Cooigardie, in which business men, tradesmen and the t dependents of the miners are settled. Alluvial Mining. — In consequence of several new finds, the alluvial workings around the township were almost deserted. | Some men, however, who had been unfor-tunate at these rushes, had returned and were working on the old ground. These men appear at least to be making sufficient to keep them in rations. The principal alluvial workings at pre-sent are — the Ninety Mile or 'Roaring ing Gimlet' and the 30-mile or Han- ' nan's Rush. The Ninety-mile is about -seventy miles northward from Cooigardie. On account of the impossibility of obtain- ^ ing, at Coolgardie, rations in quantities sufficient to take men to this place and keep them there for any length of time, the Ninety-mile had been almost deserted. A limited number who had pack horses, and who had brought supplies with them from York or Southern Cross, are still working there, with, as far as I could learn, fairly satisfactory results. At Hannan's Rush, which is situated about ninety miles to the eastward of Cooigardie township, there are upwards of one thousand men, working with various degrees of success. A number are doing well, the majority making fair wages, and the remainder from wages to nothing. The extent of country here, over which gold has been, obtained, amounts to several square miles. At present alluvial men are working under very disadvantageous con ditions. There is no water to wash the dirt, and the ground is so moist that be fore dry-blowing the dirt has to be dried with large fires ; thus taking three days to do what could in the dry season be done in one day. Notwithstanding these difficul ties some men are doing well. Hannan and his mate, the prospectors, showed me about one hundred and fifty ounces of nug getty gold which they had obtained in under three weeks time. At Lake Lefroy there are still some men prospecting but these, as far as I could learn, are doing very little. Small patches of alluvial have been also found in various directions, but have been soon worked out or deserted for the above rushes. There are also, somewhere on the field, parties, known to be good miners, but whose where-abouts cannot be ascertained. All alluvial workings so far are surface workings. Reefing. — So far the best line of reefing country appears to be a continuation to the southward of that on which Bayley's re-ward claim is situated, taking the Re-ward Claim as a starting point. This claim is now the property of the Bayley's Reward Claim syndicate. On this claim there is an open cutting about sixty feet in length, from which the reef has been taken out to a depth of about ten feet. The reef in this cutting shows from four to ten (?) feet in width. From this cutting gold to the value of up wards of forty thousand pounds has been extracted. About the centre of this cut-ting an underlay shaft has been sunk to a depth of twenty-five feet. The sinking is being continued. The stone(?) in this shaft carries gold throughout with two rich veins of highly mineralised stone six inches wide, running from top to bottom of the shaft, exceedingly rich in gold. Just be-fore I left the south end of the cutting had been slightly extended and showed gold as rich as any previous find. This reef has been followed, on the surface, for about 180 feet, from the south end of the claim north-ward. Here there is a break in the country and the reef has been thrown about thirty feet to the Eastward, whence it again continues northward. About the centre of the Reward Claim and East of this line of reef, a vertical shaft is being put down. This shaft is ten feet by four feet in the clear and is now down to a depth of about ninety feet, beautifully timbered with sawn timber. It is the intention to continue this shaft to a depth of three hundred feet, but at one hundred feet a crosscut will be put in to the westward to prove the country. On the result of this crosscut to a great extent depends the immediate success of the field. This reef, known as ' Bayley's Reef,' underlies to the Eastward. On this same claim is another reef known as 'Gorrie's' which is on the west of " Bay ley's ' Reef" and runs nearly parallel at a distance of about sixty feet. It is thrown out to the East at the same place and in the same manner as ' Bayley's Reef.' The underlie of this reef is opposite to that of Bayley's reef, being to the West. On this reef an underlay shaft is being sunk, now down about twenty-five feet. The reef is about four feet wide, of solid quartz, which on the surface carries apparently about one ounce of gold to the ton, and appears to be improving in depth. The stone raised on this claim is crushed in a Panklast crusher and then put through a Berdan pan. These machines are driven by a small engine, the boiler of which was originally heated by kerosene, but which has now been adapted to burn wood. To the northward of the Reward Claim is the lease, originally granted to Bayley and Ford, of five acres, and now held by the Bayley's Reward Syndicate. The Bay-

ley's reef shows through it. Good gold has been obtained from the lease, but very little work has been done on it. To the southward of Bayley's Reward claim is a lease, originally held by G. Gorrie and others, now taken over by the Bayley's syndicate. The reef first found on the ground is that which I have called "Gorrie's,' when describing Bayley's Re-ward Claim. On this two shafts have been sunk — twenty feet and fourteen feet res-pectively. On the reef between these two shafts is an open cutting about six feet deep, reaching from shaft to shaft. The stone raised has, by test, given about five ounces to the ton. There have also been two other shafts sunk, one 30ft. and the other 42ft. These were sunk to cut the reefs ' Bayley's' and ' Gorrie's.' That to cut Bayley's was sunk on the wrong side of the reef, and is useless — the other con-tinued should cut Gorrie's, about three hundred feet from the boundary of Bay-ley's Reward Claim, in this lease. Bayley's reef has been cut in a shaft twenty feet deep. The reef here shows gold. Blocking on to the east side of the Re-ward Claim, is a lease known as Kelly's. This has also been taken over by Bayley's syndicate. No real work has been done on this, as alluvial miners have been constant-ly working on it. An angle of Bayley's reef runs into this ground. The syndicate

have also applied for another lease of nine acres adjoining Bayley's original lease on the east. There is no reef showing on the ground. This ground has been taken up to catch the underlie of Bayley's reef. A three-acre lease, north of Reward claim, has been applied by the syndicate. An 18 acre lease, Kelly's, adjoining the above 3 acre lease on the north-west corner, has also been taken over by the syndicate. A reef about six feet wide shows on the surface, and contains gold. Another lease, six acres, has also boon applied for by the syndicate. Thie adjoins Gorrie's lease on the east, and is intended to catch underlie of Bayley's line of reef. South-east of and adjoining Gorrie's lease is a. lease applied for by Dugan and Lyons. There is not any reef showing on this ground. East of Gor rie's line is a lease applied for by Mclvoe. On this a reef is Bhowing, but very little work has been done. About three-quarters a mile to the southward is a lease of 12 acres, in the name of Keats, Cummings and Hardy. On this sinking is being done, but no reef is visible. South of (his and lease adjoining, is a lease known as Moon's Lease, of 10 acres. On this is a shaft about 10ft. deep, showing lode carrying apparently va-yable o-nlrl. The lode is about 4ft. wide. To the south

ward again comes a leasn of 5 acres — Hall and Jones'. On this is a crosscut about 8ft. deep through the reef, which shows appar ently payable gold. The gold here is very fine. Next a lease of 10 acres held by Harris and others. On this is a crosscut 5ft. deep through the reef, which shows gold. To the southward again, is a lease held by Glegg and others. On this are two shafts about 25ft. deep and connected by a drive, at the bottom, about 20ft. in. length. In this the reef is email but rich. Further southward, a lease held by Colreavy and others. On this are several holes on the reef, from 8ft. to 10ft. in depth. The stone in these holes shows gold. Next comes a lease applied for by Wisdom and others. On this are two holes on the reef, in which are colors of gold. Further south, a lease held by Stocker and others— 12 acresi On this are throe shafts : 23ft., 21ft, and 18ft. respectively. The reef runs from 2ft. 6in. to 7ft. in width, and shows good igold. Next is a lease applied for by Keats and others. There is no work done on this. Jackson, Harris, and Hardy have the next ground. The reef shows on the surface. There arc several email holes on the reef, and at south end of ground is a shaft about 25ft. deeep. Th stone raised show^g old. The reef here is about 3ft. wide. Next Philpot and others— there are small holes

on the reef, which shows fair gold. Next come Robinson and M'Farlane with a leaise. On this is a shaft 30ft. deep, with crosscut 23ft. On this ground is a large blow of quartz, highly mineralised. This appears to divide to the northward into two lodes, separating at an angle of about 15 degrees. The shaft is sunk between these lodes, and the crosscut at bottom shows gold in both lodes. Just before leaving the field I eaw some stone just found on this ground. The stone was very rich, but I cannot say what amount there may be like that shown. About this part of the line are several other claims and leases ap plied for, but no work has been done. Twenty-five miles to the northward from Cooigardie township are three leases (ap plied for). The nearest to Cooigardie is that held by Davis and Carnegie. On this a shaft has been sunk about 33ft., and several small holes opened on the reef. Gold can bo found in the stone. Adjoining on the North is a lease originally held by Adam and others, now taken over by Melbourne speculators. The reef on this has been opened in several places to a depth of about ten feet ; the stone from all of which is apparently payable. Further in the Northward is a lease applied for by Blackett. Colors of gold can be seen in the

stone, but no work has been done. At Hannan's, or the 30-mile Rush, several leases or claims have been applied for, and some rich stone found in leaders, but no werk has been done to show of what value they may be. A lease has been applied for 90 miles north-east of Cooigardie, and a little of the stone was brought in, which showed gold freely. I am informed that the reef is only about 30 inches in width. In all forty nine leases and thirty -four reefing chums have been applied for. Several of these, however, have been abandoned. At present the reefing outlook is satis factory as far as can be seen, but in almost all c;tses the shows so far are only surface shows ; no work having been done in the way of development except on Bayley's Reward claim. The population of the Cooigardie gold field, I estimated when there, at aoout seventeen hundred men, and on my road back to Southern Cross I passed upwards of one hundred men on the way to the field. Many of those on the field were in a state of semi-starvation. Not from want of money to buy supplies but because there was nothing in the shape of flour, rice or oatmeal to be bought. Flour, during my stay, when obtainable, reached as high as one shilling and sixpence per pound. Just before I left some teams loaded ?'-''?'

partly with flour arrived, but the supply would last a very short time among the large population of diggers. To supply an adequate amount, upwards of a ton of flour would be requisite daily. Should the num bers of arrivals continue long as at present, there will be serious danger of starvation for many. Water supply — considering the large and increasing number of men, it is absolutely necessary that vigorous and prompt effort should be made to prepare for the summer. A tank or other arrangement is necessary at the 30-mile, at the 90-mile and 25-mile Rushes. The tanks at Cooigardie are only ten feet in depth, and when filled by the, winter rains will not last until January. The ground is good holding ground to a depth of at least 30 feet. While the we,t;sea fion lasts the 30-mile and 90-mile can obtain a supply from the three smaller lakes, hut as soon as the rains cease thiB water will either evaporate or become salt. ; In con clusion I beg to Btate that the prospects .of the field are very good, and that, for some considerable time to come, men in limited numbers will be able to at leaf t make good wages at the alluvial. After dry-blowing becomes ?»?:'?'' -- 1-1~ -^«-.«-r. ^^' foiin to gether, and oonserve water bo astowork *

THE 'FORWARD MOVEMENT.'— SISTER LOUIE. (See page 27)