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HAIMPTOIN PLAIINS ESTATE.
MARKS OF PROGRESS.
A BRIGHTER OUTLOOK.
At no time in the -history of the
Hampton Plains -Estate, Limited, has
the mining outlook worn such a favor
able appearance as at the present mo
anent. It *had been thought for a
long period that these lands were look
ed up and not availalble for prospec
tors, but that notion has now been
dispelled. , Evidence of the truth of
the. latter assertion can readily be
obtained 'by reference to the com
pany's regulations, from which it can
be gathered that the terms are quitd
as good, if not better, than those of
the Government. One essential dif
ference, however, exists. The com
pany reserve to themselves the right
of every alternate block. The liberal
,policy in the main of the' company
and the assistance extended to pros
pectors have had the effect of turning
a great deal of attention of late to
wards the Hampton Plains Estate,
upon which a considerable number of
leases have been taken up at various
places.
The foregoing remark refers more
particularly to Block 59, close to
Coolgardie, where .some few months
ago a rich }patch of 'gold was discover
ed at the old Italians' claim, now
known *as the Federal. Several
leases have been taken up adjacent to
that property, mostly by Coolgardie
syndicates, who have thrown energetic
work into their ventures with every
prospect of success rewarding their
enterprise.
About one mile south of the find
referred to in the latter paragraph
another line of reef has been opened
up. It is popularly known in the
Coolgardie district under the name of
Kelly's reef. Altogether the company
have granted three. i2-acre leases upon
it, all of which have produced satisfac
factory crushings. The develop
ments to date are kindly and the pros
pects give reason for good 'hopes of
payable concerns. The compeany
have adjoining blocks to the shows in
question, and these have been let on
tribute on favorable terms. The tri
buters are making capital progress.
IA number of small parties of tri
buters who have pegged out ground
on Block 50, where the company run
a 5-head battery, have been able to
keep the stamps going with. an ample
quantity, of ore for the last two years.
The stone in this locality is very
patchly. Sometimes very rich finds
have Ibeen made, but up,to the pre
sent nothing- of .a permanent charac
ter has been developed.
On the South end of Block 50 'a!
larger venture known as the Hampton
Boulder and Queen mines has been
worked. These mines have been
connected with the Central mill, some
five miles away,, by means of a trama
line. The ore is run to the mill by
a locomotive: The work done on. the
mines "so far has proved the existence
of a huge. ore body, but unfortunately
after exhaustive trials -the grade ' of
stone hlas :been shown to be too low
to make a prodit on the work. Con
sequently worik has been suspended
for the time being.
Aibout two miles from the last men
tioned place, Date's Reef is situated.
Here a very prgmising ore body has
been opened uip. The lode has been
driven on for nearly 2ooft., and a.bulk
crushing from it at. the company's
mill gave an average return of lodwt.
to the ton. This mine is likely to
develop into a really good property.
.A"bout a mile Softh of Date's a lease
has been gianted to Campbell and
Robinson, who recently put through
a crushing of 86 tons for a yield of
61 oz. The stone was got from a
shaft only 4oft. deep. The result
ma?.t have been very satisfactory to
the owners.
The company possess a well-equip
ped 25-head battery and cyanide plant
on Block 48. Some so to 12 miles of
tramline operate in conjunction with
thai. installation, and the company are
prepared to tram and crush' parcels
from anywhere in the vicinity of the
line at the rate of i?s. per ton-seem
ingly a reasonable figure.
The shareholders of the Hampton
Platiis Estate, Limited, practically
agreed to a suggestion for- the inau
guration of an eytensave system. of dia
mond drill boring to prove the reefs
on the property at a greater depth. It
is understood tihat it is the intention
of the company to form a syndicate
for that purpose on somewhat similar
lines to those adopted by the Associat
ed Northern Blocks in relation to the
formation of the Associated Northern
Syndicate. Meanwhile the company
have decided to give- the system a
trial under their own immediate aus
pices; and a contract has been made
on favorable terms for diamond dril
ling. That work is now in full swing.
Generally speaking the Hampton
Plains Estate affords exceptional faci
lities for mining. Besides forests of
timber suitable either for firewood or
mining purposes water can be got
in big quantities. " For instance the
large dam at Wollubar has a holding
capacity of from so,ooo,ooo to
5,ooo,ooo gallons of ' water, which
can be brodtght into ready use.
Tlhe prospects of the Hampton
Plains Estate, Limited, seem .to be on
tihe up-grade and are. brighter, than
ever. The tract of 2-16,ooo acres- of
country over which the company en
joys mineral rights, amongst others
contains big possibilities for .the ad
venturous prospector.
$