Image TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage Tile
Image size: 5632x7680 Scale: 35% - PanoJS3
Page overview thumbnail

Article text

GOLD SEARCHERS
AT WORK.
River Normal at Takone.
"Fever" Abating Now.
Wiisliing for gold was commenced
again in earnest at Takono yesterday
morning. Early in tho week thcro was
a licavy fall of rain in tho ranges be
yond Takone, with tho result that thc
Inglis river rose rapidly. Ono of thc
miners stated yesterday that tho risc
of tho water did not affect thom to any
grcut extent, but thcro was a ono time
indication of further heavy rain, and it
was considered thc river might rise
still further and destroy all tho work
they had dune in limiting "paddocks,"
etc. However, thero was no further
rain, and they were- ublo to commence
work again yesterday morning.
"Tho fever" which existed, whou
gold was first discovered is gradually
dying away, and a number of minors
who wero in tho early rush havo loft
tho field. A representativo of thc
"Advocate" visited tho field yester
day and saw thrco parties leaving; an
other party was getting ready to leave
tho following day.
Tho river is pegged for at least a
milo on either side of tho bridge, but
few of tho claims arc being worked at
present. Yesterday there wero about
half a dozen parties operating.
PROMISING CLAIM.
About half a mile below tho bridgo
Mr. Fred Btigg, Takone, was working a
claim which is considered to bc most
promising. He stated that he had been
able' to do very littlo work thcro for
somo time, but at present he .was mak
ing good wages, and thcro was,every
indication of improved returns. Ho
wa3 being assisted by two young sons,
who took a delight in displaying a num
ber of "colors" which they had in a
bottle.
Another claim below thc bridgo was
hoing worked by a party comprising
Messrs. C. and A. Chatwin and J. Hay,
and though they had just commenced
operations they had a number of colors
to show for their work. ^ ?
.Tho centre of attraction is the claim
being worked by tho original discover
ers, Messrs. Arnold and Wilson, and
which talcos in an area on either sido
of tho bridge. Both wero previously
engaged as mill hands at thc sawmill
in tho vicinity, and in evenings and
other sparo time.they interested them
selves in "fossicking" in tho river.
Their success may bo gauged from
tho fact that it ivas estimated by Mr.
Arnold yesterday that they had ob
tained 18 ounces or over £120 worth
of tho precious metal.
li OZS. A DAY.
Ho stated that they- had averaged
ono and a half ounces a day. "Of
course," he said we call a day eight
hours at tho cradle, and not tho-timo
wo put in on tho claim, which is often
12 hours a day, for there is a lot of
dead work." Thero was no secrecy
regarding tho "panning off;" their
sole reason for doing this in tho even
ing in thc camp being that it was bet
ter to do it thcro than to remain in
tho stream for two hours more than
was necessary. Por tho benefit of his
interviewer Mr. Arnold took a handful
of black metal from tho cradle, and
passing his fingers through it, exhibited
the gold. Tho handful of metal was
studded with fair-sized colors. Ho
stated that tho biggest nugget they hud
procured so far weighed about a penny
weight and a half. Several dishes wero
also washed, each one containing num
erous colors.
Both Messrs. Arnold and Wilson aro
confident that tho colors aro from a
lode, as quartz is present in large pro
portions. They stated that visitors
so hampered their activities that they
had found it necessary to stop them
coming down to where they wero work
ing, and only allowed them to watch
operations from tho bridgo and banks
of tho river. Indications were, they
said, that the only thing which would
drivo them from their claim was the
rise of water in tho winter months.
They stated that many of thoso who
had boen attracted to tho diggings
knew nothing of gold mining whatever,
and consequently their stay on tho field
was of short duration.
TWO PROM VICTORIA.
Among tho latest who havo boon at
tracted to tho diggings are two young
mon from Victoria, who wero connected
with a boxing troupe, and hearing of
tho gold find gavo up their occupation,
and getting to Tasmania, made their
way to Takone. They were disappoint
ed, however, and intend leaving tho
field to take up their previous work.
Messrs. Plowers and O'Neill re-coin
menced operations yesterday, and aro
accounting for tho metal in payable
quantities.
Tho opinion was expressed yesterday
that within a few weeks thero would bo
few parties remaining on tho fiold. For
a considerable distanco on either side
of tho bridge thero aro numerous "pad
docks," and for thoso who aro not ac
customed to gold mining operations tho
field provides tho utmost interest.
Every day thcro aro many visitors to
tho field.
$