THE CHAFFINCH BOOM.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13908, 6 December 1910, Page 9

THE CHAFFINCH BOOM.

"GOLD VALtJBS YET TO BE

FOUND."

United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copy tl S ht •

PERTH, December 5

A telegram from tho manager of tho Great Chaffinch Mines states that gold values have yet to be found. This was followed by what was almost a panic in the mining markets. Values fell all round.

A message from Southern Cross to the "Argus" on November 24th said:— -■ During tho last tow days reports that very rich ore had been found on tho Chaffinch lease were circulated, but doubt openly expressed regarding the genuineness of the discovery became so pronounced that -Mr H. Arthur, representative of the company, invited all the pressmen in town to proceed to the Chaffinch and see for themselves. At noon a motor-car. carrying newspaper representatives, in company witn Mr Arthur and Mr Charles De Rose, proceeded from Southern Cross to Chaffinch. , Hundreds of men who hod examined the lease without locating tho rich ore which had caused so much discussion, joined the occupants of the car on their arrival at the Bullfinch township. Within tho boundary of tho Chaffinch lease, Mr Arthur faced tho crowd, and invited them to follow. "This way, gentlemen," he said, picking up a pick and shovel from tho camp on tne lease, r.nd proceeding towards the workings somo two or three chains from tho dividing line of tho Chaffinch and Greenfinch leases.

Going resolutely to work with the pick, Mr Arthur broke down about a toot of ground, but yet nothing was seen. There wero audible expressions of disapproval among the closely-packed crowd looking intently into the workings. "This Kills the boom/ observed somebody sardonically. The next moment the pick-point jarred on solid material, and out came lumps of lode matter, glittering with tho precious metal. Stuff was flung up among the now excited onlookers, worth hundreds of ounces to the ton. One stone, weighing about a pound, looked equal to yielding 3oz or 4oz. The delver in the oosteen worked on, revealing with every stroke more of tlie precious deposit. The vein was a small one, at the brow of the trench, but had widened to a foot amongst the richlooking matter that covered the bottom of tlie oosteen. Everybody was convinced that the Chaffinch hnd was not only the richest find outside the Bullfinch, but as rich as anything discovered in the Bullfinch, although no one can speak as to its extent. Satisfied with his work and the gold he had displayed to the critics, Mr Arthur emerged from the trench, and was greeted with ringing cheers. A subsequent washing ot a dish of loose matter shovelled from the bottom of the'workings yielded quite an ounce of gold, apart from several rough pieces picked out during the panning offi.