The Shotover District and its Mines.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1523, 19 March 1886, Page 5

The Shotover District and its Mines.

(BT OUE SPECIAL RKPOBTXH.)

(Continued.)

| Amongst the companies which survived the crash I that followed over-speculation and dishonest practices at the Skippers reefs was the Scandinavian ! mine. But a more insidious enemy than either undermined its existence, namely, internal dissension amonest the owners, who eventually sold to Messrs G. F. Bnllen, R. M'Glashen & Co., prices varying from £llOO to £I6OO per share; and the new owners then formed the Scandinavian Co. A battery of 30 heads, purchased in Melbourne, was erected by the new company, Mr Smith being the engineer of the works, while Mr J. F. Roskrnge was in charge as mine manager. When the latter resigned, Mr Smith took full charge of both mine and machine, and in his turn was succeeded by Mr Peter Sorensen as manager, who took out the gold left in sight by the prospectors, when very little being done towards further discovery, the mine was soon exhausted, and by some considered as worked out; but not so by the proprietors. Applications were called in the Melbourne Argu* for a manager, which led to the appointment of Mr Fred. Evans (an experienced mine manager, and still in charge), who at once saw that a large expenditure was necessary to properly prospect the mine. At this time the Company had no funds in hand—in fact, it was in debt to Mr Bullen, who had advanced large sums. The Company then agreed to sell the mine and plant by auction, which resulted in Mr Bullen buying the whole property for £4OO, but as his advances to the Company amounted to several thousands of pounds, the purchase was not so cheap a oue as would appear on the face of it.

When Mr Evans took charge of the mine for Mr

Bullen, prospecting was vigorously commeuced for the discovery of the continuation of the prospector's run cf gold, but it could not be traced below the No. 1 level. Level No. 3 was then started, 120 ft. below No. 1 level, when a run of gold was found, a portion of which was worked on tribute with payable results. The tributers were eventually bought out by the Phcenix mine, the level exteuded and the lode worked in a systematic manner, but without any payable results. Prospecting was continued by driving a cross-cut further north for 60ft., with the object of reaching the north lode ; but the ground proving very hard it is abandoned for the present. The stone from which the tributers obtained such good returns proved to be an isolated block, similar to that worked by the original prospectors, measuring 100 ft. long and 40ft. deep. This eccentricity of the lode led to much prospecting for the continuation of the runs worked in the higher levels, but without avail.

Messrs Southberg and To. (late Ota go Company) having abandoned their lease on the eastern side of the cieek, it was immediately taken up and added to the Plnrnix, Mr Kvms at once recognising the \a!ue of the ground to the Ph&nix mine, even if it contained no gold at all. The level, entered by SoutM>erg and Co., in the abandoned lease was c ntimied to the north lode towards the Phoenix mine, and a run of gold, which afterwards yielded upwards of 3000 ounces, was found. This being 27ft. above the level of No. 6, a cross-cut was put in, which first tapped the middle, aud afterwards the north lode.

The middle lode at this point disclosed undreamtof riches, and the Promised Land lode being discovered about two years ago, placed the Phcenix mine in a position it had never approached at any former period of its existence. Until these really splendid discoveries were made, the mine manager's Ixst efforts remained unavailing, in spite of the superior system of prospecting upon which all searches for the lost lodes or for new ones were conducted. Several improvements were effected in the mine, machinery and other appliances, without, however, leading to the discovery of permanently payable shoots of stone, which might furnish Mr Bui leu with some proof of the value of his property. Through all these trying times, during which the mine was worked at a loss, the l>est accord continue! to exist between Mr Bullen and his mine manager, Mr Kvans, and to this mutual confidence nny l>e attributed the success which has in the end attended tiie present management. With Mr Kvans" succession to the management of the Scandinavian as the sole property of Mr Bullen, the mine changed its name to the significant appellatiou of

THE PHCEXIX MINE. Leaving the earlier history of the mine for a description of its present state and prospects, a few generalities, which it has in common with the other mines in this district, may lie touched upon. The formation, running through the different leases that go to make uo the Pliomix property, contains four gold-hearing lodes, t«< which must he added a fifth, which has, thus far, not heen found to contain payable g"ld. or, at least, no rich shoots, such as occur in the other lodes. The gold-ltearing lodes are the north and the south lodes at the extremity of the formation, ami whose names explain themselves sufficiently. The Promised Land lode, which is now \iclding such really splendid returns, lies next to the north lode, and the middle next to it on the south. Next comes the main lode, and then the south lode, which latter has been unproductive up to the preseut time. All these lodes dip in a northerly direction, though at different angles, and run east and west. In their longitudinal course these lodes sometimes approach each other, but without merging one into the other —always carrying a dividing wall l>etween them—and continue their course separately. All the shoots of gold strike west. The best cold is generally found at the hanging wall. In all these features the reefs conform to the general characteristics of theOtagan reefs, but their distinguishing features are that they improve in riuiiuess and permanence as they go down. and the gold generally more diffused throughout the whole body of the stone, which, in all the gold-hearing portions of the lodes, is of a free, pliable nature, and showing a clean and sharp cleavage. One or two facts may l>e mentioned here, which may somewhat account for the long period occupied in opening out the mine, namely, that the shoots of gold at the surface were confined to the main lode and north lode. The Promised Land and middh lodes not reaching up to tiie parrallel of the surface runs of gold, and was, in a measure, misleading for the deep ground, but there is every possibility of these lodes being productive in depth, and possibly on more extension both east and vest.

The north lode averages 3ft. in thickness; the Promised Lan 1 ~>ft.; the middle lode from 6to 7ft.;

and the main lode from 10 to l ift. As the gold makes or increases in one lode it is found to give out in another—that is to say, no two lodes carry gold in parrallel stretches, at least not so far as proved, although the payable stretche* may often overlap each other for considerable distances. This peculiarity necessitates careful attention and much judgment on the part of the management, which is quite equal to the difficulty. The character of the gold in the different lodes is generally of a coarse nature, with the exception that the I'roinised Land lode carries a greater quantity of fiue gold than any of the other lodes. The main lode yields richer pyrites and coarser gold than any of the other lodes in this claim —a nugget weighing l.tdwts. having been found in it. Yet, with all this, it is not payable at present. The mine is opened by three main working levels, two of which are used at present, and are connected by six passes, which are timbered and all kept in good working order, both for tilling up stopes and passing down quartz. All are, of course, provided with self delivering shoots, and from them the stone is conveyed to self-delivering paddocks, from which it is fed to the crushing mill. Not a particle of tjuartz is allowed to be handled twine, and under such an arrangement it is delivered from the face of the slope and thence to the macnine with the least possible expense of labor. All the tunnels were originally provided with iron rails, but these are being gradually replaced by steel rails, which are superseding them. The iron and steel are alout the same size, the Bteel being the latest. The trucks, which have a capacity equal to loewts., are all of iron. The work in the mine is conducted upon the contract system, that is to say, all the quartz is raised at per ton for three months, and all tbediives

I in progress are let in small contracts of generally 100 ft. lengths, so that anyone who understands the work may compete. Under tins system Mr Evans has his quartz delivered at the passes in the mine for from 7s. 6d. to Bs. 6d. per ton—the contractors finding their own candles, dynamite, etc. — and this mine is perhaps the only one in these colonies where quartz is raised so cheaply. The cost includes everything but the dead work, such as putting up passes and driving levels. Mr Evans j engages trncKmen by day wage to take the qaartz ' from the passes to the mill. The quartz all passes over a weigh-bridge, with which will be connected an electric counter, when every truck will be registered in the office. The men engaged in the mine and about the mill have, for many months past, exceeded 90 in number. Besides these there are from eight to ten men employed as sawyers, packers, timber-getters, etc. No less than 25 horses are constantly packing or hauling supplies to the mines, not counting teams occasionally employed in the transport of machinery, etc., from Queenstown to the reefs. The heaviest pieces of machinery brought up to the reefs were the frames of the dynamos for the electric works, and which were solid castings, weighing 37cwts.' and were dragged up upon trollies especially built for the purpose. On an average the transport of machinery from Queenstown to the reefs costs from £ls to £SO per ton. The stamper boxes are always brought up in two pieces, and to show the difficulty that has hitherto been experienced in the transport of the more ponderous pieces of machinery along the road —or rather track —it may be mentioned that at the Zigzag, and near Skipper's bridgewhere only three horses can be yoked to the trollies —it has often taken from 10 to '2O men, with levers, screw-jacks and other such appliances, to move one trolly about 200 yards per day. And then only at the risk of the machinery or the men going down over precipices into the seething waters of the Shotover, raging in its rock-hound channel, several hundred feet below. This state of things is much altered now, and will fortunately further improve as the new dray-road gets made by Government. Four horses, especially bought for the purpose, with two drivers, manage the ordinary heavy loads, anvthing special, such as a receiver, having more assistance —the old system of blocks and ropes being done away with. ( To be continued.)