SERPENTINE QUARTZ-REEFING COMPANY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1382, 25 May 1878, Page 4

SERPENTINE QUARTZ-REEFING COMPANY.

On the Qth insfc., a numerous party left Naaeby for the purpose of visiting the Serpentine to witness the first crushing at the Serpentine Quartz-reef Company's new machine reoently ereoted on their quarts lease at that place. The machine

was built by Kincaid and M'Queen, of Dunedin, and consists of a battery of five stampers, with bed logs and shaft already fixed for five other stampers should they be needed ; a large overshot wheel, 26 feet in diameter, for working stamps with; another small wheel, 12 feet in diameter, for pumping and raising the quartz. • The depth of the shaft is at present 60 feet, and they are driving on the reef east and west. The reef was struck in the shaft at a distance of 56 feet from the surface, and the present shaft was sunk 35 feet distance along the surface from where the reef cropped out. The Company holds a right to six heads of water, and they imagine they have an abundant supply for all their requirements. On Friday morning, after the visitors and inhabitants had mustered, in the machine shed, Mr W. Inder, one of the Directors and Legal Manager of the Company, made an appropriate speech, wherein he drew attention to the expedition that had been used! in putting up the machine, and specially commented on the exertions made by the engineer and carpenter in charge of the works (Messrs Wylie and James) to get them completed in time to ' allow the Company to obtain a crushing this season. It was well-known that after June mining operations in the Serpentine district would have to be suspended until , September, on account of the heavy falls of snow. The Engineer then allowed the machine a " preliminary canter " to see that all was in order, and, on . being pulled up, Mr J. Oogan was asked to formally open the works by putting a shovelful of quartz into the hopper of the machine. The water was then let on, the wheel slowly revolved, and the stampers rose, rotated, and fell. Three ringing cheers resounded through the shed, which dying away among the surrounding hills, found the stampers noisily proclaiming their presence to a pleased and surprised audience. The very satisfactory and energetic manner in which this Company has carried on its operations is worthy of commendation, and we sincerely hope that this is one of many more such undertakings occurring in our district: Two leases have lately been applied for by Oongreve and party, and another by Warburton and party. Both parties are very sanguine of developing a new reef. One thing ia certain, that a machine like the one just completed will be of -incalculable service in testing the richness of quartz found in the neighbourhood.— Mount Ida" Chronicle.