FERNHILL COAL COMPANY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1427, 29 March 1879, Page 20

FERNHILL COAL COMPANY.

By the forenoon southern train on the 21st, be tween 30 and 40 gentlemen proceeded from town to theFernhill siding, beyond Abbots ford. The jaunt was undertaken, on the invitation of the Fernhill Coal Company, for the purpose of viewing the Company's work?, and principally the aerial tramway used for the conveyance of coal from the pit to the railway line. Amongst the gentlemen were Mesfi-3 J. Alves, H. Howorth, J. Logan, W. Lambert, and W. Mais ('he principal shareholders ia the Company), his Worship the Mayor, J. Smith (solicitor),' C. S. Reeves, J. Hazlett, and others. Two carriages specially chartered were placed at the accommodation of the visitais. The Company's siding was reached shortly after noon. Here the working of the tramway was fally explained by Mr Alves (who is co-pavtDer with Mr Henry Howorth), and the arrival and discharge of the buckets watched with much interest. A few weeks ago we gave a detailed description of the method upon which the tramway— or " aerial ra'lway " —works. The buckets — coming from the mine fu'l and returning empty— travel upon an endless wire rope, which makes on an average three journeys between the mine and the siding per hour, the distance being threequarters of a mile. Of course it depends upon the number of buckets used how much cjal can be conveyed. At present six tots an hour can be filled into the railway trucks, and we believe this quantity represents what can be taken out of the mine by the hands engaged. As the winter advances, and tbe demand increases, it is confidently expected close upon 100 tons a day will be brought across the wires. Prom tbe terminus the visitors proceeded to the mine, following the course of the line, which crosses hills and gullies tbat tried the " wind " of eonce of the city gaitlemen to a considerable extent. The day was a very fine one and the " constitutional" was thoroughly enjoyed, the s'ght of the buckets on the wire rope overhead^ travelling with magical regularity lending an interest to the walk, while the view from some points was a very fine one. Arrived at tbe mine, a number of gentlemen went through tbe underground workings, aid made a further examination of the tramway, &c. For the return journey there was a slight inclination to travel in one of the buckets on the part of some of the stouter members of the party, but none ventured actually to take this plan. Mr Shaw, the mine manager, however, got on board one of them, and landed at the siding amid cheers. The men frequently travel to and fro in this way. It may be stated that amongst the visitors were one or two gentlemen largely interested in the Macatown reefs, and they were liberal in expressions of satisfaction at the working of the tramway, and of belief in its suitability for the development of reefs in the mountainous interior. The Company had provided a goodly supply of refreshments, and while tbe return train was waited for at the siding an attack was made upon these ; and tbk being over, His Worship the Mayoh called upon the visitors to drink " Success lo the promoters of the Fernhill Coal Company." He referred to the interest with which the working of the tramway had been witnessed, and to the encouragement with which such enterprises should b9 received, as tending to develop the resources of the country. As an eridence of the importance of the coal supply, he mentioned that during the past three yeara the Dunedin Gasworks had used 25,000 tons of coal ; and if it was found gas could be manufactured from the local article, it would be eeen what a saving might be effected. The Kaitangata coal had been very favourably tested, and it might be that other coak would show even better results. After some further remarks, he called upon those present to drink the toast he had proposed, coupled with the name of Mr Henry Howortb.— (Applause.) Mr Howorth, in responding, thanked the visitors for the cordial manner in which they had drunk the toast, and also for their presence on the occasion. All new undertakings required encouragement, aud from what he had heard expressed that day he believed the new Company would receive that in a large degree. They had a long lease of the 324 acres upon

which tha urine «as situate J, w-rile the senn of Odltbey wdre dtiviog on was 19 fe.t in thick ness, aod tie vis to s had seea the complete 1 and efficient pi in by which the osl was brought to tbe railway. He therefore beli^vo.l that tbe cost of production would be 1 jwer thiu tint of any olher cial- mining concern ia the di Irict, and lie firmly expecte'l they would be able to holi! then 1 own ii the master cf coropjtiti vi. Tne visi'o a h-vl 11 >t bte 1 invited, however, \u5h iln \isw (>f fbaiing a company, nor of pi ffih" th'j stare?. (or noae had been put in the maikci. JJutifc hid been decired t) give an exhil.itijn of LLe novel method and patent by which tin wal wa* cmvtyed from tbe mine to the h'lling. Talking of enoomvgoment, they bad nob much <f t,},.a!; when first the plan wps mooted. Mr Davidson, the engineer, ea'<3, "If you OMI takf; it over thesa bills you can take it anywhere.' 1 Well, they had taken it cv-^rUio hi 11.5, and they were ready to take ifc anyv.li-rc. Soiice cV>y, pe-lwps, they would even at'ao'j a slato-oarriage, as had be=nsm,'got ;d that day, and make it a passenger Hlg. — (Lang-iter ) He balieyed he might say the patent was hashed by himself, andthe primary object wilii which it was devised was the reclamation of the harbour. He hoped in a wjek or so to be able t} f-liow them a working model of what wa-> termed a silt li f l-i\ by which the material could he shifteJ and carrielwhoever required. The Harbour Board li^ul a diolge called the New Era, but there would rjally be no n-w era until the new .silt-lifter was brought into use. — ( Laughter. ) He wished especial'}' to mention Mr Alves in connection with the tramway, as one to whose assistance he was much indebted, as w-ll as the other members of the Company, who had lent t.hem every assistance, he thanked the \isit>rs most b°nrtily.— (Applanse.) The )>uty returned to town by the 3.30 p.m. train, alter .1 very pleasant outing and most interesting trip. ____ m ____