TRUIHS FROM LONGWOOD. TO THE EDITOR

Otago Witness, Issue 1499, 7 August 1880, Page 10

TRUIHS FROM LONGWOOD. TO THE EDITOR

Sib,— l mmt first apologise for the length of toy letter, but in consequence of the various reports, and also the number of battery experts in Kiverton, it forces me into detail to make myself oroperly understood. An article appeared in the Otago Witness of July 3rd headed " Encouragement to raiaeva, \ and Btates that the disappointment that the (shareholders experienced in Print z s cleaning up ■was due, not to the gold not being m the stone, but because it was lost in the crushing Now, Mr Editor, the tone of other papers have been similar in effect. Also the quantity of amalgam in view on the platG3, namely, 600 ounces ; and as all the reports in circulation have not been contradicted, tbe public naturallylconclude that they must be correct, and as they materially tend to damage the reputation of the amali?a. mist, I think it best to explain by giving a lull account of my share iv the crushing. f 1 did not intend to have done so, but the unfair and ungentlemanly treatment I have received at the bands of the directory totally banishes auy sornples I had on th? subject. I was engaged in Beef ion by telegraph to be in Riverton on May 7th I arrived with my family before my timp, but was not Bent to the battery before May 17th. Without describing the machine, which, to Pay the least, consists of parts of two or three very antiquated batteries, I must refer to tbe tables, which were new. A fair spread of copper and a long spread of blanket streaks, in f-'ct, blanketa sufficient in length for Btone containing antimony where you could not use either copper or silver, rbere are three ripples or wells to each table or that depth, that eaoh properly charged would take 401bs of silver. I charged with as near as I could guess about 301bs. When_ I received orders to make a start all tbe materials I had to hand were two bottles of cyanide and four bottles of silver, not even sodium, silver buckets, dish, bowl, or any requisite or requirement, although I had given a list of what was wanted immediately I ariived. The copper wa3 well cleansed, and although only cyanide was üßed they took silver well, and were in as fine a condition for receiving gold as coald possibly be wished for. Of course I had to use the silver direct from the bottles, and take it for granted it was in candition, and I have every reason to believe it was. The start was made on Monday, May 24th, and for the first three days I could just see that there was gold, and that was all Buton Thursday,' 27th, a pa f oh came suddenly to view cf about lOOoz of amalgam from a heap of quartz stacked outside the tunnel; and the ( next day a much smaller patch direct from tbe mine : and until the oio?e of the crushing the jield was as poor i s tho start, so poor that the increase of geld wab hardly perceptible. Tbe blankets had due attention— l tested them eeveral times, but could neither get f reo gold nor amalgam, and only a few particles of silver 5 and I am certaiu that they would not return a quarter of the value expended on them. When tbe clean up took placj I had no berdan and not even a mortar that was fit for use. I tried several dishes of quartz both from the feeding room and from tbe mine, and never once got the colour. The mine manager often tried ■with like success. The plain fact of the case is the t old was not there, and I have not seen one spec of gold either in the quartz or washed out yet The quantity of quartz reduced, according to the mine manager's tally, was over 140 tons, no : ; 33 tons as published. And if that was not an attempt to gnll and hoodwink the public, at any retell displayed such gross ignorance iv the matters of the mine that it reflects no credit on all those concerned, by making false repreBentations. With regard to the report of the 600oz of amalgam, I distinctly told two of the directors, as well as the legal manager, that I th< ught there was close on 300oz of amalgam, but it was very dirty, and that I had no appliances to oleanse or remove skimmings. As there was no more quartz to crush on June 12 th, I received a verbal week's notice from the mine manager, which week I passed in working at the machine shed, thus^ finishing my engagement on June 19th ; and it was not until the 28th of June that I received a cheque for five weekß' work, without receiving one sixpence for loss of time, or anything towards my expenses in coming from Reef ton. I must .«.lso st3te that the manager haH had the tail race thoroughly tried and tested, and is quite convinced that there has been no loss of either gold or silver. Now, Mr Editor, I can substantiate every statement here made, both as regards the crushing and the treatment I have received ; and I eincerely hope it will be regarded as a caution to tbofo who m*y be engaged in disvant places to come here — 1 am, &c , Jambs Sawxkb Fitch, Amalgamiflfc, Late from the Keep-It-Dark GJ-. Mi Co., Beeftox}. £ Pouedin, July 25fcb,