FORTIFICATION RAILWAY AND COAL COMPANY,

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 10 April 1901, Page 24

FORTIFICATION RAILWAY AND COAL COM PANY,

THE SALE OF THE TOWNSHIP

A number of the directors and shareholders o.f the Fortification Railway and Coal Company which was formed about two years ago to work a portion of the extensive coalfield lying a few miles south-east of Milton, paid a visa to the coalpits on Wednesday, on the occasion of the sale by auction of the " town iots " on which is to be built the' future tewnship of Fortification. Coal ha* been mined in this locality practically ever since Tokomairiro was settled, and a quarter of a century ago the project of opening up this coalfield by means of a railway was mooted, but the long years slipped by, and it remained for another generation to see the laying of a railway track down the valley of the Tokomairiro River. In 1698 the first Fortification Coal Company was formed by a few enterprising residents of Milton,, but it was only by a few, the majority having very sceptical ideas about the success of the venture. Colour was lent to the latter view by the way the company went to work. A etern-wheeF steamer was built, 'at considerable cost* -«nd was to be used • for the purpose ~o€- bringing, coal up the river about three miles towhere-a "shoot " was erected^ From here it was to be conveyed to Milton by means of a huge wa-ggon drawn by a traction engine. The memory of the trial trip of the steamer will still be fresh in the minds of the Milton people who were present. The engine was unable to respond to the demand* made on it, and the ECfoare 3noaed craft dropped down the river at less than a mile an hour, at times being towed, and at other times drifting slowly on a sluggish tide. However, the operations of this company, whose capital was limited to £2000, served to attract attention to the value of the deposits of coal at Fortification, and some time in 1899 a new company, with a capital of £4-0,000, was floated in Dunedin and took over the mine and the plant of the old company. The new company naturally went to work on a bigger scale, and a little over a year ago let a contract to Mr G. Miller for the construction of the railway, which, including siding 3, is six miles in length. This is now nearly complete, and has been executed in a highly satisfactory manner. The Government standard in everything was adopted, and gentlemen who are in a. position to judge say that the line is quite equal to any laid down by the Railway department. It is about six miles long, and presented no engineering difficulties of any importance. The cost will probably come to a little over £2000 a mile. The company has bought an engine of the D class from the Government, and although small, it is of a type eminently suited to their requirements. The line is only partially ballasted, and several sidings al^o remain to be put in for the use of the farmers whose land it adjoins. When the company took over the mine there was but one drrv«, which pierced the hillside to a distance of about ISOft. This has been considerably extended, and in addition another drive has been put in some little distance off. A fine seam of superior lignite coal ha? been struck. Eomething similar in appearance to Shag Point Coal, and, naturally, the company contend that it is the best lignite coal on the market. The general manager states that the company at the present time could put out 100 tons ocr day, provided that the demand required it.

On the arrival of the express from Dunedin yesterday a special train was in readiness to convey the visitors to Fortification. Tho directors were reDre^entpd by Mr E. Mclland (chairman), F. Oakden, A. H. Hunter, and W. Grey. There were also present: Messrs H. Scott (secretary). Andrew Lees {general manager), J. Shore (M'ne manager), W. M. Shore (consulting engineer to the company), H. Guthrie, E. F. Duthie, T. Tomlinson, J. H. Brown. G. R. Cheepeman, J Brown. J»mes Mitchell. F. J. Gunn, J. M. Kane, E O'Reilly, the Hon. W. M. Bolt, Mr J F. Arnold. M.H.R., and others fiom Dunedin, while Milton was represented by Mr W. Moore (mayor), Dr Menziep, Messrs W. Forsyth, AT. ' Henderson, R. A. Pyke, A. E. Stewart, R. M. Brookes, J. E. Palmer, P. Scanlon, and a number of others.

Tho run down over the six miles to the mine took about half an hour. The line crosses the Main South road vist below the biidge at the south end of the town, outs thiough the rich farm lands along the river, and, after crossing not far from Dunn's, skirts 1 the hills down to Fortification. The weather was glorious, and the prosnpet from ib.o tram was very fair to the eye. The coast hills were bathed in sunshine ; the smell of ripe corn v.as in the air, and everywhere were the signs of a bountiful hartes*. At Fortification the parfty detrained, and were ferried over the river to the site of the future lowii. Here tho intending purchasers of '" town lots " wended their way through hi=>sock and flax to a sunny terrace w hce the =iir>cvors bad marked off tho boundaries. Armed with plans of the sections, they fosfaicked about amongst the long gia&s> lor the

survey pegs, and made notes of the particular blocks they fancied. At 1 o'clock the visitors enjoyed an al fresco lunch on a slope near the mine, and Mr Lees spared no pains lei attend to everyone's wants. Those who had no particular interest in the sale of tho township went down the mine. As the i-ale was to take place at 2 o'clock in Milton it was necessary to make a start on the return journej at 1.30. The sections were submitted at auction by Mr J. A. Duthie, and were knocked down at prices ranging from £5 to £16 each. There were 62 altogether, and they were all disposed of for £525. A number were bought by speculator^ but a good many were taken up by the miners. Seeing that tho land cost the company 8s 4d per ac*re, the sale must be regarded as highly satisfactory. Scarcely was the last section disposed of when the whistle of the south express was heard in the distance, and warned the visitors that their outing wa= practically at an end, and a f!*\v minuter later they boarded the train for Dunedin.

A formal opening of the railway will probably take place some weeks hence, when everything is in working order.