MR. STEWART'S VISIT TO THE MINE.

Colonist, Volume XXVII, Issue 3880, 29 March 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

MR. STEWART'S VISIT TO THE MINE.

Mb G. B. Stewart informs us that having heard considerablb eontrdversy_as to the isolation of the' Aniseed Valley minea, he determined upon finding out what in hisopinion is the best route to the mines.' Accordingly on Monday morning he proceeded to; the valley, accompanied by Mr W. Hi Hobby, a competent engineer, and made a thorough examination of the lay of the country; and of the hills and gullies. He reports that they found that an easy passage for a tnnnel exists through the hills from Poor Man's Valley, and that a.line, extending from the railway, just below Mr Jenkins' residence, could easily, be carried to the foot of these hills with a moderate grade. The'tunnel would not need to exceed half a mile in length, and its coat would not be more than £8000 to complete. By the construction of such a tunnel the Champion and United mines would be brought within a distance of six miles from the Government wharf jso that, he says, therejaeed.be no cry on the score of distance.', At the same time comparing the cost! of such a tramway as he '• proposes, with that of carrying a road up the valley, he finds that the cost ol the road would amount to considerably more than that of the tunnel, including lhe<;timbering of the -tunnel the laying of the fails; as Well of constructing the line connecting with the Bailway, whilst the.tunnel.line;would be far imore effective, saying 20i'miles,.pt Ihaulagc.^and^wearj.and tear, besides post,"of, upkeep, : ,which\'would be yery' considerable. * The, ..Aniseed,,; Valley mqiith', of the' proposed ,;tunnel would be witfim 300 or 400yar4s of a goodjpositian for ihe erection of furnaces for smelting purposes for alfthe surrounding claims, being.available by self-acting tramways 'from the Champion, the United, the Imperial, and the Dun Mountain mines, each of which claims could lay a 1" tramway at a sufficient5 grade to be easily self-acting, no'power being necessary for haulage to the junction as. the full trucks could haul the empty ones; a 1 man at the break being alone necessary, with the'provision of an> electrio bell for ' signalling. Mr Stewart thinks that the directors;of the respective minesrequire to be a little more motive that they are at present if they hope to j get dividends in less than five years ; ; that ;they should push on the work at the mines, and consult their maaagers more frequently with the view of forwarding permanent works, and should use all their forethought. With j respect to the tunnel, they should work in concert, sending deputation i, if •necessary^ f with a view of obtaining, from1 the Government, a subsidy towards the construction of the tunnel in lieu of :the road up the valley. Unless, he says, every precaution is taken in the management, and the "works are judiciously carried out forthwith, it must follow that the shareholders will have to,wait! a long time for dividends, as copper mines I are not toys to be played with for they Require plenty of hard work and expenditure of money, but' at the game time he-wishes clearly; to; state that j the prospects of the mines quite justify these works being carried' out with energy; and at once. Such mines must not be left "to the waves," or with only a few men working in them, as every effort is necessary. Mr Stewart, says that the mine managers are doing all they can to'further the interests of their companies; butthe directors must • see' that permanent works are more energetically carried out, and he'remarks upon how easily water can :be made available for motive power to develop the ' mines.— 1 Colonist, 1 March 13. ' i :;' w '; ■ ■ :<■'■ ' -■'■ ■'■':'-' '■''• '■''■ ''■ !j:(''i ■' ■'''• '';