THE REPORTED NEW RUSH AT THE PALMER.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1888, 11 August 1874, Page 3

THE REPORTED NEW RUSH AT THE PALMER.

Sandy Creek, the site of the new rush, comes into the Palmer on the other side of Thompson's range, at the head of the water-shed of the Mitchell. The new rush has, during the past fortnight, created quite a/ajweamongst the diggers, the excitiug news received from it having turned all their heads; and they were leaving everything to try their luck in the " fresh fields and pastures new." On the 20th June intelligence was received that payable gold had been struck in Sandy Creek, and various were the rumours as to the nature of the returns, extravagant reports alleging that some pen had got as much as 600uzs. to 700ozs. in a very short time, and that all were making from 3ozs. to 4ozs. per day; this latter turned out to be nearer the mark, for authonic information received afterwards stated that nearly every claim was making from 2ozs. to 3ozs per day, and some were yielding much more. The ground, so far as it was tested, had been proved payable for some 12 miles, but it was known that parties were working some distance further up, and supposed to be on rich gold. All kinds of rumours were afloat as to extraordinary finds, but until Vfr St. George's return definite information could not be got; suffice it to say that a great stampede had set in by storekeepers, butchers, and diggers, all of whom express themselves sanguine as to the payable nature of the ground. The Sandy Creek gold is of a very fine description; magnificent colour, and very coarse, evidently reef gold, and apparently not long from the matrix. Mr Yaldwyn succeeded in obtaining a fair quautity of very handsome specimens, being coarse and nuggety gold; and judging from the description of the country, it is fully expected that some very rich reefs will be opened at the head of the creek. The day before Mr Xaldwyn left Palmerville he received a letter from Mr St George, who was then en route to the rush, in which it stated the news from Sandy Creek was of a most exciting nature, and to use his own words, " I only hope that half of it is true." Since then news have beon in town stating that the fe.w men on the rush were making from 700 to 800ozs. per week, several other rushes have taken place, one 18 miles up the river, from all of which most encouraging news had been received, gold being got in one of them at 30. feet deep. Were we to publish half the letters that have reached town during the last few days, anent the new rush, the intelligence conveyed in them would certainly send all the people in Cooktown mad, but as we are m >st desirous of placing the matter in its irue light, we will give a few extracts ol , letters from persons at the Pilmer, in , whose varacifcy we place the most implicit confidence. The first is from the missioner, who says that" The deep sink ing at, the new rush, which has resulted in payable returns, stamps the Pilmer as a permanent gold&eld." A correspondent writing to us says, " There is a big rust to Fish Creek, better known as Sandj Creek, and many claims are making from Ito 6ozs per day. The left-hand branch, ' German.Bar,, and .most of the workings 'i 'a'ty''d'e'seried'"for the new rush, which ii ', situated about 25 miles from Palmerville: and 18 from Edwardstowu, between the 1 Mitchell and the Palmar. The sinking is ; at present from 3 to 12 feet, with 3 feel : of payable washdirfc. Everybody speaks ' in the highest terms of the rush, and J ' know for a fact that one ounce per da] ' has been left for it. Several new reef ! have been opened lately with first-clasi ! show." A merchant in town received thi > foliowihg from his brother on the diggings ■ —" I'he news now coming in says Sandj ! Creek is one of the best rushes ever oi ' the I'almer; its' locality is 25 miles fro a 5 the main camp, and extends for 50 mile 3 up the right-hand branch. As much a • 41bs. weight have been washed in ou day from a claim, and all are makini 5 good gold. There is a large extent o ? workable ground, and these facts an from one. of the most dependable sources r I'do not fear auother insane rush, but ' steady flow of the proper sort of men. Another local msrchant placed the lette f of his representative on the Palme before us, from which we make the fo 6 lowing extracts:—" here is a splendi e f rush to Sandy Creek, between the Palms and the Mitchell, 25 miles from Palmei e ville, aud 15 from dldwardstown. It i 0 far before anything ever opened on tt '? Palmer, or in the colony. 1 have see [ ) Nicholson (one of the prospectors), wli 1 says all are doing well, and from 700 I 800ozs. per week are the returns ft j present workings. There are about 8C • people on the ground, and all are niakir, " r something; and a lot of claims ai making from 4 to 6ozs. per day, man 16 getting more. One party are reporte lU to have netted GOOozs. in a fortnight, ai another 150ozo. in five days. The go io f is being steadily traced toward the het . of the Walsh, and supposed to extend ( to the Tate. Many parties are out pro ! e pecting, and it is hoped before: long th 1° deep sinking will be the order of tl i l ' 'day." We do not wish to make undi 0 excitement as regards the news fium I, 1 Palmer, aud only make a few extrac j from the many letters handed us, but v 3 can learn on all sides of the same nei ? being received by uuuy pe.>pb in tow and judgiug from the prepirations beii f' made, a regular stampede will set in the new diggings. —Qooktowa Herald.

PHI,ICR COURT,—Yesterday.. 9 lioforo Dr. Kilqodk Esq., J. P., and E. W. PuoKEr, 0 Esq., J.P., ti Drunkenness — Martin Glynn was " iharged with having bfien drunk and inlapahle in Brown-street, Gralmiiistown. a in the 9th inst.-Defendant did not P ipp*ar, and his bail was forfeited. ' Chimnhy ov Fibi.— Henry C. Gi'les- ° )ie was charged with allowing the chira- • ipy of his house, in Kolle'ton-street. j to take fire on the 4 ( h inst — tfr Madonuld app°ared for defendant, ind admitted the offence. He was fined LOs and costs. Extension of Licences, — Samuel anplied for permission to have s nuaic and dancing in the Post Office Hotel, vSliortland, on the llth inst. - r he ipplication was granted suhjftct to the iouso being closed at the nsual hour. - A similar application was made for the Cornwall Arms Hotel on the 19th by lane Pitch.—'The application was grantei upon similar conditions. ( Larceny. — Daniel Donovan was , charged that he did, on the 9th inst., j feloniously steal, take, and oarry away, from the person of James Thompson, | in the Ruroppan Hotel, Grahamstown, | four one pound bank notes, the properly | of the said James A Thompson. - He j pleaded not guilty. -Mr Vlacdonald ap- , peared for the defendant. Mr Bullen ] opened the case, and called James A. i Thompson, who deposed: lam a cook, . employed at Mr Unions' Will, I know | the defendant from having seen him working at the mill, but am not very intimate with him. I met him on aturday ev.-n- ' ing in the European Hotel, Grahamstown. ; There were four of us went in together, , r asked for a bed and lay down on a sofa in the room. I had money before I lay down. Before I lay down [put 61 in pip>>r money and a half-sovereign into iny inside coat pocket. I kno»v one of the n >tes hid 08, the two last of the number. The other was a Union Bank note, thi first I had ever seen. I recognise om of tlie notes produced by the 08 on the end of it and the Union Bank note by the blue letters. These were amongst the notes which I placed in my pocket that night. I did not see Donovan at the time I was counting that money. I had soma money in my trousers pocket before that. After counting the money and placing it in my coat pocket I fell asleep. When [ woke up I pat my hand in my pocket and found the money was gone, dome person told me something about Donovan, and I went in search of him, and found him yesterday morning in Lamb's timber yard. Donovan said you look slippery this morning. I said not so slippery as you were last night when you slipped your hand into my pocket and took my unney, but give mo imok the money and there will be no more about it. He sai Ihe had none of my money. I gave information to Constable Grace. Prisoner had no right nor authority to tab the nmey. -U this stage Vtr Macdonald said that his client j withdrew his plea of not guilty and pleaded ■ guilty. The whole party ha 1. been drinking together, and it appeared that prisoner did yitild to the temptation and took the money.-rPrisoner was sentenced to sis months' imprisonmmt with hard labour. ■