DEVILS CREEK QUARTZ MINING CO.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 268, 20 March 1873, Page 5

DEVILS CREEK QUARTZ MINING CO.

We are desired to publish the working managers' reporis of the above reef, as a sufficient reply to Mr. Taylor's letter in onr last issue. We may state the directors were quite satisfied with the manner in which Mr. Ritchie prospected the reef :—: — Devils Creek, Oct. 36, 1872. Mr. James M'Cay, Legal Manager of the Devils Creek Quartz Mining and Crushing Co., Registd. Sir, — I have the honor to report progress of the works in connection with the company. T may state that I have followed the course of the reef on the eastern side of the reef for a distance of 22 feet, and find its average width to be about 7 inches, with a little gold in the stone, but as yet not enough to pay. As there is very little casing, and the walls are very hard, progress is very slow. I would beg to suggest that 50 feet of this drive be let by contract ; it would then be underneath where Lomas and party crushed their- top stone from. In my opinion that would be a sufficient test for that side. On the western side of the creek I have also folthe course of the reef for a distance of 20 feet. I find the reef very narrow on this side, but •widening aa we po in, being now about four inches wide. I would suggest that the top of the hill on this side (that is, the western) be prospected with surface trenches and shafts. There being gold visible in the surface stone, and sevei*al leadere all carrying gold, I think I there might be something struck on that side. I remain, your obedient servant, Jamrs Ritchie, Working Manager. Waipori, Dec. 23rd, 1972. Mr. James M'Cay, ijegal Manager of the Devils Creek Quartz Mining and Crushing Co. , roistered. Sir, — I have the honor to report progress of the works in connection with the company. Since my last report, I have been engaged* prospecting on the east and west side of the creek, there being a number of veins running parallel, and some of them underlying, towards one another, but at such a slight angle that it would be some hundreds of feet below the creek level before they would junction. They vary ill thickness from 2 to 6 inches. The Color of gold can be got in all of them, but nothing like payable. I have sunk a number of shafts on the different veins ; also driven a tunnel from the surface over a hundred ,feet along the course of the vein ; but no alteration either in the shaft or tunnel. The result of the 3" t.ons of stone taken to Dunedin and crushed in two different lots is as follows : — One ton from below the creek level where Lomas and party crushed some from gave 2dwt. 6gr. ; 1 ton 10 cwt from the two tunnels above the creek level gave lldwt. 12gr. In consequence of the wall being so hard and the veins so small, the above yield would not do anythiug like pay. — I remain, yours truly, James Ritchie, Working Manager.