CHARLESTON.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 344, 7 September 1868, Page 2

CHARLESTON.

Friday was a great day with the Masonic order in Charleston. The most casual observer could not fail to notice that something unusual was astir, from the number of persons dressed in black walking about the streets during the day. The occasion for this was the consecration of the new Masonic Lodge, and the installation of its officers. The ceremonies commenced at noon, in Jolliffe's Masonic Hall, there being present between thirty and forty members of the craft. The usual ceremonies appropriate to the occasion were performed by Bro. E. C. Reid, R.W.M. of the Thistle Lodge, Westport, assisted by other officers of the same lodge, Bro. Chas. Broad acting as the Master of Ceremonies, and Bro. P. M. Moss officiating at the harmonium. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year ; Brother Beuben Harris, R.W.M.; Geo. C. Bowman, S.M.; S. Isaacs, D.M. ; R. Treadwell, S.W. ; R. P. Bain, J.W. In the evening several new members were initiated into the brotherhood, and after all the work had been got through, which was not till a late hour, a grand banquet, prepared exclusivel7 for members of the order, was partaken of in Jolliffe's Hotel, and good-fellowship so abounded that it was late at night, or rather early morn, before the party broke up. Mr West, the singer, took a benefit at the Casino, on Priday evening, the Histrionic Club rendering valuable assistance, as also several others. There was a very fair attendance, and the beneficiare sang several favorite songs excellently well, and with his usual good taste. A ball by Mr Phil. Rooney, took place in the Belle d' Union Hotel, on Friday night, at which there were a very large number of persons present, the crowd being increased towards the small hours, by an influx of gentlemen from the Masonic banquet. The new signal flagstaff at the heads,

recently erected for the Government, by Chas. Craddock and Co., is now finished and ready for working the new code of signals which came into operation throughout the Colony on the first day of the month. The three vessels detained some days in port, — Excelsior, Wild Wave, and Ann, took advantage of the fine weather on Saturday morning to clear out for sea.

NEW GROUND DISCOVERED NEAR BRIGHTON. Charleston, Saturday. The following notice was posted outside the Camp this morning, having been telegraphed from Brighton by Mr Broad:— " Saturday, 12 noon. " Prospecting claim granted to a miner named Rochford, a couple o hours ago at Brighton. " Gold struck four and a half miles south of Brighton. " Prospect, half a grain to one grain to the shovel." Later in the day Mr Broad telegraphed that the sinking was about twenty to twenty-five feet with three feet to four feet six inches black sand. Sunday. Quite an excitement has been created in Brighton, and a large number of men have proceeded to the rush. The ground however, as far as yet discovered, is very limited. It is situated on a spur of a terrace, of considerable altitude, conveniently adjacent to a creek, and the country about itis similar in appearance to the Welshman's Terrace, St. Kilda, being very rough and broken, The prospector's party, three in number, have taken up nine men's ground, and there is very little' for anybody else unless some other patches are struck, which appears not unlikely. In the latterly deserted town of Brighton, jumping sections was the order of the day on Saturday. Several public houses and stores which had become tenantless, were jumped, as also sections from which buildings had been removed, and an unusual stroke of business was transacted at the Court House. An old resident, Mi Jacobsen, appears to have had an inkling of coming events, if one may judge from the circumstance of his buying up a good deal of house property in Brighton for a mere song a day or two before the rush, The prospectors are the same party that were sent out to prospect about six months ago, at the instance of the townspeople, who made up a liberal subscription to defray expenses. They had very nearly reached the bottom of the purse when they struck gold, and whatever the ultimate success of the new diggings, the discovery has cer tainly meanwhile infused a little life into moribund Brighton.