NOTES PROM CHARLESTON.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 412, 25 November 1868, Page 2

NOTES PROM CHARLESTON.

(FEOir. A CORRESPONDENT.)

"When you chance to meet an acquaintance in a strange town, the first question, after going through the usual formalities, is " Well, how are things looking here ?" I shall endeavor to answer the question, with reference to Charleston, as briefly as possible. Charleston was "founded" in the latter end of ISGG. bince that time it has been steadily progressing. During the last six months, however, nothing of any consequence, in the shape of new leads, has been struck. But the miners hove adopted a more scienliiic style of working their claims. Waterwheels and engines are numerous ; and the last improvement is ground-sluic-ing, whieh is carried on on an extensive scale in the neighborhood of the town; and judging by the rate at which they have been going on, they will have the town lead sluiced into the bay in a couple of years. Whether it will affect the the harbor or not, is hard to say. If so, it can be easily remedied by turning the tail-races into the second bay. The floating population of Charleston is by no means large. The town seems very dull, and reminds one of a small, but quiet steady village. The publicans are becoming by no means rich, and, as for the dance-houses, they are nearly defunct. The other night there was a Sports Meeting, and some wag proposed that the horse-races should take place in the street! But, notwithstanding the dull appearance of the town, the miners generally seem to be satisfied with the results of their labor. If a man buys into a claim, and does not get his money back for a couple of months, he thinks he has been taken iu. In general, when he buys into a claim for, say, £2OO, he expects to get his money back in a couple of months, and, if not, he considers himself sold, even though the claim should pay £L2 per week, and he should have nine months' work before him. The miners here seem to know their real position; that is to say, there are not many of them who flash away their earnings, but are more inclined to be saving. The more money tbey make, they seem to know better how to take care of it. On visiting the diggings, the eye will perceive this at a glance, in their snug cottages and huts, there being scarcely a tent to be seen in the district—a good sign, indicative of its stability. I can scarcely account for the absurdity of the Government in their arrangements for postal communication between Westport and Charleston. There must be a screw loose somewhere. At present the mail is carried three times a week, and 1 have it on good authority that Cobb and Co. offered to carry it every day for £324 per annum. I am unaware of the present mail contract, but I have reason to believe that the sum exceeds the amount for which Cobb and Co. offered to do it. If this is the case, the matter ia worthy of investigation. It may not be exactly in his department, but it and other matters might be brought under the notice of Mr Greenfield, who, we hear, is in Westport, and who

will probably be paying a visit to Charleston, to inspect her goldfields, to visit her beautiful harbor, and to " take stock " generally. The health of the district is excellent although the weather is wet and boisterous. I scarcely hear of one complaining, and, as for the Hospital, there is not a single patient an inmate of the institution. One thing may be said of our Doctor —he is not backward in turning out those who maybe cured. There does not seem to be much of the poor-house about the institution, and it is a good feature, as I have no doubt seine would be disposed to avail themselves of the opportunity. Our worthy school-master, Mr Moore, whose exertions in instructing the young have been untiring for the past two years, is the mover in the establishment of a Young Men's Improvement Association, which I have no doubt will meet with success.