THE SHAMROCK LEAD.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 545, 21 August 1869, Page 2

THE SHAMROCK LEAD.

MUSINGS ON THE NIGHT SHUT. "Well, this is a miserable night, pouring rain, blowing "great guns, and such thunder and lightning—it may however do good, perhaps it will clear away the atmosphere, and rid us of these dreadful colds that everybody has. I think it is more than common colds, it seems to mo more like Influenza. All seem touched with it and many uro really ill, the cause of it must be in the air, I believe however with " Cockney Joe " that it is not in " the air of the 'ead but in the hair of the hatmosphere." This swamping out is a bad piece of business. There are now three claims at a stand-still through the water, it is very natural to suppose that as the ground get 3 worked, and some of it gives way the water gets down easier, the wheels have more than they can do, the pumps are not able to lift the water after two or three days rain.

I should not be at all surprised if some of the lower claims (that will > take twelve months yet to work) wont have to bring in a tunnel yet to drain their ground, for when the upper claims are worked out—and some of them soon will—they will have more water to contend with than they have now, and it will not be possible to keep it under with pumping. It would have to bo a good long tunnel, but the ground is fair standing ground, and would not have to be timbered all the way. " Bob and Archey" were two luckey young fellows, they came over from Ohristchurch and took up that ground with M'Laren, and last week they sold out their shares at a hundred and fifty notes each, so tho5 r are olf back with that three hundred, besides what they have made out of the claim, which must be something considerable. 1 wonder how long it will take the " ten acre party " to try their ground. If their working shaft should be on the lead they will soon know, but if it is not it may take them a considerable time to drive for it. I hear they are going to tunnel in from their pump shaft, to drain the ground about their working to enable them to bottom it. Their pumps and iron-work came in the Nightingale, and they are getting it ou to the ground. That is a fine water-wheel they have made for pumping, it is well put together, and I suppose it is the largest ever made in the district, there must be a great christening when it is ready for work. The party will do well if tiiey realize one half of the good wishes I hear expressed for them, it is really a plucky undertaking, and if it succeeds it will make a stir in the neighborhood. I saw the Government surveyors over there last week. I am told they were sent up to take three acres oil' the other chums applied for, adjoining the prospectors, the Warden not thinking it right to rcc mmend such large areas, but he docs not " dock " the prospectors anything. I think this nothing but right, for those who only work the ground when it is proved can't expect to have equal advantages with fhose who go to the expense and run the risk of prospecting the lead.

What an unfortunate place Addison's has been for accidents. Poor Donovan's made the sixth death from mining accidents, besides the number that have been taken down injured to the hospital. The .Shamrock Lead has been worked much more carefully, there never has been a death, and only one injury sustained, and that not from the earth falling in, but was the fault of the horse in the whim. I hear there is an application to be made for a burying ground at Addison's for this neighborhood. It costs the boys too much altogether going to Westport. Most of them come homo cleaned out, but I suppose it does good to Westport, although it causes some of the storekeepers at Addison's to exercise their patience, and hinders anything like amusement from being carried out profitably there.