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Show AUSTRALIAN GOLD By Lorin Hall When the word reached, 1849 that an Australian engineer had discovered discover-ed gold in the streams of Sierra Nevada Nev-ada Range, California, many Austral-ions Austral-ions were soon taking passage on boats bound for San Francisco. One young man by the name of Edward Hargraves, though an amateur miner min-er was so impressed with the similarity similar-ity of the formation in the Sierras with those of the Mcquarie in his homeland, that he soon threw- down his pick and hurried back to the commonwealth. com-monwealth. In February 1851, Hargraves start-eled start-eled the world with the discovery of Gold in New South Wales. Miners from every country turned their faces toward the lonely Island in the far south and in less than a year after the first discovery, there were 100,000 men camped in the hills at the three principal Australian goldfields at Ballarat, Bendigo and Castlemaine. The state of Victoria south of Sydney, had but 75,000 people in 1S50. The goldrush brought countless count-less thousands and in five years the state had 305,000 inhabitants, 75 per cent of whom were men. They had gathered from all points of the compass com-pass to share in the riches. Melbourne grew from a small town to the foremost fore-most city of the southern hemisphere. Reports of rich findings upset the minds of everyone. Clerks left the counters of stores, farmers deserted their crops and policemen their beats. The excitement was not unreal, gold was being picked up by the sackful. In ten years the camps of Bendigo and Ballarat gave up 5490,000,000. The camps in Victoria were not only yielding great heaps of coarse and flake gold, but hundreds of nuggets nug-gets were being found. Records show that 41 nuggets were discovered averaging av-eraging 100 ounces, 52 over 500 ounces ounc-es and 12 over 1,000 ounces. To cap the climax, the welcome nugget was picked up, yielding 2,217 ounce of fine gold; and then the welcome stranger with still a greater wealth, yielding 2,520 ounces of the yellow metal worth $50,000. The excitement caused from these sensational discoveries, and from the finding of the rich lodes from which the nuggets had been eroded, created a desire on the part of prospectors to explore the entire surrounding country. coun-try. Pack outfits were seen daily moving back into the hills and plains. It was not long- until Queensland, joining New 'South Wales on the north was enjoying the the influx of miners and prospectors. Rich discoveries discov-eries were made at various sections. In 1886 a mountain of copper was discovered fringed with gold. Here the world famous Mt. Morgan Mine was organized and work was started. What a real bonanza it turned out to be. Millions were paid in dividends from the gold recovered, and yet it was considered a copper mine. Mil lions of tons of ore was blocked out. In 1889 the stockholders divided $5,-000,000 $5,-000,000 in dividends. In twenty years $35,000,000 was paid in dividends, and it is still producing at the rate of $2,000,000 per year. This was one of the most remarkable mines an (the world and was rivaled in Australia only by the Broken Hill Mine. Nor was the finding of gold limited limit-ed to the mainland. TasmaniaJ a small island just south of Melbourne, came into the limelight in 1871 when tin was discovered at Mount Bischoff. Prospectors came by the hundreds and it was not long until gold, silver and lead were discovered. A steady stream of wealth poured forth from the mines. This marvelous island of gardens, orchards and farms in the midst of delightful scenery, is one most beautiful spots on earth. The climate is ideal and the soil produces most every kind of plant and fruit. It's gold and silver deposits only add- ed to the natural wealth of the soil and brought many who settled down to farm instead of mine. Broken Hill Prospectors in new South Wales were ever on the watch and soon Broken Hill was discovered and soon became one of the most famous mining min-ing camps on earth. The camp was famous for the largest lead-silver mine ever opened up, as well as headquarters head-quarters for labor troubles. Miners incited by the richness of the camp made demands for a share of the profits. pro-fits. Strikes and riots were of daily oceurance. The vein, or we better call it a lode, averaged from 10 to 300 feet wide and continued for a distance of 10,-5G0 10,-5G0 feet in length, rich the entire distance. dis-tance. Better than $400,000,000 has been taken from Broken Hill. When the mines was first organized, there were seven shares at $500 each. It was not long before these shares were quoted at $12,000,000 each. A railroad was built into the camp from the coast, where a smelter was erected. erect-ed. Broken Hill soon had 30,000 people peo-ple and the smelter town of Port Pirie 15,000. The mines of Victoria and New South Wales were not merely surface deposits. Sinking on the lodes soon disclosed their downward continuity. Day by day the bores were sung into the bowels of the earth. At Bendigo and Balarat mines are down from 3000 to 5000 feet. The Reef Quartz mine is the deepest gold mine on earth. Those early days were "boom" days for the Australian camps. Men swarmed through the streets loaded down with gold, anxious to spend a goodly portion over the bar and gaming gam-ing tables. )We refer to our own Goldfield, discovered by Myers and Hart as being sensational. Altogether Altogeth-er less than $100,000,000 was taken out at the Nevada camp. In the same period of time the Balarat and Bendigo Bendi-go districts gave up $500,000,000. |