An American by birth, with all the strength of mind and will of a big investor, he is a tower of strength in the market, known as a man of strict integrity and sound financial position, being in fact a millionaire, he has now the strongest following in London, and with Mr. Zebina Lane to engineer the mines which he controls, will soon be, if he is not already, the biggest man in the Western Australian Market, which more particularly concerns this book and this colony than any other market in which he may operate. Pity it is, for the sake of Western Australia, that we have not more combinations of such straight-going men as these two have proved themselves to be; then the investing public would have more confidence in mining speculations, and would certainly have, in horse-racing phraseology, a run for their money.
Frank Gardner
Mr. Z. Lane, generally known as “Zeb.,” may be described as the pioneer of successful gold-mining in Western Australia. Born, brought up, and educated to the mining industry, he for many years successfully managed the great silver mines of Broken Hill, New South Wales, and was unanimously elected the first mayor of that city when it grew into a municipality. He left Broken Hill in 1893, and paid an extended trip to Western Australia, where, after careful examination, he fixed on what is now known as the Golden Mile; but as Western Australia was then so little known, he had difficulty in getting working capital for the various holdings and had to drop some of them, but pinned his faith to the Great Boulder and the Perseverance (certainly two of the best), and floated them both in London amongst his own friends. He started the first 10 stamps on the Boulder on April 10, 1895, afterwards increasing them by degrees to 30, and has since that date been instrumental in shipping over 15 tons of gold from the mines under his individual control—surely a wonderful record in a new waterless country, with so many difficulties to be contended with! He is a man of few words, but of iron will and determination, and is one of the most popular men in Western Australia—has been repeatedly asked to allow himself to be elected to Parliament and to the Mayorial Chair of Perth, but prefers to look after his mining interests. Perhaps he is quite right in doing so. He is a Justice of the Peace for every colony in Australia, is a good public speaker and debater, and will be greatly missed in Western Australia should he decide to settle down in London, as many of his co-directors in the various companies are anxious that he should do.
Hannan’s Public Crushing Company
Crossing another road I came to the Brookman Boulder, a very fine mine. Mr. Brookman has amassed a large fortune and settled in Perth, and is spending his money where he made it, instead of going away to other countries to live, as most of the lucky people do. Mr. Brookman and Captain Oats recently paid a visit to Ballarat, the Queen Gold City of Victoria, and at a banquet given in his honour, Mr. Brookman said that in a few years Kalgoorlie would, no doubt, be as fine a city as Ballarat, an opinion with which I most emphatically agree. I must mention that this is one of the places that caused such a stir in the world fifty years ago, on account of the wonderful goldfinds there.
Two of the largest nuggets found in the district were the Welcome in 1858, weight 154 lbs., value £8872; and the Welcome Stranger in 1869, weight 190 lbs., value £9000. I trust this digression will be pardoned.