MR. ALICK FORREST INSPECTING DUNN’S SHAFT NEAR MOUNT MORGANS
The weather being intensely hot—109°—I decided to return to Malcolm in the moonlight, and a friend succeeded, after a great deal of trouble (for horses and vehicles are not yet very common here), in borrowing the only horse on the field, and managed to get an old buckboard buggy to drive me down. Camels are the usual mode of transit in this district, but I refuse to ride these animals.
Starting the next morning by coach from Malcolm at half-past five for Westralian Mount Morgans, I was fortunate in having the box-seat of the coach. A cool breeze had sprung up in the night, no doubt accompanied by a willy willy, which, as I told you before, is a terrific whirlwind of dust that sweeps along everything before it, and frequently carries verandahs away bodily and deposits them on the roofs of adjoining houses, besides removing tents as it passes. On arrival at a little hotel at 8 o’clock I felt quite ready for breakfast, and wondered what kind of fare we should get in these remote parts. Nearing the place, which rejoices in the name of Bummer’s Creek, a fine vegetable garden surprised me. It looked very refreshing to see the nice green garden after nothing but sand and mulga-trees for 10 miles. On going into the hotel (a tin one) evidences of comfort out of the usual order of “back-blocks” travelling appeared. Many little dainties were on the table, and we were served with an excellent breakfast, fresh eggs, fresh milk, and hot scones coming on us as a complete surprise. There were two lady passengers besides myself: Victorian girls who were on their way to an engagement at the next hotel, where one of them was to be a “companion” at a weekly salary of £2 10s.
Twelve miles farther on we reached Murrin Murrin, where I stayed for a day. Here I visited the Malcolm Proprietary, and was much interested in the works and management of the mine, a fine one, giving good returns. An interesting feature is the tailings hoist, worked by a compressed-air plant. Returning to the Murrin Hotel for dinner, I was surprised at the delicate way in which it was served, at a table with beautiful napery, elegant silver, and glass ware. On becoming acquainted with the little landlady, I was no longer surprised, for I found her a cultured lady, who invited me to stay a few days as her guest, and I thoroughly enjoyed the quiet change from the roughness to which I can never accustom myself.
There is a great deal of copper about Murrin, and many copper mines are being worked with good results, the Anaconda taking the first place.
On arrival at Mount Morgans I found it quite a flourishing township. Twelve months ago there were no houses, but now the place is increasing wonderfully. The Westralian Mount Morgans Mine is less than a quarter of a mile from the township, and is on a hill overlooking the surrounding country. The large machinery on it made it look very imposing. From the hill Mount Margaret is visible, a township now quite deserted, all the houses having been bodily moved to Mount Morgans, and the hospital to Laverton, another rising mining place, the former name of which, British Flag, was changed to Laverton in compliment to Dr. Laver, who has been mainly instrumental in bringing the place into prominence and attracting an inflow of British capital.
There are some very valuable mines here, as well as the Westralian Mount Morgans, Guest’s Mine being the next in importance, and rapidly coming to the fore as a gold-producer. A company in England has recently been floated with a quarter of a million of money to deal with this mine. The reefs are very large, and known to extend over 20 miles. The Westralian Mount Morgans, which bids fair to be one of the biggest gold-producers of Western Australia, is named after Mr. A. E. Morgans, the Member for Coolgardie, the largest shareholder. There was an enormous quantity of ore waiting to be crushed, and, although the gold is too fine to be seen by the naked eye, it realises from ½ ounce to 3 ounces per ton. Thousands of tons of this ore, sufficient to keep the battery going for five years, are visible, waiting to be taken out. Occasionally some rich pockets of gold are found, the rock simply glistening with the precious metal. The output of this mine is very large, and nearly 200 workmen are employed. Water for crushing purposes not being abundant, a pipe-line was laid to an extensive lagoon 6 miles away, and now brings an ample supply. The cyanide plant can treat 2500 tons of tailings monthly. Two thousand cords of wood are neatly stacked by the mine ready for use, and more is obtainable at a short distance.
Westralian Mount Morgans Mine