New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-04
THE FINESSE OF A BOOM.
A PROSPECTOR WHO SEEMED A FOOL, But
WASN'T.

Brisbane, Queensland, Nov. 10.
Irrigation is the order Of the day in the Aus
tralian colonies, and it is working wonders in
many places 4 notable instance is found al
Mildura. which was formerly one Of the largest
"squatting runs in the Lower Murray district,
although it supported only some dozen souls the
year round. 1t originally belonged 10 Mcssrs
Phelps and Jameson, who sold it twenty
five years ago, just when experience was demon
stratinG that even in wild dog and scrubby country
sheep could he kept Mt large instead Of being
shepherded. II was then fenced in. and 10000
sheep kept on il for years; then again the owner
wisely sold. The new purchaser expected to do
the same his predecessor, and kept permanently
10000 sheep. but the cream had been skinned
by overstocking. and the rabbits had come. 1t
! fell into the hands of a banking institution. and
remained on their hands unwngly. Mr.. VIII.
| lam Paterson the manager.
One day at ncighboring township quiet,
midde-aged gentleman came up 10 Mr.. Paterson,
and without giving his name. stated that he was
| on his way 10 Midura, and would like 10 stay
n few days lie was mistaken by the manager
| for the drummer Of an Adelaide firm who had
| sent up case Of execrablc whiskcy so he
| told 81 he might save himself Tie trouble. for he
was not wanted Half an hour altcrward the
! stranger quietly came up again. said his name
was George ChaiIcy. and handed n letter from
! the manager of the bank. which simply ntimatcd
! that the bearer probable buyer " the
station" The station manager felt decidedly
| awkward but apoloCizcd and explained. and the
probable buyer aughingly admitted that
case 81 bad whskey was amply deserving Of
rough reception. At sundown tho pretty home
stead was reached and the evening spent over
good whiskcy. by the manager in talking sheep
3 fha All 10
capabilities of tho run. and by the probable
buyer in quietly listening
II transpired duIing the evening that the new
conner 10 s1uattinc. and had the money.
What golscnd." thought the manager d" II
shall not he my fault If don't shove the Old worn
ont run on to him Next d1y the horses
got up and the Inspection which could not pos
s.bv he done under several days began. The
manager took the lead and dl the talking: re
lead was oyer the saltbush plains and through the
Struggling oren malice. and the new chum was
told Of the exceeding fattening quality OF the salt
bushes, and how open malice was equally as good
as the plains; he was told that the alb e1cc Of
Grass was nothing for that after the slightest
rain numerous saline herbs grew, all eagerly rel
ishcd by sheep The belts Of dcns, malice and
nine ridges. where not n blade Of yrass was 70 he
found. were carefully avoided. and the ride home
rcd gums and the stuntcd box flooded grass was
long and plentiful; and the manager thought he
had made an impression.
Next day The rev chum began 10 assert him
self: he kept to the river inquired as to how low
II fell in the sumner. how long it kept In food:
examined the cliffs and looked at the subSoil, ard
20 the subsoil exposed in any rain gullieS; was
greatly pleased with the long anobranch or bill
ahong7; how deep was il, how was it filled? DID
il retain the water? etc The dense malice bet,
avoided tho previous day were rot only VISITED
hut critically examined in the soil and subso'l;
we're the pinc-covcrcd sandhills Would h. no.
go and see the sheep suggested the mana ,cr.
No. ! suppose they what you say they are;
but how high do you think this ridge il above
he river? That distant pine scrub must br
higher Let 60 and SEQ it, was the strange
reply Of tho stranger The pretty garden. too. Al
the home station came in for special exam nation.
every tree and shrub noted, and particular peas
IRE expressed at the oranges and lemons and the
vines Conversation slackcned somewhat that
evening The manager was completely non
olussed; he had said his say and had got a rank
new chum 10 say IT 10. but what was the good
when his man did not care whether the points OF
the station were COOL bad? He asked
whether there theodoc the station.
Yes q" Is it in order?' Yes We used it TO
run the boundary lines You will find them quite
correct" Il should like to take it with us to
morrow the quiet reply of the green new
chum. The manager said nothing, but thought a
deal, as he went TO his room to bed.
Next day the theodote was taken, hut not to the
boundary line Oh. no Only TO the river bank
and the height above water noted; then the
height of the saltbush flats and rises and these
heights marked down in a pocket-booS then this
,I,a ',tha Ill
their levels taken, till at noon n halt was made for
lunch and thc whiskcy was brought out. The
station manager felt himself worked up to
ropablc" condition He could stand this tom
foolery sort of inspection no longer This man
is no squattcr. but - fool, and what is the use
Of wasting time over him. So out il came
Look here. Mr.. Chafey, you are n mystery TO
me- Who are you? What do you want? Are
You a bona ide buyer? You seem 10 nothing
about the quality of the sal tbushes herbs never
even look at the grass and viii not 60 To see the
sheep, hut instead keep poklng about the river
bank and taking the levels OF those barren malice
ridges. What is your game? | have been trying
Ia pump you these three days. ! am sick OF this
useless work
Then the quiet new chum smiled and Quietly
replied. /" Mr. Paterson, you are not the only
who has considered me Il mystery during this visit
down the Murray and my inspection Of several
stations all have tried 10 pump. me and inefiect-
ually, but | will tell you. ! like the place and
shall bny it, Why, you have not even seen
The sheep NO, they do not matter" Good
heaveusI" exclaimed The manager aloud and. to
himself he thought, What grcenhorni !" Then
the quiet man slowly unfoded the gigantic
schemes that were working in his brain; told of
the irrigation colonies he had successfully organ
lied in California how he had come Ia Australia
10 duplicate these still larger scale, and how
he contemplated irrigating 100000 acres Of the
Mildura run. The station manager was one
thunder-struck. Greenhorn, ndced!' he
thought. why / am the greenhorn!" But they
were kindred spirits after ALL for the manager
had been doing some experimental irrigation on
200 acres Of natural grasses. and the mystery be-
ing no longer mystery fellow friendship ensued
which continues 10 this day. for Mr.. William
Paterson Is head manager Of the station and
principal representative Of the Alessrs Chatfey
during their absence from Mlldura.