The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-09

on a Tour of Inspection Through the
Mining Districts of Austraiia-wIn
Visit Cripple Creek for Information
His Opinions on the American Political
Situation.
Denver. Colo, Aug. s.-Percy F.
Marks. special correspondent and one
| OF the directors and principal stock
holders OF the London Daily Financial
News, the principal authority OF the
British capital, is at the Brown Palace
| hotel. The News was established by
| Harry VI. Marks in 1861. The founder
received his newspaper training on the
New Orleans Picayune, and was the
| first man to start a daily financial pa
per in London The paper is pro-
| nounced success and is established on
a most substantial footing. The elder
Marks, who is the editor-in-chief Of
the News. is a member of parliament
for St George's-in-the-east.
II am now on my way home" said
| Mr.. Marks, from a tour Of inspection
of the mines Of west Australia and
New Zealand. Our paper has always
been very partial TO Cripple, where
large amount of British capital is J.
vested, and my brother made it imper-
ative upon me to visit Crippl Creek and
investigate the conditions there. I
shall spend several days in that district
and report things just as they are. The
people of California were very anxious
that / should examine the mother lode
Of no ctr IA tarr$ I~a1 zTfo>
and besides my special mission is 70
look after the districts in which there
are heavy investments Of British cap
ital. On the conclusion Of my visit to
Cripple Creek 1 shall go directly to
England, from which 1 have been abb
sent since last February.
WEST AUSTRALIAN MINES.
THE mines of west Australia have
been prominent only since 1892. Prior
to that time the country had suffered
from the lack Of capital. and from the
lack of knowledge of so-called experts.
Az an instance of the latter, an Eng
fish gentleman had an option on GER
tain properties there for which he had
paid fl,0O0 An expert reported that
the mines were worthless, and acting
on his advice the gentleman threw up
his option. Since that time the same
properties have been capitalized for
e., 900, GOO During the four wears since
1892 from f12 900, 600 to f15, 600 of Brit
ism capital have been invested in the
district. The west Australian gold
fields cover an immense territory and
comprise number OF districts. includ-
ing Coolgardie, Humans Goldfeld, |
Black Flag, White Flag. Broad Arrow, |
MenZies, Mt Magnet, Cue, and several !
others. In west Australia the gold OUT |
put for June was 1888 ounces as
against 90. 266 ounces for May and 1912 /
ounces for April. l am not IN posi- /
ton to give the returns for the past |
six months, as / left Australia in May |
last and have been travelling ever since, |
but irSmuch as many mines have |
since put in machinery and stamp mills |
have been erected a. a large number |
of mines which, when I was there, were /
in a primitive state of development. |
l should say that the combined output
must now be considerable.
up to within the past six or eight |
months the so-called water difficulty in
west Australia was quite a bugbear to
investors, but, as 1 have pointed out in
my special reports to the Financial |
News, the water difficulty was very
much exaggerated. As matter of fact
water is available in most districts,
and can be found in sufficient quanti-
ties if the managers will put them
selves to the trouble and go to the eX-
pense Of looking for it. There is Men
zies, one of the richest districts in the
colony, which was regarded as a hope-
lessly arid country; today the whole
Of thi district is being supplied with
water by the Menzies Water Works
a in |
ply through about eight miles of pipe
and a larger number of mines are be-
ing supplied from this source.
SOME COMPARATIVE FIGURES.
What has been done in the Menzies
district can be done in others, and
from what / saw on the fields where
boring operations are being carried out
on a sufficiently extensive scale, water
for all requirements can be- obtained,
and this in many cases at COMPARE
lively shallow depths. / understand,
also. that water works have been es-
cablished at Coolgardie. where the daily
yield IS estimated at $1,000 gallons. 1
certainly think that west Australia
will forge ahead. You have only to
ook at the revenue accounts for the
past few months to see how that conn ,
try Is progressing. When in Perth. Sir
John Forrest, premier Of the colony. in
the course Of a conversation informed
ne that when he first took office, in
$50. L believe the total revenue of the
colony was under $4,000 Today the
-evenue for single quarter exceeds
800, goo, and judging from present pros
poets the annual viii be doubled in 1897 I
From West Australia 1 went to
;outh Australia, Victoria and New {
south Wales and in all OF these colonies !
he mining industry is coming 70 the {
ore. s
in New Zealand I spent six weeks Z
listing and reporting upon the mines {
nd look upon the future OF New Tea
and as gold producing country with q
extremely brilliant prospects. i large !
mount OF British capital has already !
zen invested in this colony and l look q
or a distinct impetus 70 he given to g
lew Zealand mining matters. II is
rell 10 remember that New Zealand a
hines ara not the discovery or today. c
or yet OF yesterday. Gold was found :
here IN 1856. Nevertheless about six (
ears ago anything which emanated 1 c
rom New Zealand in the form CO min ?
lg investments would scarcely have So Q
urei moments consideration. this Z
act arising not 50 much from the in a
ariority OF the mining resources Of the
ountry as from the unprincipled con- ?
uct OF company promoters and their :
pols. nlasqusrsding as mining experas I
On binAd with the general incOnpeten-
y displayed and the extravaganza in
ulged by men sent out as mine man :
gers. The majority OF these iadividu- 2
Is, who had failed IN every walk OF | :
re, out who were considered good >
lough 70 take charge OF developments ?
,