The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-14
FROM THE ANTIPoDES.
rreemantle. Australla. yan. II. !:

rreewartle. Australia. Jan II. 1871
To the Editor: / want 70 give word OF
advice TO any master or owner OF any Tes-
sci VINO may think OF chartering for Free
mantle. II is the advice Punch gave
twenty years ago 70 people about 20 get
married. Don't" Freenantla Is the sea-
port Of Perth. the capital Of NeStraiia,
as West Australia is now called II -
twelve miles from FreeEantle up the
Swan river. The two towns are connected
By rail-. and steamers os three and one
half 10 four feet draft can ply on the
river. but nearly ali cargo has 10 go oy
rail. The government owns the railways
here and the management is character
ICED by Indifference. incapacfty and on
the part OF the laborers insolence. The
government has just bought out the Great
Southern Railway and Land Company at
e. 1ee, 600. or say s5.34s.eo in round num-
bers. and paid for IL in government per
cent bonds. The premier and most OF the
ministry and many OF the members OF
parliament have gone down 10 Albany TO
do the formal taking over. They have
constituted themselves a mutual aGmira-
ton society. and Sir John Forrest. the
premier. has had his oratorlcal powers
taxed to the utmost to reply 10 addresses
that have been presented 10 him from the
village platforms by day and by night
Bands OF music have awakened him at
all EDufS OF the H&kfft @iNA oAtd4itS -
music. Among the pieces played are:
See. the ConQuering Hero Comes,
Wake Christians Wake" and on his ar
rival at Albany. '"E Don't Know Were
e Are" from the London Singing House
repertoire
There are now twenty-six large sailing
vessels In port and an average OF about
ten or twelve large steamers many OF
which carry 1900 tons. All this cargo is
81 4oft nd al n -
destination by train. There are not half
enough trucks to do the business. and the
result Is a detention such as / have never
seen before. / am here in the bark Non
sntum. with a general cargo from Mel
bourne. We could hoist I5oe9 or 10000 per
day OF flooring, but we have not got over
900 in any one day. the freight on which
will not any more than pay the labor of
my crew l was assured l could come
alongside the jetty, drawing seventeen and
one-half feet. The fact is, no sailing yes
sci has been allowed to come alongside
the jetty, drawing over fourteen and one
half feet. Steamers can go to the wharf,
drawing eighteen or nineteen feet. The
steamers. however, have often 10 lighter.
and iighterage is very high; on ehan IL
is 9s per ton. and on bricks 81 Is per
thousand. and on measurement and dead
weight goods, SIS per ton. II VIII take
all my freight to pay expenses here. They
are dredging the Swan river and in
year from now win probably have pretty
good port in the river. Breakwaters and
stone jetties have been built on the north
and south sides Of the river. and several
large and modern dredgers are engaged
day and night deepening the channel.
They work three eight-hour shifts.
On Sunday last / went up TO Midland
junction two hours by rail- from Free
mantle. At Perth / saw a few acres or
very fine garden land. which put me In
mind of the land farmed by the Italians
out on Yesler way, which used to belong
To the late Charles Lswton, and at Gull
ford there were some fine gardens,
orchards and vineyards. All the gardens
are cultivated by Chinese.
Gold mining in West Australia Is differ
ent from gold mining elsewhere and ex-
perience OF mining in other places Is OF
little value here. The reefs and leads
have a habit OF losing themselves-peter-
ing out-and In some OF the richest mines
the gold Is found in combination with tel
lurium. These tellurides in some cases are
fsbulously rich. \
Speculation in wildcat stocks is as COM
mon here as speculation in Comstocks
was nineteen or twenty years ago In Cali
fornla. and as many people are ruined by
g. All the mines are absurdly overcapi-
talized and calls assessments are as
common mere as LHeE uSru 10 be t3tIe.
and many OF the richest mines have
frozen out the small shareholders. Not
withstanding all its disadvantages, think
West Australia has brilliant future be-
fore II. and X was twenty years younger
would make II my home.
This letter has reached unreasonable
length and will close It, II you find Il
suitable for your columns ] Will write
again in the near future
WILLIAM NEWHAII.