at your mine on the 13th and have to date done the following work.  Put
battery in order, cleaned out both water shafts, tanks, and pits, crushed
104 tons of Central Extended stone and 50 of your own.  Timbered and
raised No 3 shaft 5 feet, sank No 3 shaft six feet, raised about 20 tons
of stone from cutting, raised about 10 tons of mullock from intermediate
level left by Mr Ryan, erected new forge, put new splash boards in boxes,
corked water supply tank, and altered tailing tram.  The above are
improvements I had to make.  I was prospecting the bottom level of main
underlie shaft at about 50 feet from mouth of shaft.  I found there a top
of a shoot of gold, from which I send a piece of stone — I think one of if
not the finest specimen that has been seen on the Cross containing heavy
gold, and it is my opinion that it goes down.  It is my intention to sink
a few feet to try and trace it coming from your deepest level, if still
continuing will make your mine so much more valuable than if got in the
surface cuttings.  I shall start and drive south in bottom level to hole
through to No 3 underlay.  I will clean up on Saturday and Sunday, as I
want to clean out the boiler.  I shall also try and get three inches more
fall to the tables, as it is much required to keep the plates clean.

FRASER'S G.M. COMPANY.

The following report was yesterday received from Mr. Oats, the mining
manager of the above company:

Southern Cross, October 21.
I sent per Mr Fraser, with the last gold, some particulars of the mine.  I
had that I have put one party of men to drive across the lode formation in
Simpson's shaft, finding the lode there of a promising character.  This
drive is 44 feet deep, and I hope soon to increase our quantity of stone
by opening this ground.  I am about to erect a whip at once to help the
hauling.  In Fraser's shaft we are doing some necessary timbering, taking
advantage of our not raising stone for the battery here, as all the stone
being crushed, this return will come from the south end of mine, as I
before intimated.  I am pleased to say the battery is going well, and I
hope to put through a fair quantity of stone.  (Signed)
W. OATS

Mr H. J. Saunders, the legal manager of Fraser’s G.M. Company, has handed
us the following results of any [sic] assay of tailings from the mine,
just made by Mr. B.H. Woodward: Course tailings, 13 dwts. 1 grain gold to
the ton; fine tailings or slime, 6 dwts. 12 grains gold to the ton.

We understand the directors of the above-named company have ordered an
additional 10 head of stampers and another boiler.  They have also
purchased, and are now rapidly erecting, a complete set of Wheeler
grinding fans, for saving the fine gold.  A condenser has also been
ordered and is expected to arrive shortly.