Alexandra Times at KellyGang 11/6/1869

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GODFREY'S CREEK

This place is daily progressing. The past. two weeks has converted all the old bark buildings into weather-board houses: Go where you will the hammer, nails and saw are busy at work pulling down and raising up. The township, has now been very care fully laid out by Mr Thompson, the Government surveyor, who has had a difficult task to perform in keeping the necessary uniformity of the streets and at the same time satisfying the various claims set up, by one and another. To have met everyone's views, the principal street would not only have been as crooked as a dog's hind leg, but allotments in the middle of the street would require various surveys not provided for by professional men. Order and uniformity have been established by the surveyor, and now the place is rapidly assuming the appearance of a respectable township. Several lines of streets have been marked off on the original site rising up the hill. A square has been reserved in the centre of the town for holding public meetings and erecting public monuments.

One of those monuments might be in honor of Mr Pennington, the discoverer of the goldfield; another might he a full length representation of the three brothers Dwyer, who commenced, mining operations in the billiard room of the American Hotel, with the landlord in the distance escaping for his life. The square will no doubt be not only an ornament but of considerable use to the town. Down the creek a line of street has been marked off, and the general opinion is that the population will gradually extend in that direction.

The machine on the Ballarat Star will be at work in a few days, Some excellent prospects are at present being got from the claim. On passing the shafts on Friday last, a dishlful of stuff had just, been washed which contained about 2 dwt of heavy water-worn gold. The pegging off of Barker's lease, and several other large leases, was creating considerable stir. One of the Mr Finns arrived on Friday night from Kilmore having, knocked up three horses in his haste to get along the road, conveying, information received by telegram that the leases had all been refused. Although the night was dark and ruining heavily, a large party started down the creek and commenced pegging, which was carried on with great vigor till daylight. Then there was a rush to Alexandra to register.

It does not appear from any information that has reached this place, either through the. "Gazette" or otherwise, that there was anything to warrant all this pegging, for until the leases are refused through the "Government Gazette," and the lease pegs drawn by the surveyor, all pegging is simply waste of time. Godfrey's Creek is likely to prove a rich field for the lawyers.

These Beechworth bye-laws have cost and will continue to cost our miners thousands of pounds annually. Knowing and seeing this why does not the Beechworth Mining Board, at once set about drawing up a new code. The existing bye-laws are simply a monstrous combination of crude absurdities, framed with all the cunning device of a spider's net for catching the unwary and letting jumpers escape.

The road to Godfrey's, which during the summer months was splendid, is now getting very much out up by the traffic and wet weather. The bridge over Home Creek, at Avres's, is a great improvement on the old crossing. The Alexandra Road Board will have to spend a little money in keeping the road passable, otherwise it will be necessary to form Godfrey's into a municipality ere long. A number of new houses are being erected down the creek near the Cosmopolitan ground, and the population rapidly increasing. The total population of the place at present is about 1,200 person's.

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