Alexandra Times at KellyGang 2/7/1869
GODFREY'S CREEK
.This place has received a temporary check in consequence of the jumping and law proceedings connected with the claims on the deep lead. The Working Miners' Ballarat Star, and Cosmopolitan are the only claims on which the whole of the purchase money has been paid. Callaghan's, which was sold for £7000, has fallen into the hands of the original owners, and the deposit of £100 has been forfeited. The same thing has happened with several other claims. The purchasers have not been able to float their companies in consequence of this jumping. As soon as proper titles can be obtained for the ground these claims will again become valuable, but in the mean time Melbourne and Ballarat men will invest no more of their capital, so Godfrey's Creek must depend on its own resources. Whether individual miners will improve the place more rapidly by their own efforts than assisted by a large stream of capital is a matter on which there is no room for a difference of opinion. Those who think that capitalists should not be admitted at all are simply " killing the goose that laid the golden egg." The shopkeepers are beginning to feel the effects of stopping capital, and there is already a disposition to grumble about things being dull The feeling of the business people is strongly in favor of granting the Barker's lease as it only contains 120 acres, and not 320 as was supposed, and then let the remainder of the creek be taken under miners' rights, or small leases not exceeding 30 acres. This would bring back confidence to the place and restore it to general prosperity.
A Mrs Godfrey has created ,considerable talk about the existence of a very rich reef in this locality. The story runs thus - About ten years ago she was taking a drink at one of the numerous streams about here, and whilst doing so picked up a piece of old weighing 2 dwt 9 gr. At that time she was only a girl taking care of some sheep. The place is likely soon to be made known as one of our sharebrokers has in company with Mrs Godfrey visited the ground and brought back his pockets full of quartz, every piece containing more or less gold.
There is an evil springing up here which is as bad if not worse than leasing. One man buys, say £10 worth of miners' rights, which represent 40 claims, and if that is not enough he can take up 40 more by paying another £10. This is greater monopoly than any leasing that has been attempted yet, as any individual can take up a whole creek in this way at much less expense than he would have to pay for leasing it.
In Middle Creek a party of miners have put down a shaft 170 feet, but in consequence of their having struck the top of a reef they have been obliged to sink another shaft. There is every prospect of getting gold, yet there is only one party at work, although the creek is taken up from top to bottom. Now it is scarcely fair that one party should stand the expense of prospecting the creek in this way, whilst the others only pay is for registration and 5s for a minors' right for each claim. The prospectors of Middle Creek deserve the highest praise for their pluck and perseverance. Such men on the U T Flat would soon bottom thee shaft there has been so much fuss about.
The Albertene troupe of performers have been amongst us during; the past week. Their entertainment consist of tight rope performances, with a great variety of tricks with cards, tumblers, and everything of the kind, ever attempted. There are two young ladies who sing and take part in the performance, They have not had much practice but are quite equal to the generality of provincial artists. They intend visiting Alexandra.
The machine at the Ballarat Star is, doing its work pretty well. A puddling machine is being erected. They. are now working the white lead the same as the Working Miners' The washing up will not be known for a few days.
The Working Miners' have not yet struck the red lead. They intend sinking a new shaft.
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