The Argus at KellyGang 3/9/1868
OVENS AND MURRAY RAILWAY
A meeting of merchants and other gentlemen: interested in the construction of the above line of railway was held last evening, at the Albion Hotel, Bourke-street.
Mr Wm. Witt having been elected to preside, proceeded to address the meeting on the subject of the proposed railway, and the line of country through which it would run. He stated that it was very important that the immense resources of those districts which the line would open up should be made known to the public. There was a great deal of ignorance existing regarding the line of the Ovens and Murray Railway, and the country through which it would pass; and he believed if the public were more thoroughly acquainted, with the resources of those districts; they would be in favour of the under-taking.
It was proposed two years ago, that the line should start from Woodend, go on to Seymour, and follow as nearly as possible the telegraph line to Wodonga. The recent survey, however, would make the line start from Essendon, and pass through the district of Kilmore. There was a large agricultural population there, and one that had claims upon the Government for railway accommodation. In addition to the agricultural resources of the district, there were several well-defined quartz reefs, which only required the necessary capital to yield hand-some returns. Passing on to Seymour , the railway would open up a trade with a large extent of valuable country, and would bring in connexion with Melbourne traders an immense tract to the west of the Melbourne road, which is known as the Carrick-O'Shanassy country. There is already a considerable population there; the land is capable of yielding a large crop of cereals per acre, and is in every way suited for agriculture.
To the east of the line, in the Yea and Ghin Ghin direction, there is a tract of country already well known for its auriferous resources both in quartz and alluvial diggings. When the line is pushed to Longwood, the metropolis would be able to supply the wants and receive the produce of all the goldfields included in tho Jamieson district. This is one of the most extensive districts in the colony, including, as it does, Wood's Point, Maindample, Mansfield, Alexandra, and other centres of mining enterprise. These districts are still very little known even as gold-fields; but there is land there fitted to raise all sorts of crops, and second in richness to none in the colony. Around Benalla there is a large extent of country still unalienated from the Crown, which would be greatly enhanced in value by the proposed line of railway.
The proposed railway to the Western district has no argument of this nature to support it, for the land through which it passes has mostly passed out of the control of the Government into private hands. The land in the Benalla district is of very superior quality, and will command very fair prices to Government when the railway passes through it - prices which would, in fact, go a long way towards payment of the expense of forming the line. Leaving Benalla, the line will be carried into the heart of the Wangaratta and Ovens district.
Taking the report of the mining surveyor of the Beechworth district for the half-year ending June 30, he would be justified in saying that this was one of the most important in the colony. It included such well known townships as Beechworth, Stanley, Jamieson, Gaffney's Creek, and Wood's Point, and in point of agricultural richness was second to none in Victoria . Its quartz reefs are more extensive and valuable than those of any other district. In the Beechworth district there are at present discovered 502 quartz reefs, as against 159 in the Ballarat district. But in the former place the average horse power employed in quartz mining is only 686, against 2,410 in the latter. This fact shows the great want of machinery in the Beechworth district. The cost of transit makes the machinery most expensive, and the inconveniences of the journey as at present made keeps back capitalists who would otherwise visit the district and judge of its capabilities for themselves. But as they know at present almost nothing on tho subject, they prefer to invest it other localities of a less rich but better known character.
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