Western Mail 21 February 1946, page 60
Early days in Mt. Morgan District recalled by
‘One of the Pioneers’ John MILNE
I am one of the pioneers of your district and, after, an absence of 43 years, I would like to receive word of what is now being done in the Mt. Morgan district. I am only 75 and before I pass along, I intend to visit, in the near future, my old happy prospecting ground, but while I am writing I will tell you my early connections with W.A.
I swagged it from Southern Cross to Coolgardie in 1894, arriving there at the time of the Londonderry rush. I joined it, but the ground was pegged out for miles. It was only a surface show, but it was a beauty. A London company took it over and a large amount of samples were sent home to the ‘Old Country’. In due time they sent a cablegram to the manager:
“When does the first crushing take place?”
The reply was short and sharp and to the point: “When you send the money.” They afterwards called it the Londonderry. Hannan’s was next on the list. I went dry blowing on the Maritana Hill, now known as Kalgoorlie and I took up a lease near the Brownhill, not far from the Boulder which I later sold to some Londoners.
Kurnalpi and the Broad Arrow were the next rushes. Water was bad and scarce, so I made for the 90-mile where a storekeeper’s rush was on, but we got water at Bardoc, Next came Menzies and then on to Murrin Murrin. I went broke and went to work at the Malcolm Proprietary Mine, with Horton as manager and Joe Guest as shift boss. I was soon moving again, prospecting around Red Castle, but found no water nearer than Bummers Creek, 20 miles away.
On the Tramp – Photo TROVE
Then I joined a prospecting party going to Hawk’s Nest, but when we got to Mt. Margaret early in 1898, I joined with another prospector, going to Mt. Morgan. After we got a water supply and tucker at Allanson’s store, we started to follow a trail going out towards McKenzie Well in the flat country back of the Morgan Ridge. After some time, we struck rich floaters, so we cleared the scrub and pitched our tents, made a fire and soon had the billy boiling and a mulligan stew and flap jacks for supper. Then we fixed our ‘Queensland bunks’, two sacks stretched out, a pole on each side and forks top and bottom and we were all set. Yes, the local natives were soon around us, but they gave us no trouble as long as we gave them some tucker. They were the Pendinny Tribe and they knew me from Red Castle.
Allanson’s Store, Mt Morgans – Photo SLWA
After a couple of weeks chasing floaters we located two reefs running parallel, carrying good gold. We soon found one pinched out but the other about two feet wide had a hanging and footwall going down strong. We were about one mile from McKenzie’s trail and about three miles northwest of Morgan Ridge. We located another reef carrying gold on the west of our camp, so we pegged out two 24 acre leases and applied for them at the Warden’s Court at Laverton in the name ‘Milne and Holman’. I was known as Scotty. We called our claims
‘Pride of Mount Morgan’ and the ‘Bon Accord’.
That was a Scotch name meaning, of one mind. We sunk a shaft 60ft on the Pride and sent two crushing’s, 20 tons each, by camel team to the Australia United battery and we got a return of 2oz. to the ton and 25dwt in tailings.
About that time a five head stamp mill was erected at the bottom of the hill near Harrison’s and not far from Dempsey’s claim. We sent a crushing of about 15 tons and got about 2½oz. gold to the ton and were allowed ½oz for tailings. About that time a fault took place in our reef and dolomite took its place. That was a very valuable mineral out here during the war, but it sure was a pure loss to us. As we could not get rid of it, we sunk a shaft on our other lease where there was a large body of stone, about 5ft. wide in some places. After we got a sample assayed the best we could get was ½ oz. per ton, so at that time, it was too low a grade to pay. After doing some more development we had to give our leases to other prospectors with more money and better luck.
Burt Street, Mt Morgans – Photo SLWA
I went to work on the Morgan Mine. Stephenson was shift boss, and sometime later Piercy Morgan came along as manager and Joe Guest’s crowd took over the Phoenix and changed its name. In August 1898, the township of Mt Morgans was laid out. Jack Lennan had a hash shop near the post office, which was a large tent with a bush shed over it, and Harris, the constable, would put the drunks on a chain for a few days. Allinson built a store on the main street, and then Smith put up a big hotel on one corner and Clarke built on the other. Later Kealey came over from the Margaret and built another. Then there was Harris and his wife, who had a store, and lots more I forget. They also built a racetrack and a hospital. About that time the first council was elected, and Jack Smith was Mayor. I have a good memory.
John ‘Jack’ Smith, Mayor of My Morgans – Photo SLWA
About the second year of this century Alexander Forrest, a brother of John, was calling for help to go with him to South Africa. I joined the crowd and after that business was settled, I had a vacation in my native Scotland. After that, I came to God’s country, California, where I settled, and raised an American family, and years ago I struck it rich through the real estate route. I am now looking forward to my trip to the goldfields of good old W.A.
I have given you a few lines early history and someone may find time to send me a few lines. I forgot to mention, Joe Ball was the handyman around the Morgan. I hope the mine is still going strong.
Mr. John Milne
345 Crescent Avenue, San Francisco
Moya Sharp
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