BATTERIES AND WATER-RACES
ment Water-race,” D. Doyle taking charge as: manager, with Jimmy Parsons as assistant. The sale of water in the year 1880-1881 brought in a revenue of £417, and the expenditure was £400.
On 3rd April, 1882, Mr. Doyle reported, inter alia, that “good prospects had been spoilt by the dam breaking away on 11th May, 1881, and that this had been the driest season for eight years.” He also mentioned that in 1873 the dam had run dry “through long drought and it took eighteen months to get it up again.”
In April, 1884, the Warden reported: “The Government race heading from the Argyle dam at Deep Creek, has been extended to Argyle Terrace. The further extension of this race along the line of terraces ending at the Nile River, is much needed. The extensive water rights held by Mr. James Butterworth on the Four-mile Flat, and in Whiskey Creek neighbourhood, have been largely used by the miners; and this race, standing as it does, at a higher level than the Government race, commands a greater area of working.”
On 10th April, 1884, Mr. Doyle reported that “results had not been as satisfactory as expected, owing to alterations, and to three parties taking water from Butterworth at a reduced price per head—this was a loss of £250 for the year.” He mentioned the extension of the race to the Back Lead, and that the dam wall had been raised three feet, also that “every dam in the Charleston district was dry when he wrote, and no sign of rain, so all the men are nearly idle for the want of water”; adding that they “had had no rain since Christmas excepting for some slight showers.” He gave the receipts and expenditure as: Sale of water—£324; maintenance of race—£371; average net earnings per man—£3 per week; number employed—12; gold obtained—600 ounces.
The extension of the race to Ballarat Terrace, Sardine Terrace and the Back Lead, was costly, the total expense of construction, alterations, etc., being over £15,000. It involved the erection at Ballarat Gully of a siphon 22 inches in diameter with a “lead in” 30 feet high. The engineer for the siphon construction was C. Y. O’Connor, and the contractor, Isaac Hardley, the contract price being £2,000.
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