MINERAL MANIA AND UNTOLD RICHES.
In 1883, immediately after the discovery of silver at Thackaringa, Silverton was a fast growing town of 250 inhabitants. Throughout its population raged a fierce mineral mania. By some freak of fortune, the pursuit of silver in the Barrier Ranges had not disturbed the gaunt, blackened bulk known as "the Broken Hill". Miners flocked instead to Silverton, secure in the knowledge that the area had been proved of value.
Charles Rasp, 27 year - old German and boundary rider for the Mount Gipps sheep run, became infected with the mineral mania which emanated from Silverton, and although ignorant of geology and mining lore, became fascinated by the Hill. The conviction grew in his mind that it contained tin. On such a simple thought was started a cavalcade of events, staggering in their influence on Australia's past and undoubtedly far reaching in their effect on the nations future. Rasp resolved to peg out the Hill and test its value as a mineral prospect. He persuaded David James and James Poole, fellow Mount Gipps employees to join him.
In September, 1883, they pegged off and applied for what is now known as Block 12. Rasp then told George McCulloch, Mount Gipps manager, of his conviction about the Hill and McCulloch with George Urquhart and G. A. M. Lind, station overseer and storekeeper respectively, pegged out adjoining blocks 13, 14 and 15, which take in the whole of Broken Hill itself. Shortly thereafter they included blocks 10, 11 and 16 and amalgamated the seven blocks into a syndicate known as "Broken Hill Mining Company". Its seven members Philip Charley, George Urquhart, G. A. M. Lind, David James Poole, Charles Rasp and George McCulloch, each contributed 70 pounds and held an equal share. Surface prospecting exposed large bodies of low grade carbonate of lead ore. Disappointed Lind retired and Rasp and McCulloch took up his interest.
No immediate rush followed the pegging of the claims. The life of the Barrier, destined to be one of unique prosperity, was cradled in doubt and disbelieved. As an instance, P. H. Dawson, Mines Department Surveyor, who made the first survey of Broken Hill in eight days, could have bought Poole's share for 80 pounds but he refused it! Rasp's shaft, the first to be sunk (as happened, on the poorest part of the holdings) was disappointing, showing average assays of 10 to 12 ounces per ton.
Enthusiasm of the syndicate members waned. A fourteenth share could have been bought for 30 to 40 pounds, but buyers were scarce.
Then came improvement in the assay figures and with it a young English man named Cox who desired to obtain an interest in the undertaking. He offered McCulloch 120 pounds for his share. McCulloch held out for 200 pounds. A game of euchre was played, the winner to fix the price to be paid for the share. McCulloch lost, and with it the fourteenth share, which if it had been held in its entirety, in six years time with dividends and bonuses, could have represented 250,000 pounds. Was ever a card game played for higher stakes!
THE BROKEN HILL COMPANY 1884
The syndicate of seven resolved itself ultimately into the Broken Hill Mining Company with a membership of fourteen. Jamieson did not retain two of his shares. He sold to H. F. C. Keats.
The share which he had bought from Rasp and Keats in turn sold at a much later stage to W. R. Wilson, manager for the Barrier Ranges Silver Mining Company. In the months that elapsed between the decision to split up the shares and the discovery of rich prospects on Broken Hill several changes of shareholders occurred.
But at the time when finally the fortunes of the group were soaring, the fourteen shareholders in the Broken Hill Company, which held the leases of the Hill and had taken over responsibility for calls at the rate of 10/- per week were: 1. Charles Rasp - Boundary rider, Mount Gipps Station. 2. George McCulloch, Manager Mount Gipps Station, 3. David James, Contractor, 4. James Poole, Contractor, his mate. 5. Philip Charley, on Mount Gipps Station, 6..Solomon Wiseman, Rabbit Inspector, 7. Kenneth Brodribb, Station owner, Poolamacca, 8. Bowes Kelly, late station manager, Billilla, 9. Samuel Hawkins, Carpenter, 10. W. R. Wilson, Manager Barrier Ranges Association, 11. James G. Dalglish,District surveyor, Dubbo. 12. A. Cox, station hand, 13. William Jamieson, Surveyor, 14. J. C. Palmer.
