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- 1893 'THE ROAD TO SOUTHERN CROSS AND COOLGARDIE
THE ROAD TO SOUTHERN CROSS AND COOLGARDIE.
To THE EDITOR
Sir, For the information of the travelling publie I beg to draw attention, through the medium of your valuable journal, to the bad state of some places on the goldfields road. I especially refer to two places, one at Southern Cross and the ether between there and Coolgardie, where the road passes through the lakes.
At the present time these places are so cut up with heavy traffic that teams have to await the arrival of others to pull each other out, and if the parts of the road are not repaired before the rainy season sets in they will be altogether impasable, and supplies for the fields will be entirely cut off.
I would suggest that if the Yilgarn Roads Board cannot find the means to immediately carry out this urgent and necessary work, the Government be asked to send Mr. Raeside's party, who cleared the road, and is so well qualified to effect What requires to be done.
As there is plenty of timber within easy distance, it appears to me the most effectual remedy would be to " log " those boggy places and make what is called a "corduroy" road. It would at all events meet the present difficulty until the completion of the Yilgarn railway.
Yours, etc.,
WILLIAM MARWICK.
York, 27th April.
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- 1892 'THE CAMEL QUESTION
THE CAMEL QUESTION.
To the Editor.
Sir,-As I am owner of a number of teams constantly employed on the goldfields road, it is probably useless for me, as an interested party, to condemn the camels as a means of transport. I may, however, be permitted to make a few observations on the subject. Mr. Faiz Mahomet says he was induced to come here by representations that he would find plenty of work for his camels.
Now I myself told his secretary months ago in York, that there were more teams here at that time than we could get work for, and, since then, carting having fallen off a hundred per cent in quantity and twenty per cent in freight, there is very little use for a camel service. Teamsters and carriers are very much pleased with Mr. Simpson observations at Geraldton on this subject, and we only wish we hada few more members in the Assembly like him.
If the camels were compelled to travel a different road to the one used by horse teams, it would not matter much, as I think we could cart and live as well as them, in fact they are not getting much encouragement in York but from a few who are fond of alien labour. I think we Europeans can afford to leave the matter in the hands of those who have most to do, with the work for horses or camels to and from the goldfields.
Mr. Mahomet says camels will not frighten horses, but I have good reason to know to the contrary. One of my teams, returning from the goldfields last month, met some camels on the Northam portion of the road. The horses immediately turned, broke the shafts off the waggon and ran away and very nearly killed the teamster who had to come home without his load which was ten pounds out of my pocket.
In another case Mr. James Fields, with a team leaded with valuable goods was baiting his horses on the road when the camels came along and frightened them away altogether. The teamster had to remain with his load twenty days, till his master hunted up some of the horses a hundred miles away and two of them he has not seen or heard of since. Now, I think Fields and myself and others should like the camels after,this. What say you Mr. Editor ?
Yours,
WILLIAM MARWICK. York, Sept. 5
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- 1890 'THE ROAD TO PARKER'S FIND
THE ROAD TO PARKER'S FIND.
To THE EDITOR.
SIR,Instead of spending £100 on a new track to Parker's Find, I think the Government ought to spend what money, they have, on the main road from York to Tootagin, and cut a track from thence to Parker's Find. On this route bald rocks can be found at every few miles, and it would prove fully as straight as the road via Mount Stirling.
Teams can go out to Tootagin now with loads, but you cannot go to Mount Stirling with two teams together, as the water is private property and the settlers have not sufficient for their own stock. Then again Mr. Parker's never failing springs out eastward would not water more than two or three horses in the twenty four hours. When these travellers went out in 1888 there was water in all the rocks, but try if there is now, and see what you will find.
By the Tootagin track more miles could be saved than on the Mount Stirling track, and besides there are no,private wells on the former road. The settlers already warn the public, in the newspapers, from going to their wells, but what will they say if they are fifty or sixty horses coming to water, as I have seen this summer time after time on the main road.
Yours &c
W.MARWICK.
York, April 12
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1868 - 1902 (34 years)
