Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/168

 •42 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY The Producers Australian Gas Company. The Regisfe7- newspaper had adopted the illuminant years before; and, even as early as 1851. A. L. Elder & Co. proposed to the City Commissioners, and in 1852 to the City Council, to erect gasworks. Year bv vear the parks and public places were beautified by the planting of trees and shrubs ; and from time to time propo.sals were made for the construction of a dam across the Torrens, so as to relieve the ugly bareness of its wide channc;!. A writer in a neighboring colony facetiously declared that "in summer you might dam back the Torrens with an Irishman's hat." The ajjpearance of the stream was considert^d a stigma on the citizens, but, beyond planting a few trees, nothing was done until 1866. In that year Parliament made a grant of /" 1,000, which was to be expended in beautifying the Torrens. Some ^4,122 was the construction of improvements. An water was held became a pastime ; 1867, rioods swept Beyond ments nothing of ance happened, ment in 1868 was 1862-3 Mr. was re-elected 1863 he was Samuel Goode. Townsend was 1865-6; and Mr. 1866-7 and 1867-8. the Duke of the city, and was First Council Chamber of the Corporation of Adelaide spent in 1866-7 ''i a dam and in other immense sheet of back. Boating but in October, the structure away. these improve- particular import- The city assess- ^185,494; in Thomas English Mayor; and in succeeded by Mr. Mr. WM 1 1 i a m Mayor in 1864-5, H. R. Fuller in In 1867 H. R. H. Edinburgh visited received with great enthusiasm. He laid the foundation-stone of the Victoria Tower at the General Post Office and planted commemoration trees in the Botanic Gardens. Municipal government was granted to Brighton in 1858, Kapunda in 1865, and Strathalbyn in 1868:'*' Before concluding this chapter, one other .subject must be referred to. This was essentially a period of exploration. The interior was penetrated and crossed, and new lands were opened to public energy. During 1848-57 exploration was practically at a standstill; Mr. Oakden and Mr. E. V. Bagot in 1851 made a few discoveries in the neighborhood of Lake Torrens, but that was all. For some time the utmost curiosity was demonstrated as to the nature of the regions surrounding the lake, and several trips thitherwards were made. Babbage, in 1856, found MacDonnell Creek and Blanchewater