Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/428

 402 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY Mr. w. g. Brookn,an capable and shrewd business man. His educational training aided him considerably in his lengthened cruises on the sea of competitive enterprise and commerce. When the sister colony's goldfields were becoming popular, and Bayley had discovered Coolgardie, numbers of people went thither in the hopes of wooing early fortune. In June, 1893, Mr. Brookman and Mr. S. W. Pearce left Adelaide, and took boat to Albany. On arriving at the latter port they provided themselves with a spring dray and two good horses, and set out on that tedious and ever-to-be-rememl)ered journey to Coolgardie. After considerable exertion they reached their F^ldorado, but deemed it more desirable, after a short sojourn in Coolgardie, to push on to Hannans, which was then a mere embryo. They pitched their tent and went forth prospecting. Mr. Brookman and his companion represented a capital of ^150, which, though a small amount, was sufficient for the time. In the interests of their Syndicate they set to earnest work, and prospected the vicinity of Hannans. In a short time they pegged out the Great Boulder, Lake 'iew Consols, Ivanhoe, Lake View South, and the Associated Mines. They worked away at these claims with energy and confidence, but a lack of funds in the treasury of the Syndicate somewhat disappointed the sanguine prospectors. However bright may have been their anticipations of success, their prospect was darkened by odds and straits. Again- — the e.xchequer nearing depletion — exemption was unprocurable, and many so-called mining experts of note endeavored to damp their ardor by decrying the claims, and suggesting abandonment. Yet, in the teeth of handicaps and vicissitudes they plodded gallantly on, hoping soon to refute the damaging opinions of their critics. Eventually, after much hard striving to comply with the stringent labor conditions, they successfully floated the Ivanhoe Mine in Melbourne for ^30,000, and the Lake View for ^80,000. These claims, now of such great value, and so celebrated, gained popular appreciation at a humble exhibition of is. and IS. 6d. per share in these early days, b'ew guessed the rich transformation that was in store for these despised and ill-favored stocks. Encouraged by these flotations, the prospectors did not pause in their work of enrichment and aggrandisement till they had pegged out 500 of the richest acres in Australia. There is no music more sweet to the miner's ear than the measured clang of the batteries, and these soon sounded over the desert monotony. The yields were enormous, shares were rushed for, and prices rose quickly. The richness of the claims was a general theme, and the courage and perseverance of Mr. Brookman were gloriously rewarded. The success of the Great Boulder was the signal for a new era in gold mining in Western Australia. All Mr. Brookman's claims were floated with enviable success, and he now proceeded to London to look after his numerous interests. In the great metropolis he is held in esteem by those with whom he has done business. His mining career has been fraught with many retarding and harassing obstacles, but he has overcome all these triumphandy, and has decked his exploits in colors of splendor. Mr. Brookman's success has not been wrongly used. His belief in the mines of Kalgoorlie seems to be analogous to the enthusiastic and unwavering confidence of Mr. Lansell in the mining interests of Victoria. Mr. Brookman has not, like many regardless