1875-Australian Town & Country Bourke reports

1875.  (Oscar’s third child, Glen Lennox Hughan, was born in 1875, and died on October 29 of the same year. Oscar again was serving as acting post master.)

BOURKE.  Tuesday.
Fine showers have fallen all over the Bourke district, and fears of drought have entirely disappeared. The Cobar tanks are filled.
-February 20, 1875.

BOURKE.   February 5.
During the past week we have had a little rain, and the serious fears we have had of drought are somewhat quieted, though we are not yet sanguine of relief. At Cobar things a day or two ago were truly alarming, nearly the whole of the population had left, and the few who remained, unable to depart, were truly in danger. Per letter today (5th), I learn that rain had fallen; and at Mopone, 8 miles from the mines, 8 feet of water was in the company's tank. This is a vast boon and will enable those still there to hold on. The showers were partial, none falling at Tindera, 40 north of the works. At Bourke we have had a little moisture-not enough to benefit the dried-up plain, but the weather seems broken. Of late it has been most trying, the mercury touching 114 in shade. The river is about as low as it can be, and steamers are again needed. Yet we are still prosperous; buildings are going up, and all seem contented.
The English church, a pretty brick edifice, will soon be ready for its congregation. Mr. Good's brick house, and a fine one it is, is nearly complete, and many other new places are already occupied.
Race horses are coming in fast, and some of them no doubt will prove themselves such. The Bourke Handicap of £200 will bring a good field, but the Steeple of £100 will, for the prize, be small. There will be between £400 and £500 run for.The Williams Brothers will show strong.
   A Mrs. Clark was committed for manslaughter on Saturday. This was a case of neglect at the birth of a child. Dr. C. Grant's evidence was very conclusive.
    The public school is in a most satisfactory state, in charge of Mr. Reinits. There are as many us sixty-nine on the books; the teacher is a most competent man. The Rev. Mr. Brady, Church of England, is now stationed here.
    There have been meetings called relative to the disgraceful state of our unfenced cemetery, but strange to say the most perfect apathy exists thereto; and so it is with all other movements. Hospital meetings seldom deserve the name, and one would imagine this would stir the blood of the people. Since I last wrote, another Bank is here established -the Joint Stook. This, to the lucky fellows who have the cash, is a great benefit.
   I am thankful that our little ones are in good health ; but from the various pest-heaps about the town, they may be stricken any hour.
     8000 sheep, Wilson's, of Looralie, passed yesterday; Mr.Ingram in charge. Report speaks of rain at Cunnamulla and Charleville.
   -February 20, 1875.

BOURKE.   March 17.

The weather is stilt fearfully dry, and the plains about the town brown as a friar's robe; this rain has done us little good. The river has risen 9 feet, and report states it is still coming down, so that we may expect the steamers, and a blessing it will prove. Flour is now L4 per bag, and everything else just as high.
   A new tavern, The Telegraph, was opened last week by the owner, Mr. M. Good, and a fine, comfortable public place it is. This makes five inns here, quite enough, with the two wine fountains now in Bourke.
    The racehorses are doing good work, but I am afraid there will not be a successful meeting; the complaint is, the deductions from the prizes being too heavy a sum for improving the racecourse being demanded from the winners.
     I see the Fishing Village is to play against Bourke at cricket; and all I can say is, if the willow is not used a little more among our men, it will be " weeping willow" when the game is played. It is really strange that, knowing as our men do the propensity of the" pisentorials to vaunt their powers, they do not set to work as though they intended to do something
    A man named Richard M'Donald the other night was smashed down by a cowardly ruffian with a blow from a heavy gum paling. The wounded man is in serious danger, not being able to appear at court. The prisoner is remanded until next week. The unfortunate McDonnld was not the victim intended ; and while such fellows as the prisoner are abroad it is dangerous for people to walk the streets.  Constable Prior as usual was at the scene when needed, and is now prosecutor. The sessions in the criminal court will be heavy this time. Some ten or twelve cases are already awaiting the Judge.
    The plans for our new Court-house, &c, have at last arrived, and it is to be hoped we shalt soon be released from our infliction of heat in summer, and cold in winter.
    The country to the north looks pretty well, but the grass is very patchy, some places having abundance and others completely bare.
    There is a mob of pure-bred cattle close at hand, going to Mr. Holland's station on the Bogan ; they are from the Murray. Horses, without they are really good, are of little value. Mr. Bloxham's sale on Saturday showed this in an unmistakable way.
    Mr. Topham has finished scouring Davis and Gibbs's wool. It goes overland to Sydney.
    Weather colder, but very dry.
   -March 27, 1875.
     Sydney friends would be amused, it is said, at the tone of conversation that took place on Wednesday afternoon last in Bourke. It is customary on the part of friends when they meet in the public streets to inquire after one another's health, but not so on this day, the congratulations took place in the form of such questions as “ have you had a potatoe ?” Not long ago the prevailing saying in Bourke was “Could you eat a tart?” Lately it has been-“Could you eat a spud?” Answer-“Could I eat a spud ?” in a satirical tone of voice, followed up by “Could I eat 40 blessed spuds ?” Great emphasis on the forty. It appears that the steamer the Jolly Miller, arrived at Bourke on Wednesday last and brought three bags of potatoes which were sold at 25s a cwt, hence the rise for the flowery conversation.
    -June 5, 1875.

 Respecting the subject of an item in our telegrams from Sydney, we take the following from the Central Australian of a recent date:—"On the arrival of the Adelaide mail on Sunday evening last, the Acting Postmaster, Mr. Oscar Hughan, received two packages which are supposed to have contained strychnine, addressed to Warraweena Station. A great deal of the stuff had come out and was distributed over the various letters and papers, so much so, that Mr. Hughan was very ill on Sunday evening from the effects of the stuff, and many other parties complained of an exceedingly bitter taste in their months. A subject like this could afford to be well ventilated, as the danger incurred is so great; but as the Postmaster General was communicated with on the subject, and a reply to the following effect was received: we do not care to bring it more prominently before the public at present. Reply to Mr. Hughan's telegram from Mr. Burns, the Postmaster-General of New South Wales:—'Clear letters, &c, as much as you can, and write across each envelope—" destroy this as quickly as possible as it has come in the same bag with poison."

-        South Australian Advertiser, June 1, 1875.

 BOURKE.  June 20.

The newest excitement here is the quaking of the earth last week. We in Bourke were let off with but a slight shiver, but at Cobar the spasm was more acute, and really alarmed both men and women. Mr. J. Cohn, whose truthfulness no acquaintance can question, states that at one period of the disquietude things were quite serious; the water at Tindara Tank was violently agitated, and this place is 40 miles south of the mines.
   Speaking of Tindara the smelting is going on, but the quantities turned out are not known outside the walls of the Commercial Bank.
    Mr. John Colliss has started a line of coaches to Hilston, on the Lachlan, a distance from Bourke of close upon 300   miles. He has made one trip and is sanguine of success. 
    I am sorry to say our hospital is closed so far as receiving fresh patients. Dr. Charles Grant still generously relieves what sufferers there are left, and it is to be hoped that a committee, willing to be taught by his large experience, will, ere long, re-open the hospital with additional efforts to meet the distress of the district. There has been bungling somewhere, or this state of things could not have happened, for there is no place on earth, if I may omit the little piscatoral village, where there is so much open-handed liberality shown as at Bourke. The people are rough in their ways at times, especially against anything like cant or humbug ; but so soon as an actual need is known, the needy receive substantial comfort ; not dismal commiseration, but hard solid coin of the realm. A poor man some time ago had his leg broken by a vicious horse, and next day £50 was at his disposal.
     A concert to benefit the Church of England fund was held in the public school on Saturday evening, and was well attended, all concerned did very well indeed, and some of the singing and playing was most excellent. The duets were all good, and the gentleman who sang " Let me like a soldier fall " has a voice of much sweetness and purity. The comic element was truly comic, and the localisms cleverly strung together. These pleasant meetings while they relieve empty or failing treasuries serve to keep alive the friendships which should exist. A dramatic performance is the next thing on the roll in favor of the hospital. May it be judiciously put before the public. We have plenty of talent, if it be not thrust aside by superficial aspirants.
     Our town is rapidly building into greatness, and trade is brisk ; all we want is a few apples and potatoes to make us happy, and as steamers are nearing us, we hope once more to eat as we once ate, when we were boys at home. You can form no idea of the affection we have for the buff-skinned tubers.
     The weather is delightful, warm days and cold nights. Grass is plentiful, and all the rivers are high. No pastoralist can complain, and we in the streets are content. Before the steamers came we were paying disgustingly high for everything. Flour for instance £4 per bag, now it is £2 5d.
    The barge of the steamer Moolgewanke is still at the bottom of the river, the efforts of two steamers have failed to raise her. She has much cargo on board, a great part of it consigned to Ross & Co.
    The English church is nearly finished, and if it does nothing else it will ornament the place. The workmen have faithfully done their work.
     Mr. Andrea, a gentleman in Ross & Co's employ, had his thigh broken tho other day whilst hunting the tripod, and Mr. Samuel Patterson, long known on the Darling, died suddenly at Tattersalls, from inflammation of the stomach. He was in charge of Bowen Downs cattle.
   Eighty stud bulls passed for Cunnamulla, Q. L Bradley's, Mr. J. Malane in charge ; they are well-bred and look well.
-July 3, 1875.

 A shocking death by burning is reported from Bourke. The victim was a young girl, the only daughter of Mr. John Read, and the accident occurred while she was standing before the fire preparatory to going to school. Her clothes caught fire, and she rushed into the street screaming, and made for the Bourke Hotel, close by, running through the various rooms in a frantic state and into the bar, where she was seen by several persons with her clothes all inflames about her.

-July 24, 1875.

 REED -Accidentally burnt at Bourke, on the 8th August, Frances Eliza Reed, aged 15 years, daughter of John and Elisa Reed, and grand niece of Mr. Henry Hutton, Colnbrook, England, and grand-daughter of Mr. John Green, of Grafton. Home papers please copy.

-August 14, 1875

BOURKE.   Monday.

A brutal stabbing case has occurred at Cobar. Edward Crisp, in charge of Gundabooka cattle, attacked Edmund Lancefield in camp, and wounded him five times with a sheath knife.

-October 2, 1875.

BOURKE.

November 19.

The terrible times of '68 seem to be again approaching. Rain we have had none of actual benefit for months and months. Everywhere the country is as brown as a duck's back. I was 60 miles down the river a week or two ago, and on the frontage there is not enough grass to make a cradle mattress, and it is too late now to expect feed even should rain visit us which from all signs it will not do. The weather is quite different from any we have had since the big drought.

The days are hot and fearfully windy. In fact it is often blowing a 40 mile gale-dry and harsh as an oyster shell. The nights, however, are positively cold, and thus the weeks come and go as far as the weather is concerned. Another circumstance of unusual character is laid upon us, namely illness in every farm. Some years ago we used to say no one would ever die in Bourke: now there is scarcely a house which hasn’t had its sufferer. Measles is tackling old and young, and fever is not absent, while colds of a severe form are everywhere; yet notwithstanding all these inflictions, our town is rising rapidly into importance, and prosperity smiles through gloomy hours. This I think cannot be questioned when you learn that close upon £1000 will be run for at our next annual races. We are very liberal in most ways, but the race course is our white-haired darling.

The sessions are over, and a heavy batch of evil doers were punished. Owing to the vast extent of the district, there is no ground for hoping a change for the better; in fact, when you look upon the paucity of police protection in these parts, you can yet wonder that crime is not more prevalent. We have two troopers in Bourke, and the next station is 250 miles down the river, nearly 300 to the south, and 200 to the north, so you see what a field there is for fraud and violence. The district at heart is sound and honest, or you would hear of terrible deeds performed.

The fruit this year will be very light, owing to the dry spring, but we are troubled with none of the curses which ravage the orchards near Sydney. Rain is all we need to make us blessed with abundance of all that grows.

-December 4, 1875.

BOURKE.  Monday 6.23. p.m.

A woman, named Eliza Tradgelly, fell down on Friday and died in five minutes.

Mr. George Samson Gibb, discoverer of the copper mines at Cobar, died suddenly on Sunday. Rain is threatening.

-December 18, 1875.

 

BOURKE.  December 7.

This evening, 7th December, is so unseasonably cold that am writing in a thick winter coat, which, when you remember that the mercury a day or two ago rose to 112deg. in the shade, is more than suffering humanity can bear without absolute disgust. The wind from west-south west is blowing half a hurricane, and the dust, like fine pepper, is everywhere, and no sign of rain. I may tell you that we have had no beneficial rain since last March twelve months. There have been sprinklings, which made the frogs croak a few mournful prayers, but nothing which we could claim as grass-giving rain. Two or three days' constant downpour is what we at all times look upon as needful. Our plains may be ankle deep in the evening, and by ten o'clock next day you could play cricket on dry ground. People say- new hands-that they are afraid we are going to have a drought. I wonder what it is we have now. I have a small garden with about twenty trees, a few flowers, and fewer vegetables, and to keep these from actual annihilation it takes at the lowest estimate 1200 gallons of water per week ; there is no romance about it, " water, water everywhere," if you want a green leaf to look upon. I have a few camellias which in any other civilised place would have bloomed long ago. Mine are about two inches high, struggling for dear life. This is the state of Bourke in a horticultural point of view. What with hot, fiercely driving winds, pitiless sunshine, and not a single thunderstorm, we live a life about as jolly as a toad's would be under a plunging harrow. There has been much sickness in the form of measles, bronchitis, brain fever, low fever, and colds of a very serious nature, but Dr. C. Grant’s skill and attention has kept all from the realms of shade, save one, an infant, who died from congestion and exhaustion. When I first came to Bourke we used to say “No one will die here”. (NOTE: the infant referred to here was Oscar’s own six month old son, Glen Lennox Hughan, who died on October 29, 1875)

How the aspect is changed; the cemetery is thickly studded with graves, and death enters our corner terribly often, and even now we wonder there is so few departures, for there is enough filth in various parts of the town to set up two or three hospitals. Dead horses, dead calves, dead dogs, with other utter abominations, offend you incessantly, and still are allowed to offend. 700 store cattle passed en route for Winbar Downs, on Saturday, in charge of David Welsh ; they are a splendid lot. Today Mr. Welsh was summoned by his cook, a poor ailing old man, for six weeks' wages, which the defendant refused to pay. On arriving at Bourke, the plaintiff was compelled to wait upon Dr. Grant, who pronounced him unable to continue work, a certificate to this effect being produced in court by the white- haired sufferer, who had informed his humane employer as to the true state of his health and his inability to proceed, without eliciting a touch of pity. The defendant, who was not personally in attendance, was righteously ordered by the Police Magistrate to pay immediately the sum i.e L9, and costs, to be recovered by distress, in default of which 14 days. The decision of the Bench was received with approbation by the people in court- and it is to be hoped no similar case will ever come up here for judgment.

6,900 sheep belonging to Davidson, of Wagga, passed through on Thursday, in charge of Thomas Davidson, jun., who was summoned by the Sheep Inspector for not giving the required notice of intention to travel, and which should be done ere the sheep leave the station. A fine of £2 and costs was inflicted, the Police Magistrate stating that £50 could be imposed.

Mr. Booker's new bonded store is finished. It has three floors, two of them under the surface, and a more complete building could nowhere be found; the walls of brick are thick and massive, stone foundations, and the timber used is Murray gum. The lower floor gives a difference of temperature of 5 degrees against the second floor, and about 8 against the surface floor. It is a splendid affair, the builders-Messrs. Peek and Bourke for brick, and Mr. E. Hesler for wood - have faithfully earned their wages.

-December 18, 1875.

 

 

1876.

BOURKE.  December 12. 

On Friday, about 5 p.m. Mrs. Eliza Tradgely, an old resident, whilst walking beneath the verandah of her house, fell, and in five minutes had passed into the unknown world. On   Tuesday, before the shock of this death had passed away, news came that Mr. George Samson Gibb, one of the discoverers of Cobar Copper Mine had passed away; he had been ailing, but being a young, strong giant, no one thought that death would have struck him thus soon. He was at one time proprietor of the Central Australian, and from his modest unassuming nature, was respected by all classes. He was buried on Monday, attended by a large train of true friends, and in speaking of this burial, I may state, hoping it may be for the last time, that on the arrival of the previous mourning gathering, it was found that the grave was not ready for its sleeper, and a considerable time the friends and relations were kept waiting ere the solemn duty could be   performed - one would think common humanity would stir the arm of the listless in such a moment, for it is simply disgraceful that such scenes occur in a place owning churches and other places of moral persuasion.
   An article from the Pastoral Timess, copied into the Melbourne Argusus, narrating how a certain scion of the bluest possible blood was horsewhipped by a gentleman for being too blatant respecting a young girl in Bourke, has turned up in rather a turbulent manner. No man, or woman either, pitied the smitten one, for he richly deserved it, as does any one who traduces a woman ; but the article went further, dragging into the paragraph a young gentleman of most respectable position and character, to allude to whom as a larrikin, is unmerited and unjust. I have merely mentioned this to remove an impression which has root, that the article in question sprang in a quarter which of all others hold the party assailed as wantonly insulted.
The Hospital, you know, has been closed for months, the medical attendant, Dr. Charles Grant, being paid and, as far as that institution is concerned, dispensed with. Had he left the place as he intended, we should have been in a nice way, for never since Bourke was formed has there been so much and varied sickness as during the first five or six months, and there cannot be now (if there was formerly) a doubt as to the skill with which he has combated the many cures committed to his care; he is not only skilful-he is attentive, intelligent, and thoroughly at home, with disease in all its shapes and horrible belongings.

The rain which threatened us with a few blades of green grass has gone like the tenant who quits without warning, and the brazen-faced skies smite us again like burning glasses. Mr. Topham has just commenced scouring about 300 bales of greasy wool, belonging to Lili Springs, Yellow Water Holes, and Bulboo, which, I fancy, will be his last for this year. His plant is extensive and the great patronage he receives speaks for the excellency of the work performed.

Sickness is still thickly upon us, but death, save in cases where no human aid could serve, has been warded off.
Weather cool at night, windy, hot, and dusty by day.
A report came into town, yesterday, that James Vincent, of the Park Hills, had perished in the bush for want of water. The report is not believed.
-December 23.

Rain still prayed for and still -vainly looked for, the country dry as pumice stone and about as lively looking. Flour is getting scarce and they say L30 per ton is asked from Sydney; what happy people we are? but if flour is scarce and dear, potatoes are plentiful and dirt cheap, only one shilling per pound ; one shilling mind you, and then they are just fit for a game of marbles. The people are still ailing, but no deaths have taken place.

A gentleman in the blues escorting a prisoner from Wilcannia to Bourke, camped at the hotel at Louth, 170 miles below us ; the usual handcuffs were put in requisition, and the man of metal buttons divested himself of uniform &c, &.. and sought ' tired nature's sweet restorer-balmy sleep" and so balmy did the God descend that at early cockcrow he found himself alone, chained to the bed post with the same fetter he had used on the absent charge. Uniform, watch, worth £20, then three or four pounds all vanished ere he could realise the terrible state of things; the wandering sheep returned minus the property. A blacksmith struck off the officer’s gyoes and some kind creature lent him clothes; and the delinquent was lodged with our true blues, and if he catches them on such a hop the community will vote him his freedom. It was doubtless his idea to abstract the valuables, plant them, and return ere his departure became known; but unfortunately for him the good folk of Louth are fond of seeing the rising sun.
     A herd of cows and calves for Winbar (Tobin's) passed today; and a fine lot they are. Another lot of fat bullocks are passing down the Warrego in charge of Mr. Franklin; they are near Tooralie.
  The mails are running well.
-January 1, 1876.