Chinchilla 1899

Darling Downs Gazette (Qld. : 1881 - 1922), Monday 23 January 1899, page 3

GOVERNMENT AID TO PRICKLY PEAR SELECTORS.

The question of doing, something with a view to alleviating the hardships under which the selectors in the prickly pear country are struggling is being considered by the Minister for Lands and Agriculture. Mr. Chataway proposes after visiting the Glengallan estate on February 2, to go down the Condamine for the purpose of inspecting the country near Chinchilla, in order to see what can be done for the selectors who are hampered by the prickly pear pest.

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Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs General Advertiser (Qld. : 1875 - 1902), Thursday 26 January 1899, page 2

The following stock passed Cambooya this week (writes onr own correspondent):— January 22nd, 197 head of bullocks from Pelham Station," near Chinchilla, for Beaudesert for sale, T. Hickson In charge ; January 23rd, 160 store cattle from Chinchilla for Beaudesert, Marray-Prior, owner; W. Curtis in charge.

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Darling Downs Gazette (Qld. : 1881 - 1922), Saturday 4 February 1899, page 5

Wambo Divisional Board minutes

OBSTRUCTING THE ROADWAYS. 'From E. B. Von Steigletz, asking, the Board to cause to be removed the slip-rails across the main-road between Chinchilla and the Wambo boundary, and gates placed in their stead.— The Foreman stated that the land-holder had agreed to place gates at the place mentioned. — Mr Ross said it opened a big question, as they should make it apply - right through the Division — The Chairman stated that it had been decided some time ago that no slip-rails should be allowed across the roads. — The Foreman pointed out that in some instances the rails were even tied with wire. Complaints had been made to him privately, and he noticed that some-one had written through the Press. — The Inspector was instructed to give notice to any persons who had the roads blocked with rails to have them removed immediately.

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Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954), Wednesday 8 February 1899, page 5

Tho Minister for Lands and Agriculture returned to Brisbane after a visit of inspection of the Glengallan lands, Darling Downs, and the prickly pear infested country at Chinchilla. At Chinchilla he met a number of selectors ; but they made no practical suggestions. The main point put forward was that the rent should be reduced. The country that is infested covers an area of 250 by 200 miles along the rail-way line, and Mr. Chataway thinks it will have to be classified and cut up into scrub selections. None of it is good agricultural land.

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Darling Downs Gazette (Qld. : 1881 - 1922), Monday 6 March 1899, page 3

DALBY ELECTION. — part of a speech

Thousands of acres of land are covered with this pear, and the sooner we get rid of this plant the better. For instance, take from the Racecourse to Blaxland, what is the reserve now but a nest of prickly pear. The Racecourse itself was cleared I think some three years ago, and look at it now, the pear is spreading every day. I think I am the first man that has brought this under your notice, and I now hear other people taking the credit. This appeared in my manifesto as you can see. At Ringing Plain the pear is as high as twenty or thirty feet, and from Warra to Chinchilla you are going through nothing more than a mass of pear. On the way to the farm owned by a Mr Cooper you pass through scrubs of pear. When you go to Mr Cooper's farm you strike a paradise, he having fruit trees of every description, corn, lucerne and barley growing.

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Darling Downs Gazette (Qld. : 1881 - 1922), Monday 10 April 1899, page 3

APPOINTMENT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES

. CHINCHILLA. — Frank Fogarty, Patrick Henry, Robert Francis Makie, Dennis McMahon, and Edmund Quirk.

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Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 15 April 1899, page 705

DALBY.

Before Mr. Commissioner Warner, on the 7th instant. Applications for Selections. Agricultural farms: Accepted, T. Pilkington. 20a., Chinchilla.

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Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 15 April 1899, page 701

THAT PRICKLY PEAR.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,— I am pleased to notice that the member for Murilla, Mr. W.H. Moore, is about to take steps towards the eradication of the prickly pear. Few men who are not in touch with it have any conception of the magnitude of this undertaking ; and surely it is the duty of all who possess practical knowledge on the subject to give him the benefit of their experience. Unfortunately the rule-of-thumb system, which performs the greatest amount of labour for the smallest possible results, is so firmly established in prickly-pear country, and is so utterly incompetent to meet the requirements of the case, that I something must be done very soon if the pastoral industry is to be preserved.

At the present 'time the prickly-pear infested country within the Murllla and Balonne electorates, if cleared of the pest, and improved to its highest pastoral capacity, would fatten 100,000 bullocks annually. The pest increases on the horseshoe principle upon all the fertile localities where it is established. Like the rabbits, it is nobody's fault that it is here. But it is everybody's fault if it remains, and it is to be hoped that the energetic member who has taken it in hand will succeed. He has a splendid opportunity to display his ability within the sphere of his own influence, as I hear the residents in and around the town of Taroom, owing to the enterprise of Mr. Rigby, of the firm of Langhorne and Rigby, of Carrabah station, have at last awoke to the consciousness of their wonderful pastoral and agricultural resources, and are to have a show on the 24th of May.

This is a step in the right direction, and the promoters deserve the sympathy and respect of the whole community. A man with a cancer must submit to drastic treatment, or he will die. The prickly pear is a cancer on the pastoral business, and must be drastically treated, or that business will die too.

And the only way I can see out of it, is to build a cheap railway through the prickly-pear country, starting one, say, to negotiate the pear between Chinchilla and Taroom, from Baking Board siding, passing through thirty miles of splendid ironbark forest, suitable for railway and bridge building purposes. Crossing Dogwood Creek, about the neighbourhood of Pelham to the head of Rochdale Creek, the proposed line would run along the old Taroom road, passing through the prickly pear country in that quarter, which is composed of black soil, possessing a fertility second to none in Australia. This land might be thrown open along the proposed line of selection before survey, and the lessees whose runs are incorporated within the area be allowed the privilege of taking advantage of Part IV. of the 1884 Land Act as compensation, a subsidy being granted of 20s. per acre for all prickly-pear infested land that is cleared of the pest, and a deed of grant to the lessee or selector of as many acres as in the opinion of a competent appraiser it would require to conform with the definition " prickly-pear infested."

That is to say, if a selector took up 6000 acres and the pear was scattered all over it, but in the opinion of the appraiser, it would take the whole of it to constitute 600 acres of prickly-pear infested land, then let the State, upon certificate of the land being cleared within the prescribed time, pay the selector in hard cash £500, and give him a grant of 500 acres on any part of his selection conforming with some of the boundary lines.

When we come to recognise that the pear monopolises the richest of our land and the alarming manner in which it is spreading, coupled with the utter helplessness of the pastoralists to cope with it unaided, and the absolute necessity of preserving the fertility of our pasture land in the meat and dairy export interest, no reasonable sacrifice to reclaim that which we have lost ought to be objected to. And that we will count our loss by millions of acres of the pride of our inheritance if something is not done at once is unhappily too true …

I am Sir, etc. ROBERT MACKIE; Fairy Meadow 1st April

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Western Star and Roma Advertiser (Qld. : 1875 - 1948), Wednesday 10 May 1899, page 2

The Dalby Herald reports a sad accident occurred at Chinchilla early last week by which a man named Thomas Newtown, aged 65 years, lost his life. It seems that he had ridden out carrying a rifle, for the purpose of shooting at cockatoos, which were a source of annoyance on the farm where he was staying. On returning he endeavoured, while still seated on horseback, to place the loaded rifle on the verandah railing. In doing so he held the rifle by the muzzle, which was pointed towards his stomach. The trigger in some way was caught by the railing and the rifle was discharged, the contents lodging in his stomach. Death was instantaneous.

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Darling Downs Gazette (Qld. : 1881 - 1922), Monday 29 May 1899, page 3

TERRIBLE FATALITY AT CHINCHILLA.

HORSE AND RIDER KILLED. SMASHED AGAINST A TREE.

A sad and terrible fatality occurred at Chinchilla on Queen's Birthday. A number of young men from the out-side districts had gathered in the town-ship to attend a concert held on Tuesday evening, in aid of the building fund of a new Roman Catholic church. They remained in town during the next day, as a ball was to eventuate in the evening. Finding time hang somewhat heavy on their hands, they organised an impromptu race meeting, and, immediately after lunch, proceeded to run off the different events, choosing a straightaway course close to the town, the usual racecourse being some considerable distance outside.

In the first race seven horses competed, the distance being about four furlongs, and the prize a sweep of £1 per starter. They all got away together, and raced at top speed, keeping in an exact line abreast. A large boxtree stood on the right side of the track, about a furlong from the starting post. Clarence Baldock, riding Mr. Fogarty's thoroughbred brown stallion "All's Luck" was on the outside, and should have passed on the left side of the tree. The horse, however, was forced out by the others, and evidently hesitating as to which side of the tree he should pass, finally crashed into it at whirlwind speed. The impact was most horrible, and the sound of it sent a sickening shudder through all who heard it.

Young Baldock was swept out of the saddle, and presented a dreadful spectacle. His left thigh-bone was snapped across, and the bone protruded in a horrible manner. The whole of the left side of his body was mangled, and the skull near the left ear battered in. The horse ran a few yards, bleeding profusely, and dropped dead. His stifle was smashed, and the left shoulder and rib reduced almost to a pulp. A deep hole was found in the bark of the tree, which had been penetrated by Baldock's thigh-bone.

The poor young fellow was removed to Mr. Fogarty's (his uncle) hotel, where he received every attention till a special train was procured, when he was conveyed to the Dalby Hospital, a few hours after the accident. There, all that medical skill and nursing could do was rendered him by Dr. Stewart and the hospital staff, but he never regained consciousness and passed away on Thursday evening at 6.30. His sudden and terrible end cast quite a gloom over the town and district. He was a fine, manly, sport-loving lad, aged only 22 years, and was a general favourite.

His parents reside at Jondaryan, and he was on a visit to his uncle, Mr. Fogarty, of Chinchilla, when the sad accident occurred. He had assisted most energetically on the previous evening to make the concert in aid of the Catholic Church a success, and had taken part in a comic duet ('May and December') with Miss Lucas, which was enthusiastically applauded. We tender the parents and relatives of the deceased our most sincere sympathy in their awful bereavement. — Dalby 'Herald.'

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Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Monday 19 June 1899, page 6

SETTLEMENT IN THE WARRA DISTRICT.

To be convinced of the demand that exists in these districts for agricultural land, one has only to pay a visit to the neighbourhood of Warra and Chinchilla, where so great is the desire to acquire homesteads that even the prickly-pear infested country is being made to yield a bountiful harvest at the hands of the small selector.

One of the first to test the fertility of the scrub lands in the vicinity of Warra was Mr. H. Richards, formerly a ganger on the Western Railway. Some ten or twelve years ago he selected 160 acres almost in the heart of a dense scrub, and overrun to a large extent with prickly pear. He at once proceeded to clear the land in his spare time, and since then, having resigned his position on the railway, he has devoted the whole of his attention to the improvement of his property, with the result that at the present time nearly the whole of the land is cleared, and a large area is under cultivation. The holding is, moreover, so admirably divided and so well managed that it would be difficult to find another of like size in the colony where so many branches of the agricultural industry are represented and successfully carried on.

Not only is the cultivation of maize and other heavy products undertaken, but fruit culture, cheese and butter making, bee culture, and wine-making, all find a place in this excellently-kept homestead. Eleven acres are under fruit-trees, and so great is the variety of fruit grown, and so excellent the arrangement, that Mr. Richards has something to sell all the year round, and, his products being of the finest quality, he finds a ready market for all he can produce. At the present time his orange-trees are laden with as fine a crop as one could wish to see, and a heavy crop of loquats is also just ripening. Three-quarters of an acre is cropped with onions, and with a favourable season, of which there is every prospect, Mr. Richards expects to receive from this crop alone a net return of at least £60. The cheese made on the farm is noted for the excellence of its flavour and texture ; and though a large quantity of wine is made, so great is the local demand that it can never be kept long enough to mature properly.

The whole place is a model of neatness and cleanliness, and though adjoining a dense scrub on two sides, with prickly-pear so thick that it would be next to impossible to make one's way through it, not a vestige of this scourge is to be found on the property. Mr. Richards and the members of his family do all the work on the holding, and whatever profits are made are used to further improve the property, the experience of the enterprising and energetic proprietor being that the land pays better interest than anything else. There is an abundance of water a few hundred yards below the orchard, and it is Mr. Richards's ambition, so soon as funds will allow, to have a wind-mill erected and a small irrigation plant laid down, so as not to be dependent entirely on the rainfall.

It is only just to add that others, seeing the success that has accompanied Mr. Richards's efforts, are following the example thus set them, and the scrub lands are being reclaimed and placed under cultivation.

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Darling Downs Gazette (Qld. : 1881 - 1922), Saturday 8 July 1899, page 2

RECEIVING OFFICE AT BOONARGA.

The Under Secretary to the Post and Telegraph Department has informed the member for Dalby that it has been decided to open for a time at least, a receiving office at Boonarga, a wayside station some seven miles east of Chinchilla.

Hitherto the Department has declined to sanction this office, but the determination has now been taken to open it experimentally in order to discover if the amount of business really justifies the action. Mrs Hounslow, wife of a settler in the vicinity, is being placed in charge.

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Darling Downs Gazette (Qld. : 1881 - 1922), Saturday 26 August 1899, page 2

FEDERATION AT CHINCHILLA.

On Thursday evening last Mr J. T. Bell, M.L.A., spoke on Federation at Chinchilla, together with Messrs Coogan and J. F. L. McKeon from Dalby. Mr Patrick Henry presided, and a large audience, especially considering the state of the weather, assembled in the Victoria Hall. The speakers were attentively listened to, although Mr McKeon had to undergo some badinage. The majority of those present appeared to favour the idea of Australian unity.

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Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Saturday 26 August 1899, page 7

FEDERATION.

THE FEDERATION LEAGUE.

'DALBY, August 23.

Messrs. Coogan and M'Keon, members of the Dalby Branch of the Federation League, addressed a public meeting at Chinchilla last night, and had a good reception. Mr. J. T. Bell, member for the district, was also present, and spoke in favour of the bill. Mr. J. Leahy, M.L.A., who passed through to Yeulba, and Miles yesterday, consented to address a public meeting here to-morrow night on federation, and arrangements have been made accordingly. 'Mr. Bell is announced to speak here on Monday night.

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Western Star and Roma Advertiser (Qld. : 1875 - 1948), Wednesday 30 August 1899, page 3

REMINISCENCES

Of the Early Settlement of the Maranoa District in the late Fifties

and early Sixties. [By M. A. McManus.] no. III. In part (All rights reserved.)

The first gentleman, in July, 1859, to go out beyond us on an exploring expedition in search of new country was Mr. William Hunter. He owned Chinchilla at that time. He subsequently owned Eurella, in the Maranoa, now the property of Messrs. Menzies, Doughlass, and Co. Mr. Hunter was afterwards Inspector of Brands at St. George, the duties of which he discharged till his death, which took place in Sydney about 12 years ago (if my memory serves me). He was familiarly known as “Daddy" Hunter. He will be remembered as a kindly genial man by many old residents of the district and some of the younger ones also. He explored a great distance out west beyond the Maranoa River, which was at that time terra incognita.

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Western Star and Roma Advertiser (Qld. : 1875 - 1948), Saturday 18 November 1899, page 3

Maranoa District in the late Fifties. and early Sixties [BY M. A. McMANUS.] (All rights reserved.) No. XI. In part

The station on the west side of the Muckadilla to Coogoon, formerly known as Western Lagoons, was taken up and stocked by Mr. J. M. Colquhoun about the year 1861 or 1862. He, however, was unfortunate, and it became the property of Mr. Mathew Goggs, who took up and owned Chinchilla in the early fifties, and which he subsequently sold to Mr. William ("Daddy") Hunter. Mr. Mathew Goggs was one of the old style of pioneer squatters who lived years ago before the gold diggings era, and he managed his stations on the economic lines then in vogue in New South Wales. He therefore never adopted the reckless expenditure that was all the rage when the Maranoa was being settled. Consequently he was styled among the workmen who did not like him as "Old Goggs, the nipper." He used to delight in going to travellers' camps to have' "a yarn" with them; also stopping them on the road for some purpose. So, "once upon a time," so the story goes, he came to a camp where two men were having their supper. Mr. Goggs was unknown to them, but they invited him to have some damper with them, which he accordingly did. In the course of their "yarning" they informed him they were bound for Chinchilla to ask "old Goggs the nipper" for a "job" of work. Mr. Goggs (seeking for information about himself, as was his wont) asked the men what they thought of this Mr. Goggs, when one of them replied he did not believe all he heard of "old Goggs," but thought he was not a "bad sort if taken the right way," and a deal more to the same purport. The other man was of the contrary opinion. "I'll take good care," he said, "old Goggs does not nip me," and so on. The next day those same two men arrived at the station, and asked for Mr. Goggs. What was their surprise and utter consternation when they saw who the ''cove" was. Mr. Goggs pretended at first to be quite ignorant of the conversation of the previous evening, and in reply to their question, "Had he any work ?" he gave employment to the man who had spoken in his favor the night before. Turning to the other man he said, "My man, you boasted last night you would take care I did not nip you. You will not have the chance of being nipped, for I order you off the place as quickly as your legs can carry you," and the man made off accordingly with all possible speed.

Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954), Tuesday 17 October 1899, page 4

We sold for Mr. W. Rhodes, The Rand 11,500 wethers, delivered at Chinchilla; for Messrs. Cudmore and Sons, Tara, 10,000 wethers:

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Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 4 November 1899, page 895

LETTERS FROM YOUNG FRIENDS.

Little Ivy writes from Chinchilla:—"Dear Delphia,—l am pleased with the new competition. I shall try for the prize, but I suppose there are plenty of children who can draw better than me. We live in the Burnett district, and the river is nearly dried up, and the stock is dying in the creeks terribly, and there is no grass. We had a terrible shock of earthquake here not long ago; it shook all our place, and all the birds were shook off the trees around here for miles. We have a nice lot of corn and potatoes coming on, but the late frosts have played great havoc with them ; but I see the poor farmers' losses are far worse than ours. We have two very nice ponies; we all ride them, and they are very small and quiet. We go bathing every day. We can all swim, there are seven of us in family —four girls and three boys. I received a parcel of books from some kind member of the M. H. Club, and as 1 don't know who sent them, would you kindly thank them very much for me? We all find very interesting stories in them, also the children find great pleasure in looking over the pictures. A nice storm fell here, and it was very acceptable; as things looks very dry, probably it will make a nice spring. We go fishing often, but I never catch any fish; my brother is the luckiest fisherman; there are also plenty of ducks; swans and pelicans often swim up and down the creek, but as it is very low a great number of them have flown away."

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Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Wednesday 6 December 1899, page 6

DALBY. December 4.

At the regular monthly Land Court, held on the 1st instant, before Land Commissioner Warner, the following, applications for land were granted : John Stuart, 69 acres, A.F., Chinchilla ; Alice M. Hogg, 640 acres, G.F., Colamba ; John Daniel Scholz, 20 acres, unconditional selection, Chinchilla ; Richard Mackie, 20 acres, unconditional selection, Chinchilla ; T. H. W. Hounslow, 160 acres, A.H., Chinchilla ; Leonard Jahuke, 320 acres, A.H., Chinchilla.

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Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 9 December 1899, page 1150

Sport and Travel.

QUEENSLAND SPORT.-VI. SCRUB CATTLE SHOOTING. ..in part

By JACK HAMLYN.

On several stations in the Chinchilla district the country is almost entirely covered by dense brigalow scrubs, so at mustering time the stockmen make no distinction between scrubbers and their own cattle, the rule being, " get all you can, and shoot what you can't get." But it is very rarely that the scrubber comes off best when dealing with men like the Lawton Bros., as if they try to break they find themselves on their backs. The above gentlemen find a powerful auxiliary in their own special breed of cattle dog, which is a cross between the bull and mastiff. When a beast breaks a couple of these are despatched after him, giving him the choice of a severe handling or returning at once to the herd. They are really almost invaluable, as no beast has any chance against them. If he charges they throw him, and if he attempts to run they block him.