["Pearls and Sponges", The Western Mail (Perth, WA), Saturday 03 November 1906, page 44]

PEARLS AND SPONGES.

THE POSITION AT BROOME.

NOR'-WEST DEVELOPMENT.

That the Nor'-Weet of Australia has a bright future ia emphasised by the impressions of Mr. A. E. Gummow, one of the pioneers of Broome, whose name appears in more than one place on the map of Western Australia, and, who has just returned from a three-months trip to the home of the pearlers. He is optimistic on the subject of the tin and gold fields of the Pilbarra district, and confidently looks forward to a great revival of the mining industry in the event of the railway from Port Hedland being constructed.

...

Port Hedland, he states, has progressed very rapidly during the last three or four years, and, should the railway be soon commenced, an enormous impetus would be given to that part of the State. Splendid rains have fallen, and the pastoral settlers are jubilant. There is a great stretch of fine grazing country inland from Port Hedland, and in mineral wealth it is perhaps as well endowed as any other part of Australia. In one month 60 tons of tin were shipped from Port Hedland, and with the present high prices ruling, the value of this branch of the mining industry alone can be readily estimated. Mr. Gummow has large interests at Wodgin, and recently entered into negotiations with Mr. Charles Kaufman to take over and develop a large area of tin-bearing country. He cannot, however, too strongly advocate the necessity for the immediate construction of the railway to the Pilbarra goldfields. There is almost a total absence of timber for fuel or for mining purposes, and the cost of conveying machinery and stores up from the coast is most excessive. For the conveyance of a ten-head battery from Port Hedland to the fields £2,200 was asked, and then delivery could not be guaranteed under 12 months. He points out that the travelling public are also badly served at present, as there are frequently two tons of mail matter to be conveyed in one trip, necessitating the exclusion of passengers. Altogether, no stronger case for a railway could possible be made out that the proposal to connect Port Hedland with Marble Bar and Nullagine.