Murchison River cage

[John Campton]

This RPPC circa 1907 shows the newly built cage across the Murchison near Mount Farrell. Photograher has identified themselves as "R.S.H." and noted the photograph as "Harriss crossing Murchison R." M.J. Harris was a noted mining pioneer in the district but I believe it may be James Harrison, the local mines inspector, taking a trip across at the official opening. Like to know if anyone can add information, or RPPCs of West Tasmanian cages.

[Mike]

Hello John,
I am afraid I cannot help you with any further information or other west coast cage cards. I have scanned 2 x E M Welling (Zeehan) cards of the same suspension bridge across the Murchison River. Is it possible that this suspension bridge is a later replacement of the cable cage as on your card? By the way, I have a number of "RSH" real photo postcards, mainly of the Zeehan area. Can you identify who RSH was?

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[John Campton]

Thanks Mike,
It is always good to get a different perspective and view of the subject matter. I have attached a different postcard of the same cage. It was postally used by Alice Klimeck of Mt Farrell at Mt Farrell with cds dated FE 10 08, and sent to Vena Batchelor at Gormanston.

Alice writes that she used the cage herself "twice" and "it was very hard work". I feel the cage was at a different site to the suspension bridge as the photographs for both the cage and bridge were possibly taken about the same period of time.

I am still trying to find out who R.S.H. was. They were selling cameras in Zeehan in 1905 and there was talk of starting a camera club. With time and research we will possibly discover the answer.

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A quick search of Trove indicated that the wooden suspension bridge shown in your postcards Mike was to be built late 1908 under the supervision of Inspector R. Grubb. It linked Rosebery with Mt. Farrell and was to be similar to the one spanning the Macintosh River. The Murchison cage was 45 feet above the water level, and the postcards of the cage tend to confirm this. The suspension bridge I feel looks much closer to the water. Both were in operation at the same time. Hope this answers some questions, but the photographer, R.S.H., is still unknown.

[Mike]

Hello John

Found this photograph on page 89, in W.Geof Jay's book The Wild Westerners, published in 1988. Sorry about the poor quality of the scan.
I think this could be the same cage as pictured in your postcards. The large rock looks similar to the one in your second postcard.

I quote from the book,
" The name Fred Salmon crops up a lot in West Coast history. A prospector of doubtful success, he ended his days in a camp on the banks of the Pieman River at a spot known as Cross George, near the Emu Bay Railway line and close to the junction of the Exe River and the Pieman.
On the western bank, opposite Fred's hut was the beginning of the track to Mount Stewart. To cross the river meant going over in a cage. The large rock seen in the photo could be seen from the old EBR bridge.
The Mount Stewart track was remembered as leading to the confluence of the Pieman and Huskisson Rivers where cages had also been erected. The cage over the Huskisson River provided special problems, it went up hill, that is, the western side was higher than the eastern."

By the way, I think Geof Jay has it wrong in that the track goes to Mount Lindsay not Mount Stewart.

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[John Campton]

Looks like the same cage, and somewhat overloaded. I believe two men died in 1930 when trying to cross while sitting on a pile of sleepers...it overturned and all were caught in the flood waters.

Anyway I have had a good look through Trove and other reference items and found that there was a plethora of photographers in Zeehan circa 1900-1910. Mr. L. Gray-Williams had the Mora Studio opposite the Bank of Australia, Mr. L.A. Wilkinson had the Sun Studio, Mr. J. Cheek had his own, Mr. Lilley set up a studio at Fleming and Co in 1903 and this was later taken over by Mr. J Mills with it being known as "Fleming's Studio".

I cannot however get anything like "R.J.H." The best I can get is a RPPC postally used at Zeehan on 28th August 1909 in which the sender describes his "experimenting with reproductions" and that "X" "shows his studio roof. Snow off" and it is signed "Roy". Anyone that can add to this is most welcome.

I note in your photo Mike that there is a R.J. Hetherington in the cage. Believe he is from Renison Bell, but there were some at Zeehan. There could be a link there. Could the "R.S.H." be a "R.J.H."?

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