Leaving the Main Street, the line ascended a steep grade to the summit of the hill a distance of 2.275 miles (3.661 km).

The passenger car could contain up to thirty passengers, and it took three horses to convey it to the top, but when it reached there, the horses were detached and the car under the control of a very powerful brake, moved downwards with its own momentum to the mine, a further distance of 1.287 miles (2.071 km), or a total journey of 3.437 miles (5.531 km) from the starting point.

At a distance of 1.750 miles (2.816 km) from Zeehan a viaduct some 12 chains (241 m) in length was traversed, the height from the ground being, in some places, fully 40 feet (12 m).

Going down to the creek one morning, on the very spot where the mine was subsequently erected, the lode was discerned cropping out on the surface in the shape of a large boulder.

[6] The property consisted of two 80 acre sections, running longitudinally from north to south, and thus securing the greatest length on line of lode, about 4,000 feet (1,200 m).

It was, however, evident to the businessmen concerned in this venture, that a much larger amount of capital would be required to develop the property than they could reasonably hope to be able to provide, and with the necessity for the construction of a tramway staring them in the face, it was resolved to invite the assistance of outside capital, feeling assured that there would be every inducement to warrant the expectation of a speedy and successful notation of the company.

[6] The preliminary pilot exploration looked quite promising: The result of 10 tons of ore sent to the Stolborg Smelting Works in Germany, was 58½ % lead, and 61oz, 8dwt.

[8] The company was very quickly floated, with a capital of £46,000, and the first meeting of shareholders was held on 18 February 1890, when rules were adopted and directors appointed.

One of the first things considered by the directors, after their first meeting, was the best means to adopt for obtaining access to the mine, and, after mature deliberation, it was decided that it would be in the best interests of the shareholders to construct an efficient tramway in the first instance.

[6] The only route available for a track or cart road, for the purpose of getting up machinery, was via the Comstock, and this, if constructed, would have had to be abandoned, as it would have been in almost an opposite direction to the terminus of the Government railway, and even after arriving at the Comstock, the distance from then to the railway is further than from the mine by the subsequently built line, Further, the nature of the country passed through, showed that it was altogether impracticable, to construct a macadamised road, and that the decision of the directors to have a steel railroad was, under all the circumstances, the wisest and best course.

[6] The construction of the line was entrusted by the directors to Mr R. O. Grubb, who explored the country for the best route, and assisted the surveyor in laying out the same.

This work has been a heavy undertaking, owing to the broken and mountainous character of the country passed through, the large cuttings which had to be contended with, and the deep gorges which had to be bridged over or filled up.

In event of the company obtaining payable ore it could have been placed at the Zeehan railway station at as low a rate as any mine on the field.