THE FIRST BIG FIRE

While chasing after the Chinese miners from Kuching right up to Man San (Bau Lama) the Rajah's force killed all Chinese on sight. When they reached the headquarters of miners at Mau San, they set lire to all the buildings mere on 25.2-1857. All were burnt down, but the Flag Post of the Kongsi was partly burnt. It still stands at Mau San until today. In 1861, a survey was made and it was discovered that only 4 Chinese families were left in the rural area in Bau. After the Chinese Anti-Rajah movement, there were practically no Chinese miners left in Mau San for the next 10 years. Previous flourishing gold and antimony mines and pepper plantations were deserted.

The year 1867 not only saw the establishment of a new Bau Bazaar and the revival of gold mining activity in the district, but also the discovery of another important mineral-mercury at Tegora by the Manager of Borneo Company, Mr. L.V. Helms. In view of the good demand for mercury at that time production of the mineral began in 1868, A few years later, mercury was also discovered at Gading, in Bau District.  Most of the high-grade ore was mined out by 1898. During the Second World War, the Japanese resumed the working of mercury deposit both at Tegora and Gading, By the time it ceased operation in 1949, 21,598 flasks of mercury at 76 pounds per flask were produced from these two areas and exported overseas.

The production of antimony since the discovery of the ore in 1823 was also very significant. More than 88,500 tons of antimony had been produced from Pangga, Jambusan, Bidi and Buan Bidi. In 1860, the Borneo Company constructed roads and railways to the ore deposit areas from Buso. In the olden days, Buso was an important interior port of Upper Sarawak because all the ores from the mining areas were transported to Buso from where they were shipped to Kuching by motor launches and Tongkang.

direct to Simunjan to work in the coal mines there. Under the leadership of Liew Syn Ted, more Chinese either from Sambas Indonesia or Kuching eventually came to work in the gold and antimony mines. Within a period of 5 years, i.e. from 1867-1872, a new Bau Bazaar was built at the site of the existing Bau District Council and Kg. Melayu Bau. Most of the shop-houses were made of Atap, Kajang and other wooden materials. Most of the buildings were simple and single storey. The road was narrow with some parts paved with gravels.

Mau San (Bau Lama) was left as it was. Bushes and creepers took place of once prosperous China Town, while more and more residential houses were built in and around the new Bau Bazaar. The population was slowly spreading over to Paku,Jambusan, Taiton and Bidi areas. The first Chinese primary school was built at Paku (5 kilometres from Ban) by the Rajah Government to provide Chinese education to the children of the Chinese miners in 1870. A few years later, another Chinese primary school known as Fah Khiaw Chinese Primary School was built in Ban to cater the children of the Chinese miners there. The Roman Catholic Mission under Monsignor Dunn started an English primary school at Bau on 16.3.1898.

In view of the increasing Chinese population in and around Bau, Liew Syn Ted was appointed as a Magistrate in Bau under the rule of Rajah Charles Brooke to settle disputes among the Chinese miners.

Bau became prosperous. Antimony production reached the peak year in 1872. A total of 3,285 tons of the ore was produced. However, it slowly shranked to 469 tons in 1877. The Borneo Company commenced working on gold in a large scale in 1881. On 30.11.189:5, Rajah diaries Brooke came up lo Upper Sarawak (Bau) and officially declared open the Borneo Company Gold Mining. Improvement of water supply to Bau Ba/aar was carried out in October 1901. Water supply by bamboo pipe from the dam belonging to the Borneo Company was replaced by iron pipes and taps. The new water supply system had not only served the existing Bazaar, but also the 30 new houses (area along Jalan Datuk Salau) Bau. Some 110 houses also benefited from the water system.

While the Borneo Company was concentrating on the gold mine operation, Rajah Charles Brooke went for agricultural development in the rural area of Bau. In 1902, a big- rubber estate was established at Dahan in the Jambusan area. More than 2,000 acres of the land were planted with rubber trees.

Prior to 1898, "coarse gold" deposits were worked out by the old methods - panning and sluicing. In order to increase the production, the Borneo Company introduced the cyanidation method together with the use of crushing mill. It was reported that from the year 1898 to 1921, 983,255 ounces of gold valued at $25,995,222.00 were produced from Bau.