Grass Valley telegraph., 1854-06-01
water IN the Mines.


Water In the aIlncs.
One Of the greatest faults Of modern times
and it may be especially said Of the people ot
California, is to expend vast deal Of talk
npaR subjects of the most vital importance
and then permit the tnng discussed, to die
away, or the time for It's accomplishment to
expire, While they are talking concerning il
and calculating its advantages, in words. in
stead Of actions, even after those advantages
are universally understood and admitted
This is more OF less the fate of any enterprise
in any degree connected or dependent upon
public or government action. Such remarks
as these were once offered by one of our CO.
temporarles, and at the time thev struck Ms as
most forcibly true. For instance. look at the
Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, or, the Afarys-
vile and Nevada Plank road. After MANY
months discussion, it was a universally con-
coded fact, that those roads should be built
that the one was needed as an agent of com
merce and means of national defence the
other as matter Of infinite convenience and
source ofrevenue, which would prove most
remunerative. They were both practicable,
and more than this could not be elected by q
debate of years If, when all the necessary
information had been received, discussions
had ceased, and action commenced. before
this we should have driven along a smooth
plank road OF even grade, to the marts of
trade and inland commerce. OF active preDa-
rations would have been making to Gid this
continent with hronzed bands of iron. and
the railway car. 'easy gliding along its track
with smoking torch on high, and heat of fire
and mounting arms of steel, should have
brought us in close connection with the homes
of our bOyhood and the graves of our IA
Tiers"
There is another matter of the most vital
Importance to California upon which much
has been said but nothing as yet accomplish
ed, which, If carried out, would prove of more
immense advantage than perhaps any move
or action. which could be suggested. We re-
1er to subjects so often broached, viz to rem
der governmental aid, in the bringing water
Tor the supply of the numerous rich hills and
placers, now by drought rendered of no use
or availability.
We did hope that some action on the part of
the late Legislature would have placed tbis
matter upon afaVorable footing at once. But
wasting their time upon matters of tri1ino
import, this matter of sure and certain use
was neglected and forgotten. There is of
course no one thing so highly essential to the
success OF our State as the developing and
strengthening her resources. Wherever com
panies have united for the purposes of fum-
ing and ditching even though the ORIGINAL
expense appeared almost tinsurmountable. still
they have in nearly every case proved in the
end, eminently useful and remunerative. IT
Is matter which must in the end come nm
Tor serious debate and united action. The
mining Interests must be protected and sus-
tanned, and II IN order to more completely
bring out the resources of the country. If
shall be deemed fitting that direct tax should
be levied; we say, let it be done. What
would that trifing annoyance amount to.
when compared to the benefit which must and
would accrue? Let governmental action be
IN some way taken upon that matter. and we
care not how, so that the object shall be ac-
cOmplished, and water become extensively in
troduced all among the dry, gold conceal
ing hills and placers. We will recur to this
important matter, more fully at another time.