Mariposa Democrat., 1857-12-24
A MOVEMENT FOR WATER.

cessiui STRIVING our people nave energeticaliy
taken what we believe to be the only correct
preliminary steps toward supplying the miners
with water. A number of citizens have put
in circulation, in Hornitos, Quartzburg, and
Indian Gulch, call for mass meeting
"a copy of which will be found in our advertis-
ing columns) to take place on Saturday, the
9th of January, to devise the most proper
means for bringing water to the localities
above-named, by means of canal from the
Merced river. This call has been numcrousy
signed, and the feeling among our prominent
men, and, in fact, the entire people, is, that
the present movement is tic most thoroughly
practical one that has yet been made to effect
what we have SO long and ardently hoped for,
and no greater unanimity couldbc found than
that shown in the call for the meeting
The very great want of water in this vicin-
ity has been so often spoken of by us, that
it would appear that the subject was well nigh
exhausted, and were we not assured that eve
ryone must feel deeply interested in the sub
ject we would fear of tring our readers. We
feel, however, that we are performing a duty
in agitating the subject whenever a benefit to
the community may be reasonably expected
therefrom; and in this instance, we enter into
a consideration of the project with renewed
pleasure and energy. We have heretofore
urged that if water was ever brought here, it
would be done only through the combined ef-
forts of the people themselves; and that il as
sistance was desired from capitalists, it could
be reasonably expected only after the people
had encrgetically taken the matter in hand,
and had shown themselves ready to support
the undertaking. We reitcrate this assertion,
and are confident of its correctness.
Let others reve--we have confidence in the
people-through their combined energies great
things have been accomplished, to cite even a
few of the most prominent instances of which,
would require more space than we can at pres
ent spare. One, however, with which the peo-
pie are nearly all familiar, strikingly shows
the ability Of the masses to act, when aroused
we alluded to the Peoples Ditch enterprise,
in Tuolumne county, which is one of the larg-
est bitches in the State This great work was
undertaken by the people themselves, and
with very little assistance from capitalists, it
is now being prosecuted with the greatest sue
cess. The same facilities for undertaking the
work in contemplation exist here, and surely
our people have as great inducements and are
not wanting in energy to put them in opera
ton.
To our mind, the ditch surveyed in August
last under the auspices Of the citizens of this
place, presents the easiest cheapest and best
means of accomplishing the desired object.
The line, as now surveyed, measures little
less than sixty miles. 1t commences near the
mouth of Saxton's Creek, on the main Merced
river, passing over ground which offers fewer
impediments to ditchng than any other be-
tween this place and the river. On reaching
Burns Creek, near its head, the ditch may be
continued down that stream for the miners in
this neghborhood, while branch can be
formed at proper point, to convey the water
to all the mines in Indian Gulch and vicinity
About two miles of this line passes over the
north corner of the Fremont grant, and the
right of way for il is said to have been granted
by Fremont; be this as it may, however, the
Legislature will shortly set at rest the question
of rights Of way--for then no plant tool John
son can be Sinton-ed into pocketing the laws
of the peoples representatives as though they
were a bribe.
The great argument in favor of this ditch is
that it is the only ono upon which we can fully
rely for large supply of water The other
bitches that have been surveyed, granting
that they ever reached us at alp would GER
tainly be so far exhausted before they reached
here, that they would fall far short of supply
ing us with the necessary quantity.
With our people, the opinion that Fremont
will ever aid in bringing us water, notwith-
standing all that has been promised by him,
has finally exploded 1t strongly appears that
TO obtain time, or for some object known to
himself and his confederates, these promises
have been deliberately made, only to be bro
hS'' " = oNNihgj hoNSfSi, oSO uoW idi
they will be carried out
We cannot believe that the effort now being
made by the citizens, if followed up vigorous
q ly, can fail to be successful Let every per-
son take an interest in the meeting about to
take place, and use bis influence to procure
the attendance Of everyone likely to be bene-
fitted by the proposed ditch, that nothing may
be wanting to secure full expression of opin-
ion on this important subject
In supporting this unanimous call for a
meeting of the citizens, and therefore sup
porting the objects of the meeting, we do not
wish to be understood as relinquishing our be-
lief in the practcability of artesan wells in our
neigbborhood; for during the past week we
have been fully satisfied that the ground in
this vicinity is stratified, and biologists agree
that in all stratifed countries, artesan wells
are practicable. In our location, we are but
little affected by the volcanic matter which
forms the mountains to the eastward. At an