The Shasta courier., 1858-02-06
COURIER,
From Horsetown.

FRIEND COURIER: R:-This section has for the
isst SIX weeks been unusually dull, owing in a
greet degrees to the fact that the miners have
been on Z strike for reduction of the present
Ertss # water. Ithas now been over two years
si9ce fhe Clear Greek Ditch. vac constructed,
that time the company has bsen
wnss " 1hlasTs deem .1fcsss:s4ns,
rates for their water. For the frsteight months
they charged IS cents. per inch. 1t was then
reduced to so cents, and remained at that rate
for about one year, when it was again reduced,
to 333 cents. During all this time the miner
has not been able to make more than bare
living-the bulk Of his hard earnings going to
fill the Golfers of few monopolists.
Those who have not followed mining for
living have but a faint idea of the hardships
and disappointments miner is subject to. He
adventures not only his time, labor and health,
but in many instances his capital. Should his
efforts prove unsuccessful, who remunerates him
for his losses? Who extends to him the hand
of encouragement Does the merchant, baker
or butcher? No. If he goes to them for credit,
Except in rare instances) the reply will be, 1--WE
can't trust, we do cash business" and he is
compelled to call upon his fellow miners for as
sstance. and, to their credit be it said, they
have never yet refused to assist each other in
the hour of need.
But now let US reverse the scene. Fortune
has smiled upon his efforts and he has made a
Iuctv 10 Wbr tbo l.
success? Not alone himself-the county at
large, every citizen is benefited by it. 1t is not
only felt within the borders of our own State,
but its genial heat passes to every quarter of
given employment to hundreds, and is the
means of putting into circulation h ndreds OF
thousands Of dollars. Such is the man that
some would scarce deign to notice, although il
was his labor that made them rich, and it is his
strong arm that gives greatness to our State
Let us see now what can be said for Ditch
Companies. What do they risk? Has there any
where been Ditch. costing from $4,000 te
100000, put under process of construction be.
fore the projectors had first ascertained from tn,
miners-pho had spsnt months Of labor and Mous
sras y 'ofiars N prospsetirg the socaAti-thati I
would be safe and profitable investment o
their capital? No. But having taken advan
tage of knowledge obtained by the enterpris,
of the mner-and who, as we before remarked
obtained it at immense cost-they construc
their ditch, and then in place of making it re-
munerative to all-the miner alike with them
Selves thereby making it benefit to the whole
| community-they at once, knowing they have
complete control of all the water, put on sucf
high charges that the work in place of being
blessing becomes curse to the miner and al
injury to every one else. And yet, notwith.
standing the many privileges they already en-.
joy, | understand they are asking for still more
They are not satisfied with the right to monopo.
lise the waters of the State-thereby Gripping
the efforts of the miner-but they would have
all the land lying along the line of their ditche;
to what extent the Lord only knows. hope tc
see our legislators resist and defeat all such un-
holy and iniquitous measures 1t would be
much better if our legislators were to pass law
regulating the charges and measurement of wa.
ter of every Ditch Company in the State.
Respectfully, &C., H.