The weekly Butte record., 1862-03-08
Editorial Correspondence.
San FRAScIsco, March 4


weather has been disagreeable, raining almost
constantly, and rendering the streets nearly
impossible. Those who have remained in
Oroville, during the high waters of the present
Winter, have but little idea Of the actual state
of things brought about By the floods, or how
little the location Of oar little mining anG
agricultural camp has suffered in comparison
with other towns. With all the pride and
wealth of San Francisco, the rains have rem
dered her streets vast fields of mud, and her
street crossings almost impossible for pedes-
trians. II is. however, the fault Of the seasons
that " sickness triumphs over Day aud Mar
tin and Mason. The sun has peeped out for a
moment from behind the bank Of clouds, that
has 50 long obscu,ed his genial rays, and by
this act of glorious condescension, has greatly
gladdened the hearts and frightened the IA
ces of the numerous members of the third
house. 1t will not last, however, and their
labors VIII have TO continue, despite the in
clemency of the weather. They (the third
house, are thinking of passing law providing
for the pavement of the street leading from
the Legislative Hall to the Bank Exchange.
1t meets with some opposition, as a portion of
the lobbyites do not care about going beyond
the latter place.
The Legislature is jogging slowly along, we
believe, with the desire to conscientiously dis
charge their entire duty to the State, and ad-
journ as soon as practicable. In the Assem-
bly,, Alturas has been indefinitely postponed,
probably only to be brought up again at an
other session. 1t is supposed that there are
some real and tangible reasons for the forma-
ton of the new county of Alturas, such as the
impossibility of reaching Downieville from that
section, during the Winter, etc, etc. The fact
of the defeat, however, shows the general SEN
timent of the Legislature to be opposed to the
division of counties, and it is very probable
that great, just and important reasons for divi-
sion will have to be shown, before the process
will be inaugurated.
Concerning the proposition to divide Butte
county, the bill was amended by the Commit
tee on Counties and County Boundaries, and
reported by majority thereof with the re-
commendaton that it pass. The Chairman Of
the Committee Mr., Smith, of Serra) made a
minority report. The bill was made the special
order Wednesday (tomorrow) at II NJ. This
action Of the Committee will, undoubtedly,
have considerable weight in the Assembly
aud probably nothing but the odous provi-
sions of the bill will insure its defeat The
bill as amended, gives nearly the entire mineral
region on the north west side of the Feather to
Chico So am informed by those who ought
to know. In doing this it will necessarily in
clude the best mineral portion of Butte and all
the agricultural lands of the county, leaving
nothing to the old county but few second
class farms, Orovlle, and the present indebted
ness and liabilities of the county, as the 3Oth
provision expressly prohibits any officer Of
Chico county from contracting any debt, and
exempts the property and persons of the coun-
ty from being held liable for any debt, con-
tracted, or attempted to be contracted
This change in the proposed boundaries,
including the principal mnining sections on
the west side Of the North Fork will ." nip in
the bud > the former frightening prospects of
the rural hamlet known as Chico, as it will
enable the advocates of Butte Creek, when the
question of locating the county seat is submit
ted to the people. to outvote the friends of the
former. An esteemed friend living on Butte
Creek, remained in San Francisco until this
change in the boundary line was made, when
he quietly subsided to his ranch, satisfied that
he had the whip-row " of the Chcoites,
should the bill become a law. \ map, drawn
by an amateur, has made the whole thing plain
to a casual observer, even. There is an Or
biographical objection TO it, however. While
it is correct in giving the boundaries of the
proposed new county, its appelation is given in
large capitals, embellished with bayonet,
thus" CHEEK-Ow
This will net seem altogether inappropriate
when ii is known to the people of Butte that
the bill gives TO Sutter county slip of land
now belonging to Butte county, lying between
the Sacramento and Feather Rivers, Is miles
in length, and varying from Al. TO miles in
width. 1t thus robs Butte county Gf it is Is
miles in length and ) in width of 80 900 acres
of good agricultural land, while it assigns no
portion Of the Indebtedness or liability of Butte
to Sutter. The bill makes the township line
dividing townships Il and Is, the dividing
line between the proposed new county of Chico
and Sutter. The principal advocate for divi.
sion here, assures every one that be has always
been firm friend of Butte. We do not deny
it, but has not Butte county cause to exclaim,
" Save me from my friends p
Other iniqnitous provisions show that who
ever framed the bill designed it for swindle.
We say so with reluctance, and only because
we feel that the hill shovs II on -, f,oa o,1