Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-02-18
aAno.her Fleseins Bila Explained.


From the Sacramento Union, Feb. l7th.l
MHssRs. EDIroRs: In the Daily Union
of the 10Th instant there appeared ar
article from some "iReliable Citizen F"
of the city Of San Francisco in regard to
the proposed Wood law of Alpine coun-
ty, attempting to set forth its thicving
nature, etc. Allow me to say a word
in reply: In 1860 q few men, whose
only capital was their good will and
strong muscles, commenced mining In
Alpine county Then a part Of Amador)
for q year or two. Their number vas
increased by the same class of hard
working men, who were willing to work
their way tot fortune; and, although
the mines promised we'll, still, without
the assistance of capitalists, their de-
yelopment was slow. For six years the
miners Of Alpine county have been
striving against almost insurmountable
obstacles to open their mines. A frigid
climate, an almost inaccessible locality,
and refractory ores, have all served to
impede them ; yet they are succeeding.
Several mines are now paying, and mills
have been running steadily (although
the unusual storms Of the present VIM
ter may have stopped them for a while).
The silver ores Of our county require n
large amount of fuel in their reduction,
and for this we must depend on ou for
ests aloue-we have no coal or peat beds.
Reliable Citizen" says: "The pas
sage Of this Act would be q severe blow
to Che prosperity Of Nevada-would It
he right? Arc not our interests identi-
ca? T etc., etc., with much more n
sense to the same effect. Now, the
mines of Alpine src worthless without
her forests.
1t is probably but Of little Importance
to Reliable Citizen" how much the
miners of Alpine are injured, so that
he ora few of his friends a pocket Il
few dollars from tho wood traffic. The
opposition to the bill is caused BY o sell
6sh, private interest BY which a few
traders will make money at the expense
of Woodworking miners. The railroad
will soon supply Nevada with fuel and
timber. Alpine will have no such nd
vantage when her forests are exhausted.
But Reliable Citizen " says " that the
supply is inexhaustible." Let US sec:
For about three years the Carson Wood
and Lumber Company have been driv-
ing wood and LUMBER to Empire City,
Nevada. They have now ceased opera
tons. Why? Tho managing agent
says: Because the supply of timber
has given out" The above company
has cut all the timber which it is profit
able for them to take from the banks Of
the Carson and Its tributaries. Now
individual enterprise is going to take
the next most profitable body of timber.
The oldest miners Of Alpine are the
frmest believers IN the ultimate success
Of our mines. They, Mt least, arc SPEND
ing their time and substance in the CT
fort to make their mines ayailablci but
of what value are their mines, when all
the available timber is gone?
tits not the tolls that Alpine is liter.
She would rather by far have the cut
ting Of her forests stopped. The State
of Nevada has taken more than one half
G" her fuel; now let them be satisfied.
The passage Of the law is opposed only
BY a few persons at the lower end OF
the county, who have no interest IN the
mines, among whom are several timer
ant traders, who, having made all their
money out Of the Woodworking miners,
are now trying to skin them closer BY
taking away all that IA make their
mines valuable. Tho only trouble with
the bill is that It tends to stop fleeing.
Again, "Reliablc Citizen" says that
"the wood interest pays great taxes
How does it do SO? Are the wood aud
lumber taxed before leaving the county!
am told thai they are not; so that
argument falb to the ground. The
whole course Of the wood-cutters is in
disregard of the miners rights. Every
lot Of wood and lumber taken FROM
Alpine leaves her so much poorer. She
does not wish to fleece any one, but
rather to keep from being fleeccd, md
It is but simple justice that some re-
strictiou be put upon the wood trade,
in order that she may have enough left
for her own use. GEO. NJ. PAYNE.
Sacramento, February 18th.