Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-08-16
TIE GREAT "DEBRIS TRIAL.

DEAN JoURHAL:-T great sensation in CAL
iforna at present is, "The Great Debris Trial."
OF the case of J. II. Keyes and others against
the Bear river Mining comPa mics. before Judge
Kiser of Yuba City, for perpetual injunction
against the washing Of mining debris into the
channel of Bear river. The case was opened
July 25th, and is being continued with intense
and daily growing interest. Several weeks may
yet elapse before a decision is arrived at. The
great question is, whether the agricultural and
commercial interests Of the finest whea at lands,
burs and The most useful rivers in the U. s.
must be utterly DESTROYED: or, whether the
great mining interest must uler serious incnn-
venience for their preservation (; whether the
once beautiful Sacramento river and it's many
rapid Tributaries, shall continue to bear away
from the mines the useless sand and clay down
to the valley to lodge along their bottom, to Nil
up the Suisun aud Pablo Bays, and to so OBJ
struct their once deep and useful channels as to
throw out their waters upon the vast plain, with.
out course, to stagnate in tropical suns, and
bring disease and death to 200 900 inhabitants
and destruction to 500. 900 900 worth Of prep
erty, or whether $3.50 600, 900 worth Of ma
chinery used in hydraulic ming must cease
its operation, aud the mines be worked BY some
less fatal process. The testimony in the case
shows that by the building Of dams aud canals
the head waters of the rivers are brought under
heavy pressure, and by means OF iron pipes
conveyed in position to be thrown by mae hne
Oh He'd the Little Giant" against the side of
mountain in stream Of from to 6 inchesein
diameter, with such terrible force that a vast
land slide immediately occurs. This mess of
mud and water falls into a basin, or tunnel
properly prepared with settlers" or depres.
siOns in the bottom for retaining the gold ::
while the sand and earth are washed utf
through fuule into the river bed below. Thus
the river bed bec"mes speedily filled with rock
and gravel, increasing the descent, and carry
| ing the lighter material in suspension, to settle
| in the bed nf the rivers and bays from the 81.
| ezra Nevadas to the ocean. II was proven that
the upper valley Of Bear river was filled To the
depth Of l5O feet, and that the same river near
| lis junction with the Feather, where it formerly
| sported along pebbly bottom IL feet bene alh
its banks, was 81 filled with this sediment that
1t changed its first channel, and after covering
thousands of acres of the most fertile ia rm lands
to the depth Of from ? y to 10 feet with barren
sand, has been arrested by a levee, where il
now flows above the adjacent lands still filing
mp daily To oVereap its barrier. And would
just add here that the same history aud testi-
mony applies to the Sacra mentO, the Feather
| and the Iuba rivers, Where once the bes par,
uf Marysville stood is now a sand bar covered
with willows. the tOpmOsi branches af which
just peered above the water on the 18th Of May
last, when landed here. The whole popul4-
ti0n Of the valley are anxiOusly awaiting the
decision Of this suit. While all have full con.
idence in the integrity and ability Of Judge
klser, they yet feel il Ms nne of life or death. .
viii keep you advised from time to time OF the
progress of the suit.
Was much gIaiifed with reading the
letter nf "Lncal" from Bloomdale. Come often
"lncal," aud If we can he qualification To one
another, and thereby aid the circulation Of the
JOuRNAL in Bloom TOwship, | will feel that we
have dune u good act to the deserving. Let us
also hear from Eph and " Goodspeed," and
"Mina." l. size dead?
suggest that yonr correspondents hold their
Teuni"n at Lake Tahoe, where we can eooily
consider the past aud boldly look down upon
the future. Yours, in pleasure,
$. II. RAUB
NuBA CRY, CAL, Aug. 5ih, 1878.
The Health Reiormer. HEALTn
REFoRNRR for the month of August, CONTAINS
in addition To numerous other valuable and in.
lercsting articles, several very seasonnble aud
useful articles for this seasnn nf the wear. "The
Pr"pagnti'n of Tvphnid Fever" and editorials
upen Summer Diseases" "SunstTnke," =" etc.
are especially valuable at this season of The
| year, II people generally would read the jnur.
nal and practice its teachings, a very large
amount af the suffering entailrd upon the com.
mnniiy by bad living would be avoided. Spec.
linen copies sent on receipt of stamp for post
age. Published at Battle Creek, Mich.
/ ----.------------
Lima Democrat: Attorney General Pill
lars has sent us pamphlet copy OF an
! opinion by him, asked for by the State
/ Scho0l Commissioner, asIo whether Board,
Of Education have the power to establish
aud support by taxation amy higher grad,
] Oi schuols than common schools, and hs
takes the broad ground that Boards of Ed
ucatiOn have the power to establish ant
support 10y general taxation, schools il
which the higher branches are taught OF
as he puts il TO establish schools "witl
snch grades and with snch courses of in
stuction in the various departments of ed
ucation ms in its wislom the public eooC
may seem to require" This question II
rapidly becoming one for the PEOPLE I,
pass upon, and Attorney General Pillars
opinion may do much 10 shape the expres
ion OF sentiment