Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-19
A CARD FROM SENATOR WATSON.

EDS. RECORD UNION: In last evenings
Bee Mr.. McClatchy says that " there are
1900 people in Nevada county who have no
interest in the hydraulic mines, hence the
injury to be done TO individuals by stopping
these mines is nothing, or next to nothing.
There is no hydraulic mining in the township
of Nevada or in the township of Grass Val
ley, and the people of Nevada and Placer
counties who axe not in the business look
upon this class Of Mining with disPleasure"
Such statement from paper situated so
near to that county. and published in a city
so closely allied by business interests, would
seem strange at any other time than the pres
ent. But now l am surprised at nothing
Prejudice and misrepresentation rule the
hour. The Bee can readily learn to the en-
tire contrary if 1t will but take the trouble TO
send some If its representatives to the county
mentioned, and it can learn whether the
patronage Of such miners is worth anything
by asking the wholesale merchants of Sacra-
mento. The San Juan ridge, from French
Corral to Eureka, a distance OF nearly thirty
miles, contains population entirely depend
ent upon hydraulic mining. The towns of
French Corral, Birchville, Sweetland, Sebas-
topol, San Juan, Cherokee, Columbia Bill,
Lake City, Bloomfield, MOOra's Fiat aud Eu-
reka are each and all dependent exclusively
upon such mining. La each of these places
there are sCh0Oi-hOuses which equal any
in the State, which ae fully ATTENDED
by pupils as well dressed and as tar advanced
as the same number in Sacramento. There
are churches and beautiful homes surround d
by fine gardens, and all the evidences
of the highest civilization there are fruit
growers and farmers there, each mi all
of whom depend upon the mines for their
market; there are merchants, mechanics end
laborers, all of whom would have to abandon
their homes were mining stop ed there are
stage lines and haulers of freight, who would
have to quit were that kind Of mining
stopped there are saWmills and woodmen,
all OF whom would have no business, and
their property would be worthless there has
been $50, coo GOO invested there III reservoirs.
canals, fumes and mining implements. all f
which would be worthless. In the township
Of Nevada there are some of the largest hy-
draUhc mines In the county, the Blue Tent
Consolidated and the Manzanita being among
the number. There are several in Grass Val
ley township as we'll As TO the people of
the county who are not engaged in the bust
ness looking upon it with displeasure, the
Bee knows, or ought to know, to the contrary.
Although that county alone pays one-thir-
teenth of the whole debris tax, yet the peo-
pie are almost unanimous in favor of its re-
tention upon the statute books The rail-
road men want it; the quartz-mine owners
want it, and the business men and mechanics,
all of them, ask that it be not repealed.
!. Sacramento commenced new era OF pros
perity about FIVE years ago. 1t was brought
about by successful effort on the part of
her citizens to secure the mountain trade.
Its merchants are now supplying that sec
ton. A blow at those counties is blow at
the capital city, 10 my opinion, and it ought
to be so in the opinion of Sacramento mer-
chants. A stoppage of hydraulic mining
would result in the destruction of those
counties. All kinds of property there would
depreciate City per cent. the day after such
a law is enacted, and eventually the most of
it would be worthless. In the discussion of
the debris question nothing can be gained by
such gross misrepresentation.
b. J. WATSON.