Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-08-04
HYDRAULIC MINING.
a Statement by the Miners Associa
ton of California.
SAX FRANcrscn Annnst 1ss

San FRANCISCO, August l. 1881.
So many misleading arguments have lately been
made TO the public, antagonstic to the business OF
hydraulic gravel mining, that we deem 1t our duty
to make the following statement showing the facts
as they actually exist, which trust Will receive
that dispassouate consideration from the people OF
the State which the Importance of the issues at
stake demands.
CHARACTER AND IMPORTANCE OF THE MINES.
California has produced, since the discovery of
gold in 1s4S between 81 100 GOO 600 and 81 200
900 OF that metal, of which very much the larger
portion has come either directly indirectly from
the ancient or pliocene river channels. Fully nine
tenths Of the placer gold thus far produced the
result OF the natural washing away of these chan
nels the earthly matter having been carried down
into the plains and inland lakes, thus building up
the great valley of California the gold, by virtue OF
its great weight, remaining behind in the beds Of
the ravnes and rivers draining the western slope OF
the Sierra.
As the pacers becsme exhausted, the miners ma
turally turned their labors TO the sourcss from
which the PAGER gold had been derived. Commend
ing in 1851, they have st adily prosecuted the de-
velopment and working of the ancient river beds,
until the yield from them amounts annually to a
sum varying from S1i 100000 to eco, with
the prospect for many years to come of equally
great returns
In order to accomplish this result the expenditure
OF large sums of money has been required in build
ing dams, canals and tunnels. The Bloomfield and
Milton Companies afford good illustration of the
large capital necessary for the successful develop
ment OF such properties. Work vigorously
commenced the mines of these companies in
1854, suce when about 81 900 900 has been expend-
ed-all representing capital aceount"-until 1878,
when their works were finally completed. All this
81 900 000 with unimportant exceptions, was fur
nished by stockholders resident in California.
We roughly estimate the present actual value of
these mines in California to be $500 900; adding
to this the property whose value is dependent upon
the existence OF the mines, there results total
present value Of probably Sl00,0O0,0e0.
The owners of the gravel mines have been con-
tent with much smaller returns from their invest.
ments, than from ventures either in gold quartz,
silver, copper coal mines They believed that
the undoubted extent and parmanence OF the
auriferous gravel beds warranted the opening of
mines, promising comparatively moderate profits.
At the time when by far the larger part OF these
penditures OF capital had been made, the right of
the miner to deposit his tlilings' in the river
beds was accepted by the whole State matter
OF course
These vast investments have been made In good
faith, AID now demand equll protection OF the law
with other property.
1t is falsely asserted that the stoppage of these
mines would only involve the destruction OF the
capital placed in them, nost OF which is owned by
foreigners, aud would ihfict bat little injury upon
the people of the mining counties, - Cinnamon,
powder and water being the forces employed
To this appeal to the passions and prejudces OF
the community, can state with authority, that
the percentage of Chinese compared with whites,
employed in mines is fer less than is the
the valley not one OF the leading mines VI
the State using Chinese labor that out 81 many
hundreds OF mines, there only three or four
held by not residents OF the United States,
and moreover, that the net r.turn from these three
or four mines has been quite moderate.
The repeated assertions that the mountain ecoun.
ties would be but slightly injured by the discontn
uanee OF gravel mining, are SO absurd to one at all
familiar with these localities us to be hardly worth
the trouble of reiutatiOn For the benefit of per-
sons who have no knowledge of these counties, we
WILL for illustration, state the present condition OF
Nevada county. This county owes no debt its taxes
low has population OF fully q 900 SOULS has
an assessed value for taxation of 50 600 600 ;
it's Inhabitants including its daily laborers, gener
ally own their own comfortable homes neither in
California nor elsewhere can be found more truly
prosperous and contented community the rate of
wages is nearly double that paid in the valley
ties and the miners owning their own orchards
and gardens live in greater comfort than does any
laboring class in any other part OF the world. Fully
onehalf Of this population directly depends for its
subsistence upon hydraulic gravel mining We're
these mines abandoned the county assessment roll
would be reduced half, the burden of taxation
would be consequently doubled on the remaining
property and depopulation and ruin would follow
The same condition of affairs would obtain In the
counties of Placer, Sierra, Plumas and Trinity,
while the lower counties OF Butte and Yuba would
be greatly injured.
We recognize the fact that injury has been in
fiicted upon the farmers OF Suffer and Yuba COM
ties but claim that it is mel her right expe-
dent to destroy these prosperous mining comnun-
ties because OF this injury. 10 this point, which
seems utterly misunderstood, We ask attention.