Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-06-27
ANTI HYDRAULIC MINING.
MEETING at caIco-sTEFs TAKEg FOR
ORGANIZATION.
a COMMITTEES of IS to be selectea-anotnsr
meeting Appointed Delegations In
vitsd from colusa and HlarYsyine.
Reported speciallv lor the Rroogp I. I-,,o,

al aasi hsarsuiic INNING meeting was held
at Chico on Saturday afternoon by the farm.
ers of Butte county. The attendance was
not large, by reason, as was stated, that the
farmers who are directly Interested on the
subject ara in the midst of their harvesting
and could rot spare the time until that work
| was over.
The meeting was called to order by Gen.
Bidwell, who nominated JOSEPH Enter as
Chairman, and he was elected. G. II. Cros-
settle was elected Secretary.
General Bidwell stated that the object of
the meeting was to organize for the protec-
ton Of the farmers in the Sacramento valley,
| and said 1t is most important question,
one which the people of this valley and this
| whole State cannot much longer avoid. The
entire State is now taxed to raise money to
be expended in a way which will result in no
good whatever. 1t must be apparent by this
time to any man of intelligence that the MAX
ing of brush dams, either TO prevent or undo
the injury, Is entirely worthless. We are
here to express ourselves upon this subject,
and we ought to make up cur minds upon it
deliberately. and, as | think. earnestly and
justly, for it IS a great question.
w. S. Green of Colus. was present and
called upon for remarks as to the method in
| which the Colusa Anti. hydraulic Association
| was formed. Mr.. Green gave an account of
the organization 10 the county, and stated
that at the first meeting q committee of
twenty-five representative men, those
interested in stopping hydraulic min
ing, were selected from all parts of the
county. andnotifed by the Secretary Of their
appointment, and the time appointed for the
! .oy, RI uaaf form tfr,,
for action. Only two or three of those
selected were absent from the appointed
meeting, and the meetings had been full of
earnestness A committee was appointed to
investigate in relation to the number and ex-
tent of mines now upon the upper Sacra-
mento river and creeks. The committee has
made the examination but has not yet re.
ported. At Bnste City. he said, they have
q Farmers Union and an Anti-Debris
Committee to solicit funds and take con-
tinsent notes for payment, when needed to
carry on the pending or other suits against
| hydraulic mining.
| General Bidwell stated that he had received
dispatch from G. E. Wilson, of Marysville,
saying that if the meeting was to be con-
tinued until evening delegation from that
city would attend the meeting if notified in
time by telegraph. After consultation. it
was decided not to hold an evening meeting.
/
ordered that a committee of twenty-five men
be selected by the chairman and secretary
from the various portions of the county-men
| who are interested upon the subject, and will
give it their attention-and that the COM
mittee meet in the Town Hall at Chico, on
the 9th of July at 2 o'clock p NJ 1t was
also ordered that an invitation be extended
to all persons and organizations interested
upon the subject to meet with the committee
and aid in the organization.
Upon motion of G. Z. Eliot, an invitation
was extended to the anti.hydraulic associ-
ations of Marysville and Colusa county to
send delegates to the coming meeting.
Colonel Hager. of Collsa, was called upon
to address the meeting, but excused himself,
after few brief remarks. and called upon
Mr.. Green to speak for Colusa county. Mr..
Green said: ] didn't come here to-day to do
any talking. | supposed this question had
been pretty well talked up. We have got to
get beyond the talking period and take up
the work. Colonel Haqer and I came here
to represent the Executive Committee from
cur county and to act with any committee
your people might appoint; also to give any
information that might be an aid in organic
ing in this county. The committee you are
TO choose should be most carefully selected,
and not only be representative men, but
those who will attend to any work that the
CDuluiltbSc may nave W III To bfiS OD-
ject before us. The question in hand is
too vast to enter upon lis discussion
to- day. But vast as it is it has to be met.
| Oar best lands, as also our river channelS for
transportation, are being destroyed. Tt is
net pleasant subject to deal with. No one
has any feeling against the miners The
farmers are willing to do almost anything to
avoid iniuring the mining interest, except to
give up their farms and homes. They don't
! ~. ia i...A \
! protect their farms, and also the rivers which
| they wish to use as means of transportation
The General was called upon to address the
meeting, and responded by saying: About
a month ago | went down the Sacramento
river near Chico, and was surprised to find
the water as muddy apparently as that of the
Feather or fuba rivers, and which resulted
! from hydraulic mining, which has been insti-
| tuted recently above. Il was SO muddy that
l could not use it. I do not know to what
extent there is need for alarm on account of
the working of mines upon the Sacramento;
/ but after all the testimony of last win
ter, and all the additional taxation which
every man felt under the Drainage Act,
| in view Of the fact that every Intelligent man
in this State knows that the navigation of
| the Sacramento and Feather rivers is vir-
tualy destroyed that thousands and tens of
I thousands of acres of the very finest of lands
| that the ruin is going on day by day, and
month by month, and promises to be vastly
/ increased-in view of these facts it becomes
lis to seriously consider the matter. and take
the necessary action to stay the evil l have
no feeling against the miners. My feelings
are with the miners; but the people must
consider the subject. 1t is subject large
enough for platform for the entire State.
| There are questions of this class. which over
shadow all other questions. This may be ore
of them / would never iniufe any man. IL
| have to stop any man from hydraulic min
| ing in order to save other property, would
aid to reimburse that man but the question
! is whether there is not some other way
| that the mines may be worked with
ont committing this irreparable damage.
| There is probably sufficient lands in the
! mountains that would pay to work under the
| hydraulic system, or when washed down into
the rivers and streams, TO ruin the entire Sac
ramento valley. Suppose vast amount of this
earthly matter is sent down to bury these
beautiful lands, with the statements before
US which we have to-day. and then take no
steps to prevent it? Men will say it's good
enough for you; you knew what was com
ing; why did you not take the necessary
steps in time to avoid it Must we say that
we are not competent to handle the subject
We have already been taxed half million to
make brush dams. You may be taxed fifty
millions for brush dams. but such
works will never have the desired result,
or do any good as remedy for
the evil. This will be the great and
interesting question of the campaign
when the next Legislature is elected. 1t
must be of more Importance to this State
than any question that can enter into any
Presidential election, and it will come before
the people plainly and squarely for their de-
cision.
Mr.. Lehman said the evils resulting from
hydraulic mining cannot well be oyeresti-
mated. Some twenty-five years ago, while
engaged in mining up in Nevada county, a
man had s ranch 10 valley near by for
which he had been offered $4,000. Hy-
draulic mining was commenced above it and
some time afterw ards it was 30 far injured
that he sold it for 81, 600 The same land
was subsequently sold for 5000, and finally
was completely covered up and totally ruined
| by tailings. If one of these two industries
must be curtai!ed farming is of far greater
Importance to the State than mining, for
the farming interests are those which are to be
permanent but in time mining would cease
During the early times remember we had
mining law up in the mines which was that
no man had right to run the tailings from
his mine upon another claim. He could not
do that. He had to take care of his taiings.
and take care not to iniure his neighbor. |