Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-09-02
SAN FRANCISCO.
BAD EGGS THROWN AT KBARNBY.

II SSiAHdu o1oWAeu dl NOItH 6edCl
While Bathing.
THE ANTI-DEBRIs QUESTION DISCUSSED
Detectives Views Regarding the Attempted
Train Robbery.
Etc.. tc...................E Etc.
SAN FRANCISCO, September 1st-A meet
ing was held this evening at the rooms of
the Chamber of Commerce, Merchants
Exchange, for the purpose of giving
the Anti-Debris Association of the Sacra-
mento valley an opportunity of presenting
the debris question to prominent merchants of
this city, and to others interested The at
tendance was large, prominent merchants in
all branches Of trade being in attendance
DR.. Rogers, of Marysville, was called upon
as the first speaker. He said that the com.
mittee labored under considerable embarrass-
ment, as they had not expected to address so
u
Board of Trade. All are weH aware
that the Yuba river has been gradually
filling up by debris for upwards of twenty
years. In 1862 the filling first made itself
manifest on the low lands about Marysville,
and small levee was constructed at a cost of
about 50, coo. No high water occurred until
1866, when an immense amount of damage
was done. From that single circumstance an
agitation was raised, but the Common Coun-
Gil found that they had not the power to
construct the levees. The Legislature hav
ing given the power, the Common Council
built Ievees. The speaker read the amounts
expended each year by the Common
Council, which since 1862 amounted
to S237.9 90. Continuing. he said ::
Where is it to stop? We are
unable to say. The levees have been built
as high as it is safe to build them, and the
high taxes show ruin and poverty staring us
in the face. In addition to the amount men
toned above the Common Council has also
expended about $1,000 900 on the north side of
the Yuba, and about $4,000 on the south
side" The speaker read from State En-
gineer Halls report in regard to the destruc-
tion of territory along the Yuba by debris,
which showed that Is, 522 acres of land had
been destroyed, 1850 acres of which was rich
garden land, and previously valued at 800
per acre, and some as high as $500. Con-
Guiding, the doctor said "All we desire of
you, gentlemen, is that the Importance of
this matter be seriously considered, and that
you take such action as you may see fit. We
would like for a committee of the Board of
Trade and Chamber of Commerce to visit us
at our expense, and see what we have suf-
fered by hydraulic mining. We have no OBJ
lection to quartz or drift mining" The doe
tor exhibited specimens of soil taken from
the ranch of Gross Bros, on the Yuba, one
being the rich black soil of 1868, and the
other the fine sand and pebbles-the debris
by which it is now covered to the depth Of
seven or eight feet.
George Ohleyer. of Sutter county, said :
"This movement is an all-absorbing one to
us. and is rapidly spreading, until it is now
not Yuba and Sutter counties, but the entire
Sacramento valley which is interested.
If hydraulic mining is continued the en-
tire valley is doomed The Yuba
at one point is now three feet higher at low
water than il was at high water in 1862, and
the same is true of the Feather. though to
less extent. The bed of the river at Oroville
is raised Is or 90 feet" Mr. Oaleyer READ
statement from 7. B. Hull, Chairman of the
Board of Levee Commissioners in Sutter
county. showing the expense to the county
the detritus in the Feather river had caused.
The property of the county had de-
preciated 333 per cent, or over 5000, 600.
The loss to the wheat crop is ), 600 tons,
and S431, 719 had been spent in constructing
levees and repairs, the total loss to the
county being upward of 81, 800, 900. In SUI.
ter county, Mr.. Ohleyer said. they are con-
structing levees to protect the high land. not
the swamp land, from the overflow of sand,
which renders the land uninhabitable. We
only ask justice, and that the streams be not
used as dump for the mines. The streams
belong to the people of the State, and not to
the hydraulic miners The old Briggs
orchard, once celebrated for its value,
is now bed of fine sand. If hydraulic
mining is continued, we will have no river
and no valley. The merchants of San Fran
cisco should be interested, as their support
comes from the counties north of the bay.
Congressman Berry was called upon, and
said that he was not sent down by the Anti
Debris Association, nor did he represent
them. He could say that he had lost
considerable, and had been absolutely
turned out of his home, from no
other cause than from debris from the mines
As the representative from the Third Con-
dents of the valley, and also of the mount-
aims. One will be ruined by the debris, and
the other is liable to lose his property. Both
have rights. The Drainage Act, which Yves
thought to be a compromise, is said to be of
no account by the valley, while the mountains
say it has not had a fair trial. He
believed there could be no settl,-
ment of the question until the Courts
of the State lay down a rule and define the
status of the conflicting interests. Congress
would take no action while there was no
harmony. There is pail hanging over the
valley. Property has deprecated. and even
that untouched by the debris Is also affected,
because it is on the line of the debris. Trade
is paralyzed. No improvements are being
made, and capital refuses to invest either in
the valley or in the mountains, as in the
former they may lose their property, and in
the latter an injunction may render it value-
less. Our merchants will find the cereal
production much less, and all through the fill
ing up of the streams. He believed Congress
would make appropriations for preserving
the navigable waters of the State If the
miners and farmers would join hands and
have the Courts decide their status, some
| thing could be done.
L. L. Robinson, Vice. President of the
| Miners Association, said that they had
made no objection. He invited the commit
tee to visit the hydraulic mines at the ex-
| pense of the miners, and asked that they be