Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-10

out the channel below That this result is being &C
eomplished is proven by the fact as stated by Sen
ator Baker and about which there was an item IN tn
papers to the effect that large particles of sand
found on the bridge opposite Marysyille, and eigh
miles below the dam. This proves that the wate
after being freed from the debris which 1t carried
above the dam went Immediately to work scouriD:
out the beds Of sand below it and deposited then
upon the bridge as referred to. Now this work vi
desire to have continued, and such was the iuten
ton of the engineers. If this work is dom
and the rivers leveed as contemplated IN TIN
BILL it is plain to be seen that the rive
channels will in time be reotiiied and improved
/ claim Mr. President, that the success OF the dam
is established. They have acted just as it was e&
pected they would act, and | believe have an
swerel the objections made against them. / nov
turn to the proposition which follows the repeal o
the Act and the abandonment OF the whole scheme
| will assume that when the bill is repealed thes
same members who vote to repeal it will try to seel
relief by voting to close hydraulic mining. Assum
ing that to be the next step, / viii try and shov
what the results of such move would be on tn
business interests and general prosperity OF th
State.
The gold yield of California up to date has beer
in the neighborhood Of a billion and talf OF dol
lars OF this vast amount the gravel mines hav'
produced nearly billion and they still enrich
ing the State by liberal yields II is estimated tina
from 81 900 coo to So 900 600 come from the grave
mines yearly But this statement is contradicJe'
upon the other side. Senator Hill places it at 50,
100000. To get some definite information, wrot'
to the Superintendent of the Mint at San Francsc'
the other day and without reading the letter in full
will simply state that he puts the yield last yea
at SI3 0OO, 600 That is what the Superintendent o
the Mint says The gold yield from this class o
mines has been closely watched by parties inter
ested and by leading miners, ard they have uni
forny placed it at from 81 600 to S14, 900 600
with an expected yield of S2o,oo0,oo0 in the nea
future.
The first thing after your remedy is applied o
course, will be the stoppage OF the annual produc
ton of this amount. That of itself is small item
in the way, it ought to be- unless you are all ia.
Goulds Governor Perkins in his special message
stated that the value OF the gravel mines OF the Stat
is Sl00 0O0, 900. This is gainsayed by Senator Hill
and ne thinks the Governor drew on his imagination
for his facts. To substantate the Governors state
ment | will read some testimony given before
legislative committee in San Francisco in 1876. II
was reported in the Chronicle, and | reaC
from IL: L. L. Robinson testified that he
was largely interested in hydraulic mining
as well as in agricultural lands. He swore that hi
believed the gravel mines were worth 100000,
600. and that San Francisco owned s50,000,0 O(
worth of thenf Hamilton Smith, very careful
and well posted man, also a miner and an extern
sive owner, placed the value OF all the mines al
500 coo coo and said from S35 0Q0, 600 to S5OO00
600 Of the stock in them is owned IN San Fran
cisco James P. Pearce of Santa Clara testified
that the value OF the mines ranged from Sl00 00O
600 to $780, Goo San Francisco owned half Of
them. This evidence was given in 1876 when il
Now, Mr.. President, the stoppage of mining
would stop the annual production Of from $4,000,
COO 10 Sl4OOOO0O Il would rob the own
ers Of 500, 100000 which they have hon
estly invested. 1t would wipe from the
assessment roll of the State about Sl0,000,000 Of
taxable property in the mining counties. 1t would
stop the consumption Of raw and manufactured ma
terial which has heretofore been large, and which
has helped to keep our manufacturing industries
employed which has kept the FORCES going; which
has kept our transportation companies at work
which has given labor to one-seventh OF our popu
ation. It would render pennies great portion 81
our population. 1t would depopuate the mining
counties, and 1t would reduce section now fertile
and productive to almost barren waste. 1t was
stated Yesterday that ii mining was stopped the
mountains would engage in agriculture; but this
would not prove true from the fact that there would
be no market for their productons-the being toe
far removed from commercial centers to have a
market.
Now the question is, VIII the s242, 900 paid by
the State under this law be paying investment
because its citizens have $50 900 900 invested in the
enterprise. They are interested to the extent OF
one half the gross annual yield OF the mines They
are also interested in the trade which they now
receive from the mining counties, and in
the amount of taxes which the mining counties pay
into the State Treasury. II will pay the mining
Counties notwithstanding they will have to, and are
paying one-thirteenth of the whole tax, because
will become worthless. 1t will pay the State, be-
it would continue in operation one OF its most
important indu5tries-one which employs about
one seventh of its population 1t Will pay it, be-
cause it will receive back in taxes from the mining
counties, on property which would be wiped out by
the soppage of mining, an amount equal to what it
pays under this bill.
Now Mr.. President, there is justice IN this thing
as well as policy. believe that the miners of this
State have Just good title to their prope ty as
have the agriculturists. They bought their prop
erty They paid their money for it, and the farmers
bought their property and paid their money for it.
The State and nation said to the miners, 50 Go on
and work out your ground we want YOU to do il
we want the gold" The miners went on and worked
it, and the nation and the State have received the
gold they produced. They also said to the agri-
cuturist I" Go on and cultivate your land; we want
its product And they have worked the land. But
in the process OF time there has conflict of interest
arisen between the two. 1t has not been brought
about by the wishes OF either do not believe that
the agrculurists Of the valley desire to destroy the
property OF the miners, nor that the miners
desire to destroy the property OF the agicuurists
But the work of the miner has had that result.
The streams are filed up and the farmers along
their banks are impoverished in fighting against the
floods and debris. The miners are working under
what they believe to be their legal rights and al.
though they are sorry for the results they cannot
help them. The question is VIII the residents of
other parts of the State lend = helping hand? Can
and will the representatives OF those sections rise
know is right? and what have proven by figures
will he to the interested their constituents although
they may not early see it just now. | think il IS
the duty of Senators to act for the people. | be-
lieve 4 member from San Diego who has listened to
all the discussions and kept track Of the inyestga-
ton is better qualified to know what is just right
and equitable than his constituents are believe he
is better qualified to Judge whether it would be
to their interests to do than many Of the papers
OF the State. have noticed in some OF the papers
that it would be good plan for the Democrats in
this body to repeal this bill as by SO doing they
would insure the success Of the Democrats at the
next election. | have seen the same arguments
used in some OF the Republican papers.
Now, Mr., President, the mountain counties OF this
State have about 1900 votes. | am inclined to
think that when the worst comes TO the worst those
900 voters will have little interest in the matter
themselves at the next election and that the party
or its representatives, which tries to rob them OF
their hard earnings Of their lifetime work. that they
will have little to say about this matter as well as
the papers which oppose the debris bill. There is
another matter, Mr. President, which was alluded tC
indirectly by Of the sp akers That Is the capa
city OF the mountain regions of this State the
mountain reservoirs-to prevent foods These large
artificial inland lakes will hold when filed billions Of
gallons. The bitches and reservoirs in the mountains
are capable Of storing away during the winter
enough water to furnish 10000 miners inches OF
water to coma down the rivers during the summer
for five six months, thereby assisting navigation
in summer and helping stay the floods of winter,
III those reservoirs had been lett OTen during TINS
last flood, the amount Of water which has beer
stored up there would be sufficient almost 10 make
lake large and deep as the inland We now see
on the other side of the Sacramento caused by the
overflow during the food Senator Hill says the
water Of these reservoirs ought to be condemned
and directed to some other use. | ask by what right
he claims 10 confscate such property. Who has the
power to rob water proprietors OF their property
Why, Mr.. President, according to the Surveyor
Generals report, there 5,l2J miles of canals con
nected with these reservoirs in California-al con
structed at heavy cost. They are estimated to be
worth $50, 100000 Who claims the right TO con
denim this property? ] know this Senate has moi
the right, and 1 do not believe majority woulC
vote 10 attempt it. | do not believe the Senator
himself would vote to DO it.
Mr. President, the mining counties have none OF
the petty jealousies and narrow views which seen
to prevail here they rejoice at the prosperity OF
the whole State. They view with pride its cities
towns and farms They have by their industrie;
helped to build up those cities, towns aed agricul
iural districts. Capitalists who have made theil
money in the mines can be found IN every county
in the State in almost every kind of business carried
there, and they will continue to co. and will con
tinue to carry the gold the mountains yielded witt
them. They are willing to tax themselves to assis
the farmers and to protect the river channels
of the State. They are willing thai
Congress should step in and assist in the work as
suppose all people Of the State are But it is an ole
saying that the Lord helps those who help them
selves. If We desire the aid Of Congress in this mat
sSif uuty 40 "
mence work ourselves, and show Congress that We
in earnest, and that there has been some meas
ure devised which viii afford US relief. Now, oul
members are in Congress-all OF them-and they
ready and willing to assist to the extent OF thei
ability to bring about appropriation from it. Mr.
Berry went almost exclusively that ISSUE and he
is working to the best OF his ability Now, would
ask those who desire to have Congress step in anC
assist Us in this matter, to tell me what
kind OF showing Mr.. Berry can make
wher it can be replied that the Legislature of Cali
fornia has repealed the very law for which an appro
priation is asked. How can ne advocate plan OF
relief which his own Legislature says is failure