Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-07-26
ADDRESS
Of the Anti-Debris association Of sacra-
mento Valley

ramento valley, being greatly alarmed at the
rapid encroachment upon their homes and
property from debris thrown into the rivers
| and their tributaries from the by irauiic
mines, situated in the mountains and foot
hills through which they flow. and feeling
that further forbearance not only ceases TO be
a virtue, but is crime against ourselves, our
children and the best interests of the State
and knowing that our cause is the cause of
all the people of the State, and that the de-
struction of this great valley would be dis
aster to the State from which she would
never recover; we therefore feel it duty in
csmbent upon US to make known our griev-
snces, to the end that this question may be
fully understood, and the remedy applied be-
fore it is too late.
Hydraulic minipg has usurped the chan
nels of our rivers and their tributaries, as
places of deposit for its waste material, until
the channels and the contiguous bottom
lands have been raised higher than the sur.
rounding uplands, and such waste material is
only prevented during time of floods from
spreading over the valley, and the rivers run
ming at random, by levees built at ruinous ex-
pense for temporary relief Our power in
this direction can no longer compete with
those terrible engines of destruction powder
and waterl employed by the hydraulic
miners. Hence, the continuance of such
mining, as now conducted means the utter
ruin of this valley, and the desolation of
thousands of happy homes situated therein.
1t was officially stated before the late floods
that A, 900 acres of our very best lands had
been covered up and ruined by this detritus,
and last winters foods have added many
thousand acres TO this number 1t is no ex.
aggeration to say that no less than 100, 900
acres Of the very best land in the State have
been ruined Or rendered worthless from this
cause. Can the continuance of such whole
sale destruction be longer tolerated?
These miners claim they have vested rights
in the water courses to rid their mines of de-
bris. We deny such an assertion. We hold
that no power in the United States can con-
fer such rights. To do SO would be disre-
gard of all law, the usages of civilization and
the fundamental principles which govern
mankind, which require that every one must
so use his property as not to ipjure the prop
erty of another. We are willing to be gov
erned by this principle, and viii accept no
other Interpretation of our rights Usurpa-
tion may be tolerated for time, but such
liberation confers no rights. Having faith in
the business of our cause, we have appealed to
tho Gourfc for radrass' W. y,ant tbasa ta,.
rible engines of destruction stayed, until our
rights shall be determined by the highest
tribunals in the land. Any delay in deter
mining the rights of the respective parties in
this controversy will work serious injury to-
the State and nation. In urging the prompt
settlement of this question, the residents Of
the valley cherish no unkind feelings toward
the people of the mountains but claim with
them equal rights in the enjoyment of prop
erty and home.
We charge hydraulic mining with having
injured the agricultural resources of the
State by the destruction Of over 100, 600 acres
of the very best land with having forced
millions of money to be expended in the con-
struction of immense levees to protect the
highlands that should have been expended in
Improvements and in otherwise rendering
valuable these vast trscts. and thereby largely
increasing the agricultural and horticultural
products of the State. 1t has been destruc-
tion to the manufacturing interests, by en-
dangering the property of our cities, increas-
ing the tax for city protection to such an ex-
tent as to prevent the Investment of capital
for manufacturing purposes, and in many
cases destroying the lands adjacent to such
towns and cities that produced largely the
raw material to be manufactured. 1t has in
terfered with the internal commerce of the
State by iniuring the navigability of our
rivers. thereby largely increasing the freight
charges on all agricultural and manufactured
products seeking a market, and all goods and
merchandise used among our people.
Ithas almost prevented the development of
all mining except that of the precious metals,
by increasing the freight charges on all sup
plies for the mines, and on their products,
and has also seriously injured legitimate
mining for the precious metals, by diverting
Ine enerSleS Oh Jhe HlueTS IEOn quartz anu
drift mining, the true sources from which
our gold and silver products are proftably
obtained.
1t has levied an annual tax of over half
million dollars on all the taxable property of
the State, which has been and is to be ex-
pended in the fruitless effort to so control the
debris from such mines as to prevent further
destruction to this valley.
And last, but not least, it has thrown out of
profitable employment many thousands of
white men (by substituting for them the
forces. Cinnamon, powder and water), who
would have formed happy and flourishing
communities. and contributed largely to the
prosperity of the mountain counties,
Can the State afford to further foster
business which has produced and is still pro-
ducing such blighted effects upon all the
legitimate industries and vocatious of her
people? We of this valley most emphati-
cally answer, No