Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-06-13

teIiai Wasneu irom hydraulic mines nas ul-
minished, owing to change from washir G
light surface gravel with few powders to
heavy bottom gravel, and from steep grades
In the sluices to light grades.
The amount washed from mine will de-
pend upon the amount, of water used, the
character of material and grade and size of
sluices.
Late improvements in hydraulic mining do
not increase the amount Of material mined.
The various mines in the drainage area of
the Sacramento river have reservoirs in which
they store about 1900, 600, 900 cubic feet OF
water, which is gradually drawn off in the
five months after the middle Of July and to
that extent increases the flow in the Sacra-
mento river.
General Finding.
To the foregoing findings of fact desire to
add general finding. explaining. simplifying
and perhaps to some extent qualifying them.
The case involves the consideration of the
operation of natural forces on large scale,
and many conclusions are necessarily to some
extent matters Of theory OF opinion. Conclu-
sions upon such matters when expressed in
legal findings often seem to imply certitude
which does by no means exist
The field of observation is SO vast that
| the full case cannot be presented ia
the findings much must be left unex-
DrSS9eQ.
| dicial knowledge of the Court; as, for in
stance, the geography and generally the
geology of the country over which our
| INQUIRIES have extended the nature of the
ancient river channels and the different forms
and methods of mining which have prevailed,
as well as the general history of the country
matters which everyone is presumed to
know.
THE AMERICAN RIVER.
The drainage area of the American river is
| 1889 square miles, mostly on the western
slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This
| slope il composed of numerous deep canyons
| and ravines, high and steep ridges and lofty
mountains. The formation is mostly granite.
is largely covered with deep soil, gene rally of
decomposed granite.
Originally there were very extensive forests
of immense pine trees. Since the settlement
of the country there has been continuous
destruction of these trees for the lumber.
although large forests still remain. Numer-
GUS roads have been cut and trails made
within this area. Considerable industries in
| fruit. raising are carried op in some places,
and every summer thousands of sheep are
driven from the valleys into the mountains to
be pastured.
AS early as 1852 there were mining in the
| American river, in Placer county, 90 900
men, and in Ell Dorado county, 10000. The
earlier mining was in the bars and beds of the
river or its tributaries, or in the Dry Dig
gings, which were probably older bars made
| in former geologic periods. The work was
chiefly in mining the gravel and sand COM
posing the river bars into the river, generally
leaving the heavier cobbles in the claims.
The so-called dry diggiugs were worked
during high water. Much of the material
being light soil, was cent down the stream,
leaving innumerable snail pits and piles of
debris on the slopes of the mountains.
| In the winters of 1852 and 1858 there was
| A LARGE FLOOD,
| But from that time until the winter Of 1861
| and 1S62-the memorable food year-there
was no flood of moment.
| Of course at this time an enormous amount
of material would naturally be exposed to the
transporting power of such deluge, and &C
| cordipgly we find that for the first time the
inhabitants of the valleys become aware that
| the water was filed with sediment which
menaced the navigability of the rivers and
| which left large deposits of sand upon their
margins. 1t is probable that more sediment
was brought down by the river during that
year than any year since.
| 1t is commended by the defendant that most
of the sediment ia the river is from other
sources than mining. Perhaps this is not SO
important an inquiry as it is deemed. What
what from other sources it is impossible to
determine but it probably may be safely
claimed that the greater portion is from min.
| ing deposits made within the periods of the
recurring high foods, which are from eight to
ten years apart.
The Sacramento might be expected to bear
1000 600 cubic yards of sediment, H.
annum. The drainage area OF the
American river is about sone-twelfth
of the Sacramento basin. The erosion upon
the American river would, however, natu-
rally be much above the average. Let it be
placed at twice the average, and then natural
erosion cannot be held responsible for half
the material which is carried in suspension
to the Sacramento, and which is rolled along
the bottom of the river, at least below Alder
creek. Again the character of the material is
AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION.
Generallykhe wash from other sources than
mining is the very lightest material; the ex-
ceptions are land slides and sudden cutting of
gullies ON the hill sides, The wash from
such sources. therefore, would be easily man.
aged by the great volume of the lower rivers,
and would be carried in suspension to Suisun
bay. which is the great settling reservoir of
the basin. The damage to the rivers or the
adjacent land would be slight.
Mining debris, however, is of all degrees Of
hpeness. The question as to what will be
carried down will depend upon the size of the
rocks which the water has sufficient force to
roll along. In other words, it will furnish
the heaviest material which can be transport
ed. This is just the material which naturally
fills the rivers below the foothills more or less
permanently while slowly but constantly
creeping further down the stream. q
1t is probably from this source mostly,
rather than from causes other than mining,
that the material has come which has filled
the channels of the Yuba and the Bear near
their confluence with the Feather.
1t Is commended by the defendant that all
the debris which it puts into the American
river (save small per cent remains perma-
nently above Rice's bridge point about nine
miles below Canyon creek-and no question
in the case has been more minutelY examined.
This portion Of the river is through rocky
gorge with banks sloping at an angle Of from
thirty to forty degrees.
According to a profile furnished by the de-
PENDANT, the grade of the original bed from
Canyon creek for about two miles was over
seventy feet per mile; then for distance of
over four miles the average grade was a little
less than forty feet per mile, with occasional
spaces of several hundred feet each in which
the grade was ascending. The remaining.
distance the grade was about twenty-one aud
one-feurth feet per mile. There is large fill
now IN the river, commencing about one.haf
mile below Canyon creek.
THE SURFACE GRADE
OF the present bed for this portion Of the
first section which contains any FIJI one and
one-fourth mile is forty ak feet per mile. The
grade Of the next four miles is forty feet, and
the remainder over thirty-six feet per mile
the last quarter of mile being twenty-five
feet per mile. es
Prior to the commencement of the work in
the present pit, or lower portion Of the mine,
it is estimated that there had been washed
from the upper, or old washings, 81, 000, 600
cubic yards of material, which also come into
the American river through Canyon creek.
Also large quantities of material were placed
in the same sections of the rivers from the
Iowa Hill mines. AZ -sss
TIE surface Of the old waskings was piin-
cipally light red earth with sand and pipe
clay. In the channel, however, the old wash
ing was chiefly composed of gravel, sand and
cobble stones.
The old mines ceased to be operated be.
cause. as the miners say. they run out Of
grade and not because of change in the
character of the material. The banks ere Of
a mixed character of sand, gravel and cobbles
from the top to the bottom. In the present
pit, however, there is no pipe clsy in the rib
bon or channel which will be worked, and
none of the red earth, and there is constant
increase in the average size of material as we
approach the red rock. There was no clear
line OF distinction between the present and
old washing. The great proportion of the
material in the lower pit, therefore, cannot
reasonably be heavier than ten per cent of
largest material in the old washing. 1t seems
that prior to 1875 this portion of the river
was filled with this decris to a much greater
depth than at present. All this material was
washed out and went down stream as also
vast quantities offmaterial put. in from the
Iowa Hill mines.
The material in the river is naturally graded
as to sizs down stream. The heavier being
FIRST lodged, and then the next in size, and so
on.
THE HEAVIER MATERIAL,
Therefore, cannot hold back the lighter debris
which has been separated by the water, and
Is constantly washed lower down. If all the
detritus from the top washing has gone down