Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1882-03-21


4;on shonld at all times, and under all
circumstances be upon the express
condition that the grantees shouiu p'o
tect the valley below from the oeof's
that such flume would discharge anu
carry from where it now hes WHICH,
in many places, are from forty TO s'A''
feet deep over the broad flats ABOVE
the junction Of these creeks. nc
washing of such great quantities OF
debris into the river below would soon
fill it up, overflow the banks, ana oe,
stroy large quantities Of agricultural
land now in cultivation. Common
iustice demands that one great ih'ei-
est in the Territory should not be wan
tonlv sacrificed to the cupidity OF an
other. or forced to protect or redress
its rights through expensive, pro'rac-
ted and uncertain litigation.
The undersigned desires to say 'iiat
he has been resident of Idaho Terri
tory since the year 1868; that he mas
been engaged in mining, and constfuc-
ting bitches and mining canals, ever
since his first settlement there, upon
the streams named in these bills. That
he appears in opposition to these ollls
in his own behalf, as miner and ca
nal owner, and as the representative
Of all other miners and ditch and canal
owners along said streams.
He further states that Moore's and
Grimes creeks, combined, are about
one hundred miles in length, and the
beds of said creeks are from twenty to
eighty rods in width. That said
streams and their tributaries have
been worked for mining purposes by
great number of persons contlnu'
ously since 1868, and there are at the
present time more than one thousand
persons engaged in practical mining
upon said streams and tributaries
That more than five hundred thousand
dollars have been expended in con-
structing bitches, canals, and in other
water rights, for mining purposes, up
on said streams and their tributaries
all of which works are now in prac
tical operation. That all of said rights
will be jeopardizeG, if not entire,
ruined, by the passage of these bills
because the franchise would give the
) grantees the right to control the entire
width of the beds of the streams anC
three hundred feet on each side thereof
virtually monopolizing and controlling
the whole Of the country between the
watersheds Of said streams their entire
) length.
The provisions of the existing min
ing laws are now settled and we'll I'm
derstood. Every person having min
ing interests knows what his rioht
are and how to protect them. Their,
Is, and can be, no necessity for spe
clal legislation, of doubtful charac
ter, on the subject When necessit,
TOR bedrock tlume on either or an,
3 part OF these streams shall arise. pr
.vate enterprise and capital will COL
: Struct it under existing laws, protect
: ing the rights of others. But thes
t bills grant enormous franchises +
mere spectators, having no iuteres
} Ia the. mines along said streams with
: out any consideration whatever an
S with no guarantees for the protectio
: OF other large interests-without an
J. guarantees for the construction Of III
n proposed work or any limit to tn
e grant.
J. For the foregoing reasons | appea
: 10 you to promptly reject and defea
e this scheme of speculation and all oil
G erS like it, Verv r.snoo.e,.u