Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-26
LETTER UPON DECISION OF JUDGE
SAWYER AND ITS ErFEcrs.

Mountains" all about the effect Of Judge
Sawyer's decision on the property of the af-
fected districts, and which, If sustained by
the Supreme Court Of the United States,
would prove such hard blow to the now
prosperous county of Nevada. Bat, as in the
course of your article you invite corre-
spon6ence and interchange of views, through
the columns of the RECORD. UNION. in re-
gard to that matter and to the capabilities Of
those districts to redeem themselves BY turn
ing their attention to the horticultural and
agricultural industries, l will avail myself Of
the invitation, and give you my honest views
as to the situation made toc this county by the
virtual closing up of our hydraulic miRes.
Having been a resident Of Nevada county
for twenty-five years-nOt being interested in
mining, but engaged 10 horticultural pursuits,
which are but little affected by mining or the
stopping-I believe that my views on the ques-
ton at issue may be considered as disintel-
es!ed as those Of people living outside OF the
county.
This question OF hydraulic mining, of rivers
filed with sand and sediment of valleys
threatened every winter with food. IL, let me
tell you, very complicated one, and I am
surprised that persons OF intelligence and
learning would be prompt to deceive them |
selves by entertaining such wrong idea as
that the stopping Of hydraulic mining would |
settle the question forever; forgetting in their
blindness or prejudice that this momentous |
question. so vital TO the prosperity of the |
State of rivers filed by debris-miuiug, So
rieultural and natural debris-has, siace that
C0urt5 decision, simply entered a new phase !
instead Of being solved at all.
l will first discuss, far as this county Is !
concerned, the capabilities Of the soil at vary
ing attitudes for cultivation and varied earth
productions. and the prohtableness of such |
industry. Nevada county has an area Of
1,200 square miles, its highest elevation
reaching over S 600 feet, and the lowest only
few hundred feet above the level of the sea. |
The upper part of this vast extent of land,
and where hydraulic mining hiss been carried |
on uDiQterruptediy for thirty-four years, is
covered with snow good part of the year,
but well set with timber. Several turbulent |
streams are cutting that district longitude |
Hally, running through canyons and gorges, |
never caring for iojunctions, and precipitat- |
ing against their rugged banks, and the huge |
powders that their beds are paved with, |
their mad and muddy waters, whose roaring |
can be heard far away, like an sdmonition to
man to get out Of the way aud not oppose the |
mighty torrents of the Sierras
Here and there may be seen q miniature
valley OF few acres, nestled among the deep
depressions of high and sometimes precipi- |
tous ridges. The soil is good enough, but the
district is either too cold to grow the grape
with success, or too remote from a market to
make the business pay. Apples eau be raised
there, also hay and potatoes. Outside OF that
the hydraulic mining belt, with few excep
tons, like the most of Bridgeport township
is not very inviting for the emigraut to settle
upon, that is, the moment the mines are shut
down; though it might be settled ia the
course of time, when every acre of available
land below it would have been claimed and
covered with dense population.
As to the lower part of the county, below
the great hydraulic mining belt, from Nevada
City to Grass Valley, from North San Juan
to the line of Placer county, the soil is, and
so iG was before the stopping Of the mines |
above, well capable OF producing il abund- |
ance fruit of all kinds. grspes cereals, hay
and the like. No trouble shout the capabiIl- |
ties Of thai portion of Nevada county in sup |
porting large population, especially If water
could be had in sufficient quantity to develop |
the dormant resources Of our soil.
Among the various products which the !
hillsides Of our mountains could be made 10 |
yield sre grapes wine and rsisins. Indeed, |
grape-raising and wine-makiLg may be |
ranked among the most promising industries !
Of the county, and If that industry, 10 which |
our soil is SO eminently adapted, grape-rais.
ing, has besl kept relatively 50 backward, it |
is mostly due 70 the richness Of our mines, |
that proved % be for the capitalist and |
ablser a greater inducement than The rails
ing If grapes or fruit.
Nevada county producsa az fine grapes as
eau be raised anywhere throughout the State.
anl the wine made here Is ranked among tie |
best ever made 10 California. It keeps WE'LL
has ine bouquet, aud is greatly superior
to that OF our valleys, whose soil is too rich
and too damp to produce wine of first quail.
ity. 1t Ia my opinion that the raising of |
grapes is destined to become IN the course of
tins the second, if not the leading, product
Of this mountainous county, and thst the |
closing up OF the hydraulic mines may de.
vslop it in this way, that the water compa-
mines might extend their bitches far down
enough to enable agriculturists and hortlcuit-
wrists 70 make the soil produce grapes fruit,
grass, anything, and where nov grow but
chapsrral and tar.weed Such are the gen
egal capabilities of this part of the State for
cultivation and varied earth products
But the mines are not the only interest
that will be either ruined or crippled by that
anti.miniug decision. There are also the
ditch companies, several Of which would be
incapable Of running water any longer into
their bitches should such a decision be sus-
tanned. l do not believe that there is another
county in the State with such a splendid net.
work Of ditches, measuring in length several
hundred miles. Those bitches and reservoirs
have cost immense sums of money, and the
expenses for running and repairing them are
very heavy. The question with the ditch
companies Is will they be able to run water
into their bitches, with hardly any customers
to supply: l am Of the opinion that since
the bitches and reservoirs are built the con-
panies will keep on as long as there will be a
chance to meet expenses and till they will be
able to find new customers for their water,
should they have to extend their bitches down
to where water would be needed, though it |
will be some time before those bitches can be
run under the new order of things.
The only classes Of customers that those
ditch companies can expect to supply, if once |
the hydraulic mines shut down for good, are
the quartz mills run by water, drift mines,
and Tor irrigation. Tne quartz mills will be
their best customers, they taking water all
the year round; next the drift mines. As
for irrigating purposes, the water will be
needed only through four Of the warmest
months Of the year. when it requires two
inches at the head to bring one inch at the
lower end what will the companies do with
their water the balance OF the year l. is
fact that if the bitches and reservoirs we're to
he built for irrigating purposes, never could
the capital be raised 10 build them, OF the
customers willing to pay the high rates that
such large outlay Of capital would be- en-.
titled 60.
As TO the prosecution Of work in hydraulic
mines by other methods, and such methods IS
would give employment 10 greater numbers
Of workers than now, and tend TO the exc!u-
sion of Chinese labor and the permaneucy !
and greater prosperity Of mountain communi.
ties, do not believe word Of it.
First-Vhere are but very few mines that
under the present system Of wages, could pay
to be worked through the expensive method
OF drifting
Second-Admittiug that drifting would
give employment to greater numbers Of work
ers than now, which Is not precisely fact,
and wherever such method would be prac.
ticsble SIS only one hydraulic mine out Of
ten, if not twenty, could be so worked, the
number If workers employed in the mines
would consequently be q great deal less than
now.
Thiri-To drift most Of cur hydraulic
mines cheap labor will have to be enpsoyed.
In other words, white labor must come down,
or Chinese cheap labor will be put in It's
pscs. This Is Unavoidable, for It cannot be
expected that the owners Of those mines are
gone 10 work them Just for the sake Of keep.
lhg men st work.
The fac. IS that hydraulic mining cannot
very well be replaced by drift mining, ex-
csp. in very rich ground it Is Of no use