Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-06-05
CONFERENCE OF SUPERVISORS.
Tho Supervisors of Colusa, Yolo, Sutter.
San Joaquin, Yuba and Sacramento in


were in order.
J. F. Flatham, of Yuba, was elected Chairman
and Charles NJ. Coglan, Secretary.
Steinman moved that the meeting adjourn
until p NJ, as several of the Supervisors had
not arrived. Carried.
EVENING SESSION.
When the meeting was called to order in the
evening some fifty persons were present. In the
audience were noticed James l.. Gould, Superin-
tendent of the Gold Run mine: ex-Attorney-
General 10 Hamilton, and other Representatives
of the mining interests, also large number of
valley farmers.
The Chairman called the meeting TO order
He said the object was to unite the valley coun-
ties against the hydraulic mines and the
monster debris He asked the Secretary 10
read the call. which was as follows:
" In view of the present status of the anti
debris question, the action of our State Legisla-
ture. and that of the Rivers and Harbors Com
mittee of the House of Representatives at
Washington, we deem it important that con-
ference be had by the counties bordering on the
Sacramento river. Ii seems assured that Con-
gressienal aid can only be secured by assuring
the Government that the dumping of debris
from hydraulic mining into the streams has
ceased permanently. 1t is, TO our mind, of the
utmost importance to secure the prohered aid
on the terms indicated; and we also believe
that aid without such enforced conditions would,
if granted be worse than useless. The Sawyer
and Keyser injunctions are being obeyed, but
many mines are not enjoined, and will have TO
be before they cease operations hence the de-
sire for this conference.
I'VE therefore respectfully invite your Board,
with those of Butte, Colusa, Solano, Iolo. Sac
ramento and San Joaquin counties, to meet at
the city of Marysyille, Thursday evening, May
Sth, together with such of your citizens as you
may think proper to invite Signed
l.. Fl. BABE,
Chairman Yuba County Board
ELI DAVIS,
Chairman Suffer County Board
The roll was called, with the following result :
Colusa J. f. Kerr; Yolo, T. C. Snyder, j. s.
Tut; Butte, no representation; SAN Joaquin
VIM. Ennis Solano, no representation: Suffer
Eli Davis, J. p. Larry, L. W. Bailey; Iuba, John
+. Lofin, C. X. Dam. B. f. Babb: Sacramento
/. NJ Smith Samuel GOttlieb, Benjamin Bailey,
Vim. Mclaughlin, Edward Cristy, Samuel Blair,
b. L. Steinman.
Davis of Suffer said they had met to take
some action regarding the debris question He
saw Il number of citizens present from the diff
ferent counties, and he would like as prelimi
nary to the action of the Supervisors to hear an
expression of opinion from them.
Supervisor Smith called on L. Elkus a Sacra
mento merchant, and former Chairman of the
Board of Supervisors.
Mr.. ElkuS said he came as a spectator. and
did not expect TO be called upon for Il speech or
expression of opinion. The matter under con-
Sderation was one that interested him, and, in
idCl, all the people Ol sacramento. Tie ndu
talked the matter over with members of the diff
ferent Boards and also those interested in the
mines. The latter, he was informed desired
five or six weeks longer in which to make their
clean up, and they then would stop operating
their mines. He thought this a modest request
and it would be better and cheaper for ali con
cerned if they were allowed to do so.
Chairman-What mines ask for that time?
ElkuS-tientlemen from Dutch Flat.
Chairman-Do you mean the Bear river mines
that were enjOiued few days ago?
Elkus-I speak generally. ! understand that
all they ask is i've or SIX weeks i'll which 10
clean up, and then they propose to cult. This
i'll my opinion, should be granted, and is much
cheaper than employing attorneys.
Davis of Sutter-1he object Of this meeting is
not to consider how long they may continue to
run, but to raise means to make them stop.
Dam of Guba addressed the meeting and
told of the destruction of property by Sickens
that mad come under his observation. The Bear
river had been filed up from four to sixty feet
and over 100000 OF property had been de
stroyed by sickeHS. They had been nine years
litigating the miners. and had stopped Il great
many still there were thirteen mines in opera
ton that should be enioined. He thought after
the long years of suffering and litigation on the
part o. the farmers, the miners should not now
come in and ask for clemCncy.
Judge TubbS, OF Sacramento, spoke against
the dumping of debris into the streams claim
ing that it not only destroyed forever large
bodies of agricultural lands, the products of
which amounted to more than the gold pro-
duced, but il was also destroying the naYigGble
streams and harbOrS Of the State He enter
tanned nothing but the kindest feelings for the
miners, but in his opinion it was better to have
little gold now and more in the future. Mining
by the hydraulic process must be stopped or the
State ruined.
George Ohleyer said that Congress was willing
to appropriate the State S250O00 providing that
the dumping OF debris into the streams was
stopped The Feather, he said, was full. the
Sacramento half full, Yolo county flooded and
mist he conceded ny nll that biDu mi
be done, and as no Congressional aid could be
obtained until mining ceased, then measures
should be taken to stop the evil Immediately.
He said the EllNis proposition should not be
entertained, Tor those now mining are pursuing
an unlawful business and their acts stand be-
tween us and Government aid. He spoke of the
channels OF the sacramento and Feather rivers
saying that they had been filled up To such
extent that even at high water they were only
navigable for light steamers. He said he
felt bitter against the State Government
that would stand by and see our rivers
destroyed, and the Acknowledgement he
claimed, who would quibble for weeks over
some unimportant legal point and say not
word about this great destroyer was derelict in
his duty. He said that so far no Governor had
dared even to refer TO this great and important
question i'll his message. The time had come
for united action, and State officials should be
informed that they cannot longer shirk this
great responsibility The eight wealthy counties
along this river, which is fast being destroyed,
should join together and make the State eligible
to receive this money. Will You do it? SOlano
and Butte counties, which both deeply
interested in this matter. are not here but
they should be. In Butte county large
tracts of land have been ruined BY debris
deposits for all time to come. 1t is true, in many
instances, the dumping grounds are purchased
by the miners, but he claimed they had no right
to destroy the land. The miners have no vested
rights. They never had a contract with the
Government which gave them Il right to ruin
this country. If all the counties referred to
n q hon
let three or four do 50 and save the State and
secure the national aid Counties which now
show no disposition to aid in this matter if min
ing is not stopped. will be overwhelmed in time
l.. I. Moulton delivered lengthy address on
the subject. He gave Il vivid description OF the
great damage done by the SlickCuS deposits.
He reviewed the different litigation and paid IL
high compliment to editors and LAWYERS who
had interested themselves in behalf OF the
farmers. General Hart, he said, was the man
who broke the camel's back. He suggested that
a committee should be formed of one Super
visor from each county, and that they employ
attorneys and 90 ahead. He was tired of this
nactiOn, vacillation and humbuggery. He had
but Il poor opinion of the opinions OF District
Attorneys. They are elected on popular issues
can give you an opinion of any kind and are
not To be depended on at all. If, he said this
damnable curse is not stopped, ships in few
years will be shut out from this western world.
and in time of war we will have no harbor. The
mountains are being thrown down, filling up
the rivers and bays
Mayor Bingham, of Marysville, said whether
these mines are going to be enjoned is not the
question, but whether or not you will assist in
the necessary work. The mines have been en-
Joined the counties of Suffer and Iuba having
spent to that end upward of $4,000 Those two
counties were not 50 poor but that they are able
and willing to protect themselves. He would
ask the Supervisors of other counties however
whether like men they would come forward and
help protect their millions of property. He
would say of Sacramento county, that so far as
the Gold Run case was concerned they had
acted wisely and could already see the fruits of
their outlay. Suffer and Yuba counties had
cnioined all the important mines along the
Huba Some small and unimportant mines were
still at work. If this Convention did not see fit
assist those two counties, they should 90 right
along and stop the mines anyway; but in his
propriety of Sacramento, IolO, Colusa and So
iauO counties coming forward and bearing their
proportion of the expense.
Will s Green said the Supervisors should get
together as quickly possible and agree on
some common action He had been in the fight
from its commencement, and should be with it
at its death. The time for Speechmaking and
newspaper illusions is gone by; the principle
has been established, and we are backed by
public opinion. Short and decisive work is now
in order \ few thousand dollars to each county
is Il mere nothing, and should be allowed. The
Government should not stand by and see any of
her realty destroyed. The State or county should
not permit the destruction of land that belongs
to future generations. He said Colusa county
would do her part. Her people Were interested
in protecting the navigability of the river Give
lis the river natures highway, he said and YOU
can take all the railroads. Keep slickenS out of
the river, and as a commercial channel no man
can buy nor mOnolOliZe it. San Joaquin county
should come to the rescue. Her rivers and
fast filling ND and their