Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-04-24
COMPLACENT REPOsE.
EVERYTHING QUIET IN VALLEY
AND MOUNTAINS.
Valley People Content with Anti
Debris sions-Hydraulick-
ers Running Their Monitors.


vile, for contempt ofCourt in eyading serv-
ice of papers. and continuing for some
time to run by hydraulic process the Blue
Point mine at that place, calls to public
attention the fact of the utter complaceney
with which the valley people are resting III
the safety acquired and guaranteed from
further injury from slickcns' by the decis =
ions OF Judges Temple and Sawyer, while
with few exceptions the hydraulic mines
are being worked as actively and yigor-
ously as before, and without concealment
or interference.
This fact has been plainly stated before
in these columns, and no one who has
eyes to see the Sacramento water as it turb-
idly flows by, or as the slickens settles in
the bottoms of the glasses upon our tables
at the daily meals, or gratuitously thickens
and richly colors our asparagus and peas
cooked with it, can say for an instant that
they are not, and have not been fully aware
that the little giants are still vigorously
sending us our potionS of slickens with all
the regularity and freshness of any time in
the past.
There were a few months, following the
decision referred to- that many, or most, of
the mines, even those not included in the
injunction orders of Court, ceased hydraul-
licking. and the water in the streams coming
down from the mining sections was COM
paratively clear. This was a subject of
general observation and cOngratulation, eX-
cept upon the part of those who had be-
come so accustomed and attached to the
slickens mixture, that the change made, rem
dered the water to them most distresSingly
thin. That complaint, however, soon lost
its point and the water its tninness. The
little giants We're again gradually and
quietly let loose in mines not specially en-
Joined, and their managers have continued
to operate them, with none to modest or
make them afraid, while the people of the
valley, including the Anti-Debris As
ISOLATION, have complacently sat with
most profound peace and enjoyment
in the ambrosial shade of their own vines
and fig trees, gratefully cOmmumng over the
protection and security acquired by the
Temple and Sawyer decisions, and ignor-
ingly treating the practice of hydraulic
mining as matter of the dead past or as
ancient history.
During the recent session of the Lcgisla-
tuGt Il tGtlOttl DlGCLc up III
the valley concerning the amendment
offered by Senator Cross, of Nevada county.
wherein he desired to grant to miners,
through the irrigation bill then under con-
sideration, some additional privileges in
regard to water rights, and which were re-
garded by the entire press of this city and
the valley with great jealousy, as perhaps
" opening the way to the resumption of
hydraulic mining" The amendment was
defeated, but during the discussion the
- inconsistency as it was called of its
opponents and of the valley people was
frequently preached, TO the effect that we
were extremely fearful that the Temple
and Sawyer decisions should be interferel
with, whereas hydraulic mines were Thea
openly being worked all over the mountains,
contrary to those decisions and without a
word being said The uncomfortable part
of these thrusts was that they were Unde-
niabIy and badly true.
These statements are no revelation TO
anyone Parties returning from trips to
the mountains are constantly remarking
about seeing hydraulic mining III progress
at various points, and that fact is not a
matter ''hid under bushel," nor has it
been for many months past, to anyone who
bad the capacity to know and realize one Of
the simplest and most palpablc facts exist
ing in the State.
The following communication which IS
pertinent to the subject under considera-
ton. has Just been received from promi-
ninent gentleman Of this city, who has inst
returned from pleasure trip of few days
in the mountains:
SACRAMENTO April -, 1885.
EDS RECORD UNION: Having been on a pleasure
trip through the mining sections of our noun
tains upon the head waters ofthe streams which
bring us our slickens, was somewhat surprised
to sae how little the people living in the valley
realize what little effect has been produced by
the decisions against hydraulic mining and the
injunction issued under them. l have seen for
myself, during my trip, that the hydraulic
miners are ut work as hard as ever, and send
down the debris as fast III the water can bring
1t. At Dutch Flat the monitors are doing their
destructive work, and also at Gold Run the
little giants are tearing down the mountains
and sending them down to lis in solution
and coarser detritus, not only as fast as
the water will wash it down, but blasting
is added to the process, and thus the slickens
are more rapidly manufactured to fiji up our
streams Blast after blast are constantly being
sent off in this work, and the reports are heard
for miles around. was first attracted by the
reports of the blasts and next by the roaring of
the water and tumbliug off the rocks At Iowa
Hill hydraulic mining is done at the Hobson
claim when there is water to be had, and at
other places in that vicinity.
When stood and watched the monitors in
these different mines running and dumping
slickens down into the streams, to flow down to
the valley, and especially at Gold Run, ] could
not help queTylng to myself What has be
come Of the Anti-Debris Association
of the injunction of the Gold Run
case. which cost Sacramento county up
wards of $1,000 of the strenuous
efforts put forth to secure the decisions rendered
by Judge Temple and Judge sawyer, which was
to close all the mines, but which, having been
secured. have been allowed to virtually stand as
dead letters What was the use in going to the
great expense this county and the people of the
valley did, and then rs soon rs the hard-earned
decision of our right to enjoin hydraulic mining
was obtained, and the lawyers fees paid in full.
then sit down and let the unlawful method of
mining continue rs though the Courts had de
cided in favor Of the miners, ana granted them
unlimited power to send hills and mountains
down upon us in retail or wholesale as best
suited them and the supply OF water permitted ?
InJunctl0nS ought TO be nj once obtained and
served upon all these mines, and, ii necessary,
employ patrolmen, whose business it should be
10 patrol the sections where the hydraulic pro-
cess is used The men thus employed would
have to be those, however, not easily bribed. Re
speettuuy, C. +.
When the facts in this letter and the
above are considered. it is easy to see how
residents Of the mining sections regard the
or iniunctions, while the woods are full .
of others doing the very same thing. and
without the slightest interference by any
one with their operations. This discoses
the apparent reason for the criticism con-
tanned in the following dispatch, which was
published in the RECORD MON on Tues
day:
SMAETSvLLE (Yuba county. April DIST p.
Campbell a prominent hydraulic miner of this
place was arrested at Wheatland last night,
taken TO Marysyilie and lodged in Jail for con
tempt of Court i'll diSobeying an injunction of
the superior Court of this county. The arrest
and imprisonment is denounced in unmeaSurcd
terms by our citizens. AS the managers OF the
Anti-Debris Association in Marysyille are aware
that the largest mines III Nevada and Sierra
counties are being run to their fullest capacity.
the opinion IS generally expressed in this sec
ton that the prosecution of the debris suits is
conducted more with a spirit of persecution
than with desire 10 stop mining
Whether it is literally true that the
g largest mines in Nevada and Sierra coun-
ties are being run to their fullest capacity"
We cannot say, but that ii is true that mines
by the scores, which come within the spirit
and prohibition of the decisions of Judges
Temple and Sawyer. are being openly
worked by hydraulic process every one
knows, unless he is incapable of knowing
The injustice does not reside in
the fact that one who has evaded and de
fed the Courts has been at last arrested,
but in the pungent fact that all who have
been duly enioined from further mining by
hydraulic process, and failed to deSist, have
not also been compelled 10 comply with
the mandates of the Courts: and in the
further fact that some of the mine proprie-
tors have been enjoined and in good faith
have obeved the orders of Court. while
others, committing ike initIrv in violation