Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-21

is perhaps not sufficient in quantity or
quality to cover the rocks and gravel of
which said ranch is largely composed, and
which without any water would be nom
productive"
One would naturally infer from reading
the above that the Hon. ex-Mayor was,
by recital OF facts, attempting to demolish
the theory that large quantities of sedi-
ment are carried in suspension by the
water and deposited on valley lands render
ing them arid and barren" We are glad
however at the prospect of redeeming a
lost sheep, and beholding the Hon. ex-
Mayor being gradually brought back to his
original fold, aud that the golden memo
ries of Long Bar are beginning to assert
themselves and demand resurrection.
If the Bonanza ranch is largely COM
posed of rocks ana gravel then ii must
certainly be non-productive, as all intelli-
gent agricGlturists know that such a barren
soil yields little or nothing, and it stands
to reason that trees won't grow on rocks,
even whea said rocks are irrigated so in
comes slickens to explain the reason for
the fertility of the Bonanza ranch. and to
refute the libels heaped upon it. Until
the owners of the property commenced
lrrIgatlng with slickens water the land was
the very acme of baroness and sterilitv,
now 1t is cultivated, an oasis in the desert
OF barren land around it. This wear the
Excelsior Company gathered an immense
crop of oranges from the Bonanza ranch,
which all mountain experts pronounced
sweet and juicy. The honorable ex-Mayor
Is not an accurate reckoner, as the Bonanza
ranch is fully sixteen miles above Marys-
vile, and not ten, as he states. He evil
IDENTITY knows the locality better now than
he did some five years ago, when he at
fpmntpd ha
missloners TO the Bonanza ranch. Then
he rode ON and on, probably computing
with his correct eye the quantity of slick
ems placed in the river since he ceased min
ing at Long Bar and using the Yuba river
| as dump. No one has had better oppor-
tunities of knowing the properties of that
tmuch-abused "slicl1ens" than the honora-
bic ex-Mayor and C. Z. Sexey, both old
time miners, who evidently remember how
the seeding oranges planted in slickens soil
| thrived and flourished. That was before
the era of medicine and real estate. 1t was
| quite unnecessary for the honorable eX-
Mayor to open the walls of his wrath on
what he terms "OB rien's fertilizer" Mr.
Q Brien has not been engaged in mining
| for the past four years he has ceased to
be vandal, and now can calmly rest on
| his ranch some nine miles above Marvs-
| vile, and watch the securing out of the
| Guba river and welcome the advent of cleal
water.
| would say in conclusion that it would
| be advisable for the honorable ex-Mayor
! TO secure reliable data, and be absolutely
certain of what he says before he thrusts
| another dish of his facts under the public
| nostrils, though it is patent to all he used
| the orange as an excuse to deliver homilv
on ''slickens." Though ex-Mayor of Marvs-
| ville the honorable gentleman is not infalli-
| BILE, and his present absurd blunder belittles
| his former exalted position. Heis evidently
a humanitarian, and his praiseworthy at
| tempts at preaching the gospel of truth
should not be derided, and ii is ignoble in
any one to dare to defy the successful
| contradiction of a single statement" made
| by him. / have trespassed on your time
longer than | had intended, and trust YOU
| Will give this communication space in your
| paper | write unknown to, and unwar-
| ranted by James O'Brien, and in the capac-
| ity of one who has resided here well-nigh
! thirty years, and knows thoroughly that
upon which he speaks.
| send packet of facts in their native
| state, not diluted with prejudice. In ask
! ing for the publication of this statement |
| do not expect the RECORD L MON to indorse
| or approve of any unwavering faith in
| 'O Brien S fertilizer" but feel assured vour
| paper is sufficiently fearless to publish all
! that has been written, and not let series
of asteriskS cover up the Objectionable
parts, as your verdant contemporary does.
The Bees criticism on the honorable ex-
| Mayors speech was both unjust and I'M
called for, and we hope the nut has been
cracked sufficiently to show that the kernel
is palatable, and that we are not trying to
rob that paper-the modern Ananias2ot
its chief prerogative. The imaginations OF
our people are, like the soil, rich and fer
tile although Imagination or fertility OF
mind. which auger the existence of brains
are two things of which the Bee can never
| be accused MINER
Smartsville, January 10, 1886.