Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-11-22
THE HYDRAULIC M1E1NG COMMISSION.

Inc hydraulic Mining Commission or
dered by Congress is about to meet and
organize to inquire into the debris ques-
ton. The people of the valley generally
look upon the creation of the Commission
as unwise, and liable to cause the re-
opening Of an issue that the Courts, Fed
eral and State, have settled against by
draulic mining. But since the Commits
sion has been created, and regrets that
possibly the whole ground is to be gone
over before it are useless, it behooves val
ley interests to secure able and constant
representation at all the sessions of the
Commission qualified and empowered to
present fully and fairly the anti-hydraulic
mining side of the case. This cannot be
done effectively without concert of action
on the part of the people of all the coun-
ties affected by the deposition of hydraulic
mining debris in the tributaries of the
Feather, Yuba and Sacramento rivers.
The people of the hydraulic mining re-
gions, as we understand them, will not in
sist that the former system of mining.
against which the Courts have held, can
be pursued without modification but they
will hold that system Of using hydraulic
streams upon auriferouS bearing banks OF
earth may be prosecuted that will not in
volve menace or injury to the lands along
the rivers or the navigation of the latter.
Precisely what that system is 10 be, unless
it is retention of the debris behind dams
constructed across canyon mouths and de-
pressions of land in the mountains and
foothills, is not set forth. Whatever il is
must be speculative. Engineering science
may declare that in theory continuation of
hydraulic mining and complete retention
of the matter that is destructive of river
navigation and individual interests along
the free water ways, and that has lifted the
beds of the tributaries until they are in
some cases of PERCEPTIONS character, is
possible. But the people of the valley
will scarcely be convinced by theory that
any such system is practicable, or that the
fine silt and sand from the hydraulic mines.
which have filled the Sacramento river to
such an extent as to raise its bed
at Sacramento twenty feet in
the last twenty-five years, can
be separated from the overlooking waters
and wholly retained in settling reservoirs.
We apprehend that the investigation will
clearly establish-for such is the fact
that the very class of matter which has in
jured the Sacramento river in its lower
reaches, is precisely the matter that cannot
be retained behind dams permitting any
overflow whatever.
While we do not understand that the
Commission is instructed to inquire into
the feasibility of restoring and preserving
the navigabilty of the rivers yet there is
question inseparably connected with the
restoration and preservation problem that
attaches to the hydraulic mining inquiry.
That is, the effect upon the rivers Of the
heavier and coarser deposits already in the
tributaries and the upper reaches of feed
ers of the Sacramento, and viii h deposits
came from and are now far below the
mines; whether that matter is not. unless
restrained, certain to work its way down
INTO the main stream even when hydraulic
mining wholly ceases, and whether that
calamity can be ayerted. 1t is the unani-
nous sentiment in the valley that it is the
duty of the Government to conserve the
navigability of the Sacramento and the
Feather rivers, to prevent any further in
Jnry to them and to remedy that ALREADY
done by systems of treatment such as are
known to be feasible by engineering skill.
But the sentiment is equally strong in the
valley and among all dispassionate people
who have examined the matter, that no
Government work whatever, looking to
the Improvement of the river and intended
10 protect it from further encroachment by
the sliekens, cobbles, gravel and coarse
sand now in the canyons and below them,
shall be made pretext for the renewal Of
the washing down of the hills and sending
them with the current to fill the channels
and endanger low lands that is to say, it
will be intolerable to have Government
restraining works used as shield behind
which practice may be renewed that the
Courts have, in accordance with the die
tates of wisdom and the rule of the
law, declared to be public
nuisance of such character as to Justify
the issuance of judicial mandate to restrain
and put an end to it. 1t is difficult to see,
we repeat, how it will be possible for the
Commission to examine into the hydraulic
mining question and not receive testimony
upon and consider the relation of the river
TO the deposits already below the mines,
and that are there menace irrespective
of the ultimate fate of hydraulic mining.
The Federal Government has recognized
the fact of such menace by refusing to per-
init Federal appropriations to be used for
the protection and restoration of the rivers
until the cause of their damage has ceased
its acliyity-indeed, the law creating the
Commission is susceptible of interpreted
ton that will justify recommendations
upon the subject suggested Independent of
the judgment Of the Commissioners upon
the claims of hydraulic interests.
But whatever the scope of the inquiry
about to be entered upon, 1t is imperative
that the agricultural counties and all who
are interested in the preservation of the
nayigability of the chief stream of the
State should be represented before the
Commission, and have authority and means
to introduce before it any testimony
deemed essential. We may rest assured
that the hydraulic mining interests win
be fully and ably represented. They viii
leave no stone unturned to impress the
Commissioners with their views and con-
vince them that it is possible to permit
hydraulic mining to be renewed without
endangering river and valley interests.
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