The record-union., 1891-07-15
ASKED TO INVESTIGATE.
Iowa Hill Miners Petition Our Super
visors to Go Slow.
They say They Are Doing No Injury
Sacramento Citizens Join the Peti-
tioners-yyho They Are.


composed of Messrs. S. NJ. Sprague, j.
+. Brown and NJ. r. Gleeson, appeared
before the Supervisors and presented a
petition on behalf of the people of their
locality, requesting the board to with
hold it's proposed action looking to the
procurement of permanent injunctions
against the Iowa Hill hydraulic mines.
1t was accompanied by a petition from
merchants and business men OF Sacra-
mento to the same effect.
Mr.. Brown addressed the Board. urg-
ing its members to first visit and ex-
anime the workings of the mines before
proceeding to the extremity proposed.
''If you are satisfied we are doing harm, F"
said the petitioner, then let the injunc-
ton ISSUE"
Mr.. Brown claimed that the top soil
had all been removed, and that the mines
were now operating in gravel, which was
not washed into the river or It's trlbuta-
ries. If Sacramento County should IN
sist on permanent injunctions, he hoped
the terms thereof would be so modified
as to permit the miners TO work the lower
gravel beds, which could do no harm TO
the rivers or the valley lands. The petit
uon reads as follows:
FROM CITIZENS OF IOWA HILL.
Iowa HILL, July s, 1891.
To the Honorable Board Of Supervisors
of the County of GcTdnento-GENTLE-
MEN: Whereas, proceedings have been
commenced by the County of Sacramento
to enjoin all the hydraulic mines which
have been operating at Iowa Hill and
vicinity during the season last past, and.
believing from the statements set forth,
and the allegations made in the COM
plants filed in the several actions there
in, that there has been a gross misrepre-
sentation OF the facts and circumstances
connected herewith, the undersigned,
citizens and residents of Iowa Hill, Placer
County, respectfully beg leave to present
to your honorable body a true statement
of the facts in relation thereto.
F'irst-That the supply of water in this
section for hydraulic mining purposes
is very limited, the sources of supply
being from ravines situate from ten to
fifteen miles above here, with a compara-
lively small area of watershed, the pre-
vious main sources of water supply above
having been cut off by the fumes being
burned, and bitches broken and filled up,
with no encouragement i'll the present
situation of hydraulic mining to make
the necessary repairs.
Second-That the periods in which the
several companies are engaged in hy-
draulic mining do not on an average ex-
ceed sixty days for each season, and that
the gravel operated upon is coarse and
cemented so that but small quantity can
be removed.
Third-That the gravel and debris from
the said hydraulic mining flows into In
dian Canyon, a tributary of the North
Fork of the American River, and is de-
posted in said canyon at point about
seven miles above the junction of said
river The said canyon having very light
grade, nearly all OF said gravel and debris
so deposited in said canyon remains their
indefinitely, not affected by any winter
freshets, as the head and source of said
canyon being but about four miles above
the point Of said deposit, the area of
drainage into the same is very small;
and as most of the heavy storms are
accompanied with snow at the head of
said canyon, which, within a mile of the
head rises quite abruptly to an altitude of
about twelve hundred feet above the
point of deposit of said gravel and debris
therein, the accumulated water does not
have any material effect in the removal
of said gravel and debris from said
canyon.
Fourth-That the hydraulic mines in
this section have OF late years been
worked in a limited manner with small
heads of water and but short period of
time each season; the gravel being coarse
and heavy THE lighter deposits having
been previously removed the gravel re-
manning is small in quantity, and of such
q character that the damage to arise from
the working and mining the same would
not be appreciable.
Fitth-That there is q considerable area
of bedrock in the several mines covered
with heavy, coarse gravel of depth of
from two to ten feet which contains con-
siderable gold, and which could be mined
Oft without causing damage 10 any party
or parties situated below.
SiXth-That similar case occurred in
which a mine was enioined at Iowa Hill
10y the county of Sacramento by reason
of a false statement of the facts connected
Herewith when the Supervisors came UP
and personally viewed the premises. and
finding the facts of the case had been mis-
represented, they caused the injunction to
be removed.
Wherefore, in view that the matter at
issue may be fully understood and may
he adjusted without resorting to expen-
sive and veXatious litigation, we would
earnestly and respectfully request that
your honorable body visit this place ut
the earliest moment practicable, and by
personal observation and inquiry inform
yourselves of ali the facts relating thereto,
10 the end that the order enjoining the
mines in this section from working be
dismissed or modified. as from q full
ces may TO your honorable body seem
meet and proper.
J. +. Brown, merchant: J. F. Macy,
druggist, Justice of the Peace and Notary
Public; y. Chinn, agent Wells, Fargo *
Co.; G.. w. Cross, merchant; John Papa,
A. Bozoni, livery stable; j. @. Ackerman,
proprietor Excelsior Hotel; Thomas W
James, proprietor Star Hotel; f. l. Adge,
proprietor Adge Hotel: \. G.. McCleary,
general blacksmith; l.. L. Cannon, meat
market; j. o. Jones, Foreman Morning
Star mine; c. L. Hoffman, Superintend-
ent Golden River Mining Company; w.
\. Bissett, Superintendent Washington
Mining Company; A. J. Stone, Superin-
tendent Weber mine; Garrett Booth, Su-
perintendent South Point Mining Com
pany; i. T.. Cannon, Jr., Constable: II.
Simons, Superintendent Waterhouse
Dome mine; o. j. Spencer, for Sugar
Pine Mill Company; W. j. Armstrong,
Deputy Sheriff; J. b. Brown, jeweler:
James d. Pursly, clerk; Fr. Werner,
merchant
THE SACRAMENTO PETITIONERS.
To the Honorable Board OF Supervisors
OF the County Of rante1tto-GENTrE
MEN: We, the undersigned citizens of the
city and county of Sacramento, believing
that the facts hereinbefore stated are sub
stantially correct, would respectfully ask
your honorable body to visit in person
the mining section and mines complained
OF, and herein referred TO. that you may
aed knowingly and advisedly in the
premises, and do or cause to be done
therein as the ends of justice may require.
Schaw, Ingram, hatcher d Co, ". r.
Strong Company, by p. +. Platt; Baker
6 Hamilton. by }. W. 0atman; w. II.
Wood & Co, Hall, Luhrs IL Co., The Sui
an-Kelly Company, by VIM. Nc
1aughlin; a. S. Hopkins & Bro; Mebius
aSM sra wga Bvvc> ~