The record-union., 1891-07-16
IOWA HILL MINES.
Our Supervisors Promise to Go and
Visit Them.
Chairman Greer and Attorney Devlin
Express Their Views-A Peti-
toner Talks Also.

Supervisors took up for consideration the
petitions presented on the preceding
day from citizens of Iowa Hill and Sacra-
mento (as published in the RECORD
UNION, requesting the members of the
board to visit the hydraulic mines at the
frst-named place and satisfy themselves
concerning the propriety of modifying
the terms of the present injunctions
pending against them. The object of the
petitioners is to obtain, if possible, per-
mission to wash the gravel beds in the
lower workings of the mines by the use
of monitors.
]. f. Brown Of iowa Hill, representing
the petitioners, said he would like to hear
from r. T. Devlin, counsel for the
county, on the proposition involved in
the petitions.
Mr.. Devlin briefly reviewed the petit
tions, and then asked Mr.. Brown:
Are your people now using monitors
in their mines?n
Brown-They have been using them,
but are not now doing so.
DeVhn-Do you propose to use them
brown es, simply to wash the gravel
which is only from two to four feet in
depth. Some Of the mines can be worked
by the drifting process, and IL the in unc-
tions are to be made perpetual we ask
that they be so modified as to permit the
mines being worked by that process.
Devlin-What Taines are proposed to be
worked?
Brown = The Sprague, Waterman,
Parker, and such others ae can be worked
in a similar manner. our hope is that
the bead will examine all the mines in
that vicinity.
Mr.. Devlin said that so far as hydraulic
mining by the regular process is con-
cerned, IL must stop. The subject had
been before the courts for fourteen years.
during which time all the points now
made had been raised by the miners and
passed upon. The miners then made the
same claims they now make-that no in
jury was being done to the rivers or val
leys. They had denied that their debris
was being dumped directly into the
streams. There had been no objection
raised to quartz, seam, or drift mining.
Sacramento County, ne said, did not
object to the miners working by these
processes, but 1t does object to the wash
ing-down system heretofore in vogue
The Supervisors could agree to a modifi-
cation of the injunction to this extent 1t
was difficult TO show that any one, two,
or three mines had done any specific in
jury to the rivers or the valley lands but
that damage had been done on a large
scale by hydraulic mining in general
could not be denied. One man could not
readily injure mans farm by deposit
ing earth thereon with a wheelbarroW,
but several thousand men thus employed
could do great deal of damage; and so
number of mines, working by the hy-
draulic process, had caused untold injury.
If the petitioners would consent to aban-
don the hydraulicking process, the in
junction could be modified so that they
might proceed by the. less Objectionable
methods.
L. a,
had no desire 10 inffict unnecessary hard
ship or expense upon the miners, but
the rivers were being filed up with
debris from the mines, and the Govern
ment, when appealed to for relief. had
declined to improve the rivers so long as
the people of the State permitted the
dumping of mining debris into them,
Sacramento County had not in the past
been watthful of her own interests-the
mines had been allowed to continue their
Injurious work, and parties had been en-
couraged to open and operate new ones,
and the law is even now being vio-
lated. If the miners would accept the
proposition that the hydraulicl1ing pro-
cess be discontinued, an agreement could
be arrived at that would permit of the
working of the mines by other processes.
The people of Sacramento County would
be willing TO suffer some injury rather
than close the mines entirely.
I'VE accept the law" replied Mr.
Brown, land it Is for that reason that we
are here asking the Supervisors to go and
examine our mines at Iowa Hill. We
claim that we are not iniuring the river,
and all we ask is that the Supervisors of
this county shall go and satisfy them
selves OF that fact. There is one case now
pending in the United States Circuit
Court in which a continuance has been
agreed upon until next November in Or
der to allow an examination of the mine
10 be made by the parties prosecuting the
suit."
Mr.. Brown, continuing, said that Sac
ramento County was deeply concerned
in an amicable adjustment of this hy-
drauiic mining trouble. 4 great deal of
business had been done between the
mines and Sacramento in the last forty
years, and the business men of this city
(Sacramentol recognize the justice and
fairness Of the proposition made by the
petitioners. They are willing and de-
sirous that the Supervisors should go to
the mines and examine them before put
ting on perpetual injunctions.
MIR. Deylin insisted that there could be
no agreement made that would involve
the resumption of the use of monitors,
unless the damage done thereby would
be so small as not TO cut any prominent
figure in the matter.
Mr.. Brown referred to Cache Creek and
other streams TO show that they do fill up
from natural causes where no mining is
being done. He was willing to submit
their proposition to the board and had no
doubt it would do justice.
Mr.. Greer said this was a very serious
matter to this county and to the valley,
The board had employed competent at
torney 10 look after the county's interest
In the matter, and he was willing TO be
governed by his advice and counsel. For
himself, he had suffered from the effects
of hydraulic mining, and, like a child
that had once been burned, he was afraid
of the fire. The hydraulic miners know
they have been violating the law for the
last ten years. but they want permission
10 90 on aud get out a little more gold,
regardless of the injury that would result
10 others. More damage has been done
10 the agricultural districts than all the
gold taken ont by hydraulic mining could
pay for. The once beautiful river of the
Sacramento has been ruined, as have
other rivers
If the miners can show that their
grounds can be worked out by the drift
process without injury to the rivers and
valleys, he was willing they should do
so. But he, for one, was unequiyocally
opposed TO hydraulic mining. He had
lost two or three fortunes already through
the injury caused thereby; people had
been driven from their homes from that
cause. lie was willing that the members
OF the board should visit the mines, as
requested, but If monitors were TO be
used IN working the mines he could say
now that he would not consent to il.
Mr.. Brown replied that all his people
had asked was that the Supervisors go to
the mines and examine them for their
own satisfaction.
Mr.. Bates said these gentlemen had
come here IN gentlemanly way and
asked the board to examine their mines.
If there are only two or three feet OF
gravel TO be washed Off, he did not care
whether the miners used pitchforks or a