The record-union., 1892-09-28
is IT FEASIBLE?
State Treasurer McDonaId's Plan for
Operating Hydraulic Mines.
Flume the Debris Down Into the Tule
Basins, Get Out Gold, and
Make New Farms.

Learning that State Treasurer McDon-
aid had given considerable attention to
the subject of hydraulic mining and river
Improvement, and that he had evolved
plan by which the mines could be oper-
ated, not only without injury to the val
leys and rivers, but actually benefting
them, RECoRD-UNIoN reporter yester
day requested that gentleman to explain
his scheme.
We'll" said Mr.. Mcdonald, ST can
give you brief outline OF my plan, and
let 1t go for what it is worth, with the
hope that ADLER men may take the subject
up and perfect the scheme
Il wish to premise by saying that the
matter OF hydraulic mining, and how to
manage so rs TO allow the mines 10 be
worked and at the same time do no in
jury to the valley lands, and in no way
Interfere with the navigable waters of the
State, has been tavorite study with me
Tor some time. In my Judgment, the
great hydraulic mines, said 10 contain
hundreds of millions OF dollars III gold,
are OF little OF no value under the present
conditions. The large areas OF tule lands
bordering on the sacramento ana other
!
AS matters now stand these properties
are OF little value, and in this fact lies
Whatever force my plan possesses.
o allow the mines to be operated,
ana to make tho tui3 lands valuable i'll
Time, without lniiicting INJURY on the
farmers and boatmen, Is the object aimed
AT.
CAN IT BE DONE?
Let ,usi see. Now, suppose a corporation
| lie formed with a capital OF several MILL
! Ions, that would absorb all the hydraulic
mines i'll the Iuba system, and also all
the tule lands that would he necessary. at
II lax valuation. Stock could be issued to
the owners of said mines and lands, and
! thereby make the interest OF the miner
ana tule landowner identical When
! the corporation should be completed let
! there be constructed fumes, pipes or
| bitches from each !iiine TO the plains all
| those nuEei to lie connected or 70 unite
! on The piitinS in one main Iune aud the
waite: lron the mines be carried to the
tnle lands and there dumped, Eliing up
| the basins.
"5y ihiS means, it will be seen none of
| the water used in the mines VIII be
allowed 10 enter The river again until
| altcf IL mas passed over the tule lands and
! deposited the material held Ill SUSPENSION.
Ihe RAPID How would cease, the debris
would settle on the land, and The water
then comparatively clear, could be
! turned into the river below. 70 do this
CRoSs-LEvE
! Would have To be built from the river to
! the high lands AT intervals to create still
! water, and thereby cause the debris TO
/ more rapidly settle. [ think that by this
method the light debris could be taken
| care of; but what about the heavy debris Z?
II can only say that have talked with
mining men on that subject and thew
assure me that it could be provided for so
that no injury would be done to anyone
| have no doubt myself that the heavy
! debris can be taken care OF, provided the
! other parts of the scheme could be carried
| out. am we'll aware that this scheme
! would be
AN IMMENSE UNDERTAKING.
And large amount of money would be
required to complete it: but if it would
pay the money could be obtained
! Would it pay? That l am unable to say.
Ii there is as much gold in these mines
as mining men say there is, 1 see no rea-
son why it would not be fine invest
| ment.
Some one may ask, why form a corpo-
ration at all? reply, for the simple rea-
son that no one mine could carry out the
| scheme outlined, but united and with the
tule land men the corporation would be
so large and powerful they would have
no difficulty in obtaining the means to
carry out the enterprise. Not only those
forming the corporation would be BEN
cited, but the people OF the whole State
WOULD FEEL THE IMPETUS
That would be given to business by the
| opening of these great mines. Especially
the cities along the Sacramento River
would have new life, not only for the
gain to them in the way of business, but
! from the fact that with the Sacramento
River once freed from the incu bus of the
! debris from the mines, the people could
with confidence go TO the Government tor
aid to restore the river to something like
1t was thirty years ago; and no doubt the
| Government would respond to the de-
mands Of the people were they assured
that no more debris was to go into the
| stream.
Moreover, the water, after having de-
! posted its debris, could be used at many
points for irrigating high and dry lands.''