The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-01-22

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tlle necessary steps to select Such committee
OF three, and to raise funds sufficient TO pay
the expenses connected with their mission
to Congress.
hesotUed, That we recommend the formation
OF an association in each county of this State
10 cooperate with the Executive Committee,
10 De appointed by this convention.
Res0tted, That we proceed at once to organ
lie permanent State Association for the
purpose OF promoting the mining industry in
california: that the officers of sCcu perIna-
nent organization consist of a President, Sec
rotary. Tire 'ureF and Executive Committee
TO be appointed by the President, to consist of
seven members at large and one from each
county represented, whose duty il shall be TO
promote the objects of this con vention
IfeSofCed, Ihat committee of five be APP
pointed by the Chair whose duty it shall be to
formulate and promote the adoption of
amendments TO the mining statutes of the
United States.
MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS.
The Committee on Memorial presented
the following:
To the Hoitordbte Senate and House Of Repre-
SentoftUeS an Congress assembled: Your mem
oTiaists, representing the people of the State
OF California. in convention assembled at san
Francisco tor the purpose of considering the
question OF hydraulic mining and the inn
provement of the waterways of the State re-
specially represent:
That Tor many years there has been q con-
flct between the hrming and hydraulic min
ing interests of California Dy reason OF the
dCDrIs rom said mines injuIing the naVigable
rivers and lands border No thereon BY uecis-
IONS OF the Federal Courts injunctions were
issued against these mines and they were
closed down, throwing many persons out of
employment and causing great loss of capt.
tai invested IN the mines and bitches, and the
great industry was paralyZed.
Inc Leg lSlature OF the State of California
realizing that the rehabilitation of this mining
industry would benefit the people of the whole
State and Nation if it could be accomplished
by Joint resolution, brought the matter TO the
attention OF Congress.
In accordance with this resolution Congress
passed an Act appointing commission of en-
glneerS for the purpose OF aScerta lining if some
plan could not be devised to adjust the con-
hict between the mining and farming sections
and the mining industry rehabilifated, and
Tor examining the nayigable rivers and their
tributaries, with view to the improvement
and rectifcation of the rivers.
That, whereas this Board of Engineer Off
GERS, constituted under the provisions of this
Act OF Congress entitled, IAN Act for the in
veStigation of the mining debris question in
the state OF California, approved October /,
1883, nave made an examination and in
vestigation of the mining debris question in
the Stale OF California for the purpose of as
certaining whether some plan could be de-
vised whereby the present conflict between
the III lining and farming sections might be adj
Justed and the mining industry rehabilitated
and have made an examination OF the in
Jured naylgaDle river channels, their tribu-
tarles, and the lands adjacent thereto, with
view TO the improvement and the rectifcation
of said rivers.
ndb IL dfbDtdTS from Sdlu report Jlat there
are many hundreds OF millions of dollars of
gold in the auriterous gravel deposits Of Cali
tornia which can be extracted by the hy-
draulic process for filling the arteries of COM
merce and stimulating to increased energy all
the industries OF this State and OF The Nation
and that wise craftsmanship demands that
this vast amount of gold should be added to
the wealth OF the country, if it can be done
without material injury to the navigable
| rivers of the State and the adjacent lands
That it appears by the said report that dams
other rpStJa m "a no Tod
in many canyons which will not only restrain
the material producing the damage CON-
planned OF In the past, but Will also restrain
the debris now dislodged but still remaining
in the canyons.
We respectfully ask that your honora BILE
body accept and adopt the report of the com
mission appointed by you for the purposes
stated, and that Congress at once take steps TO
put into practical and effective operation the
means suggested by the engineers in order
that mining may be again resumed in the
manner Indicated, without the injury COM
planned of III the past.
Your memorialists further suggest that Con-
greSs, having appointed this commission to
determine the question, should accept ana act
upon its conclusions, which are of nature to
be acceptable to both parties TO the contro.
VerSy in that they provide that mining can be
again carried on under the conditions named
and also that the debris be restrained from the
rivers and farming lands.
1t is proper to represent, also, that at four
different sessions OF the Legislature OF the
State of California resolutions have been
adopted calling the attention of Congress to
this hydraulic mining question in California
At the last session the Governor in his in
augural address brought the matter again to
the attention OF the representatives of the peo-
pie and the Legislature on December %
1891, again passed resolutions. which were
forwarded to Congress, setting forth the facts
and asking for relief
We recognize the tact that until Congress
takes proper action for the cree ion of suitable
works for restraining mining debris hydrau-
lie mining is absolutely restrained by the
courts, and as iaw-abiding citi; ems we recog-
nize that the laws must be obeyed and the de-
crees of the courts respected; and inasinuch a.
the complete cessation of hydraulic mining
until Congres sional Act is had VIII bea gre at
hardship III the mining regions and may Pc
suit in their depopulation, we earnestly re-
quest you to take immediate action in order
that there may be an end 10 the conflict, and
that no complaint may exist of the enjoined
mines refusing to observe the orders of the
courts.
We earnestly request you to make sufficient
appropl iationS for the erection of dams or
other restraining works in accordance, with
the report of said commission. under sucn re-
strictions as to locality, size and extent OF the
dams as may by law be provided for that pur-
pose, in order that the debris resulting from
hydraulic mining may be restrained as con-
tempiated in said reports.
And, whereas, Il special Board of Engineers
was appointed under the provisions of Sec
ton II of the River and Harbor Act, APP
proved September 10, 1890, to examine and
report upon the requirements of the Sacra-
mento and Feather Rivers and their tribu-
tarieS in California, with a view to their future
improvement; and, whereas such board did
after full examination recommend in the
report transmitted to the House of Repre-
sentatives by the Secretary OF War on the
10th day of February, 1891, that an appro-
priation of the sum OF S645.000 be made for
the improvement and rectification of said
rivers, and the Government engine rs in
charge have recommended a further appTo-
priation of the sum of S14O,20 for the i'm
provement of the San Joaquin and Mokel-
umne Rivers, and their tributaries, ana So D.
900 for the Improvement of FetalUma Creek
in California, we earnestly request Won 10
make the appropriations as recommended
The commercial interests of the State of
California, and of the whole nation, impera-
lively demand that these appropriations
should be made for the purposes recommend
ed by said commission.
Your memorialists also respectfully repre-
sent Il a the miners OF the United States are
dissatisfied with many of the rulings of the
department, which put unnecessary burdens
upon them, ana prevent them from readily
obtaining title TO mineral lands to the great
detriment of mining interests.
We respectfully ask that action be taken
upon the resolutions on this subject of min
ing laws and the department rulings which
were adopted at the California State Mining
Convention held in San Francisco on January
20, 1882.
Burrows of Nevada moved that the
resolutions be adopted.
Grove l.. Johnson of Sacramento arose
and said: Il had hoped, on behalf of
Sacramento County, to move the adop-
ton of the resolutions, but now l can
only second them, as 1 90 with pleasure,
Advancing to the platform, he contin-
ued: Il came to this convention with
many doubts as to what the result would
be. | can see now, however. that there is
nothing to fear. 4 better body of men
that this has never assembled, and where
once were war and enIGity all is now
peace and harmony. l have heard that it
was impossible to impound the tailipgs.
but have faith in human ingenuity and
believe every obstacle can be overcome.
/ can remem Der when Morse was lancrhnd