The morning call., 1893-08-02
RIVERS AND DEBRIS.
Congress Memorialized Against
Hydraulic Timing.
The Ruination of the Navigable
Streams Predicted if Miners Be
Allowed to Resume.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

SACRAMENTO. Aug. 1.-At the last meet
inc of tito State Anti Debris Association in
this city it was ordered that memorial
be prepared and presented to Congress
giving the status of the hydraulic min ing
industry and of the navigation of the riv-
ers. The memorial was completed to-day
By a committee OF the association and will
be forwarded to Congress.
1t sets forth at considerable length the
history of hydraulic mining in California
aud the vast damage it has done 20 the
farming lands and pavigable rivers and
the danger to which San francisco Bay
was exposed. 1t also goes into details
about the great legal war which has been
waged in the courts against hydraulic min
ing.
The memorial contains the following:
"The Caminetti bill was prepared by the
miners, in which they said that hydraulic
mining should cease until it could be re-
sumed under the safeguards prescribed by
Congress and without injury to the navi-
gable waters of California or the agricul-
turaI lands along their banks. 1t was
solicited by them and accep' ed by them as
a fair solution of the difficulty.
I'm this bill it is provided that hydraulic
mining shall be placed under the jurisdic-
tion of commission of armv engineers,
and that hydraulic mining. except when
permitted by the commission. is unlawful.
Before this bill has been tried, before one
single hydraulic mine has begun work
under it. it is proposed to change it.
Representing the agricultural counties
Of Sacramento Valley traversed by the
Sacramento River and its tributaries, con-
tanning thousands OF acres Of rich. fertile
land, peopled by industrious and law
abading citizens, we protest against any
change in that law that will in any manner
enlanger our homes, injure the navigabil-
ity of the Sacramento and Feather rivers
or lead to RESUMPTION OF hydraulic min
ing. save under such restrictions as will
protect US from those terrible injuries
which we have suffered in the past. and to
secure relief from which we were COM
PEELED to seek the courts"
The memorial also sets forth that, even
at its present stage, the Sacramento River
is worth to the people of the valley over
So, ,OO0. 900 per annum. while the hydraulic
mines. run at full blast. can only take ou.
about So, OOO. 900 of gold each year. and this
mento River. The committee says that
hydraulic mining is corporation mining
No poor man can engage in it. 1t requires
capital to build bitches and lay pipe. 1t
employs water and Cinnamon. Gold could
be ex racted by drift mining, but water
and Chinese labor are cheaper.
In conclusion. the memorial says: I'VE
are waging no fight against any mans
lawful business. We do not believe that
dams can be erected that will protect us
from injury. II they can We will be joy
fully surprised: but we do not want to
suffer the dangers of the experiment.
Such experiments. if not successful. would
be the death of u.s. Whatever may he
done on this subject, we ask that you con-
slider the interests of agriculture and CON-
merce, which. in California, outweigh the
interest of hydraulic mining 1000 to l."