The record-union., 1893-10-17
ANTI-DEBRIO ASSOCIATION.
Monthly Meeting of Its Executive
Committee.
Confidence Expressed in the Govern
ment Englneers-George Ohleyer's
Question of Privilege.

uOOus D. NJ NuOIIlSOu, t4O OhdAA AIeAAAs
presided, and Sheriff Robert Cosner of
Colusa was at his desk as Secretary.
The Manager presented his monthly
report, which shows that in his two
weeks attendance on Congress, during
the month of August, he was assured by
various members from the Pacific Coast
that nothing should be done III that body
adverse to the interests of the rivers and
valleys without a full opportunity had
first been given the association for pre-
senting its side of the case on the ques-
ton; that a strong effort is being made
by Senator Perkins and Congressman
Caminetti and Mcguire to put through
some measure for the betterment of the
rivers and harbors of Northern California;
that no promises had been made by Con-
gressmen Caminetti or Mcguire or Loud
to put through any measure, proposed by
the miners, to remove restrictions on
hydraulic mining.
He found while at the Worlds Fair
that the hydraulic miners had used every
opportunity in the mining exhibits to
advertise the alleged fact that by stopping
hydraulic mining the country had lost
and is annually losing great amount of
beneficial industry is thereby killed.
He attended, as a spectator, the Miners
Convention at San Francisco on the 9Th
and 10th instants. Found it participated
in solely by miners and that the active
spirits therein were all hydraulic miners,
or their retained agents. and that the
chief topic of discussion at the conven-
ton was, how to so influence public SEN
timent and Congress that hydraulic
mining might be resumed. Printed ac-
counts Of the proceedings were submit
ted to the committee.
Attention was called to the fact that
Attorney Cross said at that convention
that the public is rapidly discovering it's
mistake in having stopped hydraulic
mining, and that the Mining Association
is growing in numbers and enthusiasm,
while the anti-debris people are waning
in numbers and enthusiasm. He called
attention to the fact that Prof. Christy, of
the Chair of Mining and Metallurgy of
the University of California, told the con-
vention, in effect, that the injury to our
rivers was more from natural wash than
hydraulic mining.
The report shows that active mining
operations are going on at the mines of
the Eureka Lake Company and the North
Bloomfield Company; that, in his opin-
ion, the latter mine is proceeding without
authority OF law.
nature of litigation. The report further
shows that the Mining Debris Commits
sion have had about One-half dozen ap-
plications for permission to mine, but
that so far only one permit, that of the
Eureka Lake Company, has been granted,
which permit is to fill an old excavation;
that the hearing before the commission
ought not, and does not, require opposi-
ton or protests, for the reason that the
commission makes personal inspections
as expert engineers of the proposed
works. and that protests can have no
weight with them, since they act upon
their own observation; but that in his
opinion the commission means to deal
fairly with the valley and river interests.
MR.. OHLEYER's STATEMENT.
George Ohleyer stated that he desired
to speak to question of privilege relat-
ing to the last Miners Convention, and
read on that point the following COM
munication:
YUBA CITY, October IA, 1898.
To the President and ErecutiUe COM
mlittee Of the State Anti- Debris ASsOcid-
tio7a, dcrdlaento-G ENTLEMEN: The re-
cent Miners Convention held in San
Francisco listened approvingly to some
remarks rehecting on the course OF the
old and the new Anti-Debris Association,
and OH some of the members of your
committee, which seem to me to demand
some attention, to the end that the truth
may be known.
That hydraulic campaign of February,
March and April, 1892 conducted by the
delegates sent to Washington by the Ex-
ecutive Committee of the Miners Asso-
citation remains to be- written, which,
when done, will throw more light on the
subject than has yet appeared.
AS Judge Niles Searls was member of
that delegation, the remarks attributed to
81 lo% l.
lished reports of its proceedings, seem to
require notice at my hands.
The proceedings were evidently de-
signed to go up in blaze of glory, with
Senator Cross and Judge Searls to fur
nish the fireworks. The Judge, in the
goodness Of his heart. congratulated the
convention on the growing popularity of
the hydraulic giant and the waning influ-
ence of the men of the valley, who, it
must be said. have committed no greater
sin than to seek to protect their homes,
property and lives, and the public
streams from utter ruin, in which they
are sustained by the highest courts in the
land, both State and National.
Referring to a conference had at Con-
gresham Caminetti's residence at Wash
ington TO consider bill that had been
prepared by that gentleman, the Judge is
reported to have said:
at was found that all was not as harmoni-
Gus as naQ Deen supposed. II. L. DeVln, one
of the representatives of the farmers, had
come to the conference and stated his obJec-
tiOns fairly and squarely, but George Ohleyer,
the other representative, had come out nat
footed, saying: IF Jehovah were to come to
me with a bill in any way favorlng hydraulic
mining, would not accept it, and from that
time on there was continuous fight"
The Judge continuing, said ''Is Mr.. Devlin
in the hall? II he is, he can say whether 1
state the truth or nor"
A"You are entirely right" said Mr.. Devln,
who was an interested spectator.
The above, allow me to repeat. are the
words found in the published proceed
ings, hence may or may not do exact
justice to Judge Searls; but if uttered by
him they require correction in two i'm
portant particulars:
First-Robert L. Devlin informed me,
over his own signature, that he was at no
time in the convention hall and, there
fore, could not and did not respond as re-
ported.
With reference to the remarks attrib-
uted to me at the Washington conference,
the Judge failed to remember or quote
the whole Oft. did say if Jehovah pre-
sented bill on the hydraulic mining
question l would not accept It without
first submitting it to my constituents for
examination and approval; that l was
not clothed with such authority. The bill
was in the handwriting of Mr.. Caminetti,
was written with pencil, and was changed
and rewritten to please its author.
/ had previously heard the bill read and
had always expressed myself as incapa-
bic of passing judgment on so important
subject, and l may say every Congress
man from California expressed them
selves similarly TO me.
On the occasion referred to the Judge
sat as informal Chairman, and when the
reading of the bin was completed, J. K.
Luttrell, one of the miners delegates,
arose and moved that the bill be accepted