The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-15
THE MINERS CONVENTION
Railroad Influence Said to Be
Actively at Work Among
Delegates.
Much Mineral Land to Be Acquired
Under the Pretense OF Agri-
cultural Patents.

1.-THE coming convention of miners to
meet in San Francisco is of greater import
to the mining industry of California than
any gathering ever held in the State" said
Thornton Wilcomb, the veteran miner of
Nevada County, at the Lick House yester-
day.
GA question of great moment is to be
settled-the question whether the South
ern Pacific Company, through Land Agent
Mills and Lawyer Herrin, will be allowed
to monopolize the mineral lands of the
State, dealing the same out to individuals
or companies at price fixed by the cor
poration under a defective title. If these
men carry out their threat to pack the
convention and retain control of q vast
area of land belonging to the Government
then the miners ought to be warned of the
fact that not only are these lands acquired
under false pretenses, but any title given
by the company must be defective and
liable to invalidation by the Government.
No company or individual has the right to
acquire mineral claims under agricultural
patents, and land so acquired and disposed
OF to second party must go under faulty
title for six years, reverting in the end to
the Government.
tons for patents on something like 19,000,.
600 acres by the Southern Pacific still
pending, is granted. Agricultural patents,
mind you, though as matter of fact over
half OF this is excellent mineral land. sup
pose the patents are granted by the Gov
eminent. What will be the resultY Inc
land will be sold-cut up into small hold
ings. The buyer will wait six years before
he can get perfect title from the Govern
ment. Now suppose again-and the sup
position is quite reasonable; yes, more, IL
is highly probable-that the Governments
in the meantime should order an lnVestl-
cation of the dealings of the Southern Ia
There could be but one result. Every title
granted by the railroad would De declared
void. These are facts. Mr.. Mills may
preach through the columns OF MS Sacra-
mento organ and Mr.. Herrln may utlllze
his political ward knowledge IN packing
conventions, but the miners OF California
have been fooled too often by Mr.. Hun
tington's agents to put their fingers into
the trap set for them
COT one thing Mr.. Mills may be sure, he
will not be able to handle the Nevada
County delegation to this convention.
The railroad has good, though not avery
brilliant adherent in Assemblyman
Thomas of Nevada City, whose clumsy at
tempt TO serve the corporation at a meet
ing of the mineral lands committee in the
Palace Hotel some weeks ago is well
known. Mr.. Thomas, however, will not
play an important part in the coming con-
yention. The miners of Nevada County
have lost confidence in him. Should the
Southern Pacific succeed IN getting con-
troll of this convention, as openly threat
ened by its agents, it would be serious
blow to the mining industry, which within
the past few months has experienced a re-
vival al. over the State. The various dele
cations are now being made up, and ennis
saries of the corporation are active in an
attempt to secure control. There is no
secrecy about 1t, and they are openly
boasting in some of the northern counties
of having the thing already fixed"