The San Francisco call., 1897-10-20

This is the whole business in a nut
shell" declared MIR. Cross. "The miners
have raised money, gone to Congress and
secured appropriations for dams to secure
the resum ption of hydraulic mining. Now
the effort is being made TO divert the ap-
propriations solely TO holding back the
debris now in the rivers. Our position is
that we want the hydraulic mines to re-
sumo while we give the farmers all the aid
we can by building dams"
Said Judge Adams: "If those dams cam
not be so constructed as to permit the re-
sumption of hydraulic mining of what
benefit are they to US and of what avail
are all our labors if they are to be solely
for the benefit OF other interests? Let Us
go on with the good WORK firmly and en-
ereetically."
The reso ution was referred back to the
committee with some proposed amend
| ments intended to assert the interests OF
hydraulic mining more specifically; but
! little later the hydraulic question came
up again, when, after Intervening resolu-
tions referring TO the Paris Exposition
and good roads had been approved with
out debate, and the one recommending a
Congressional definition of hydraulic
mining. was taken up.
| The Camnetti law refers to "hydraulic
mining. Not long ago the miners se-
cured the passage by the Legislature of a
bill prepared by TREY l.. Ford defining
-
| aid OF IVA er discharged from q nozzle,
| under pressure, against natural bank, !"
and this j. the definition sought of Con.
gress TO further define the application of
the Caninetti law.
In drift mining gravel tunn eled in large
quantities from its place ofdeposit may be
heaped III great bank and then sluiced
with hydraulic giant, the tailings going
l1to the water courses. Under the State
definition this would not be natural
bank and not hydraulic mining. This is
but one OF the illustrations which point
out The i'm portance of the definition legally
when the law comes into operation.
Curtis d. Lindley vigorously opposed
the resolution as an attempt to evade the
Caminettf act. He said:
''For the first time in the history of the
nation, the Government has stepped in TO
control a private industry and to say how
ii shall be conducted. Bear in mind that
you have to deal with army engineers,
who go at the tap of the drum and who
do not regard the proposition from an
economic standpoint. Such a resolution
is confe- sion that the Caminetti law is
failure. 1t is discrimination against the
man who spends fortune building dam
to restrain his tailings and in favor of the
man who hydraulics an artificial bank"
Mr.. Walling said that the State and
Federal laws should be brought into har-
mony and favored the resolution. With
out much further elucidatIon the natter
was postponed until afternoon.
MAJOR HEUER TALKS.
Senator Perkins and Major Heuer, who
has Just returned to service here on the
Corps Of United States Engineers aid the
California Debris Commission, which mas
sole control OF hydraulic mining under the
comisetti law, were discovered and es-
corted to the platform.
Major Heuer's presence was quite par
tinent 10 the matter just under discussion,
and the little he said was closely
listened 10.
Il did not come here to make a speech"
he said, with directness. II just heard
something about military men being on the
Debris Commission, but the work was
forced on the military men, ana they have
done the best they could for the miners,
1.-The North Bloom field mine has been
referred to here as having been stopped
alter it had built a dam. That is true;
but we did not officially know that there
was dam. 1t would have been easy for
them to have secured a permit. The
Debris Commission was appointed because
the Caminetti law required 1t to be ap-
pointed.
1.-THE riyer and harbor laws prohibit
any body putting anything into the navi-
gable streams 70 impede navigation, and
if the Debris Commission does not take
notice OF other things it is because no
u
they would have taken the com mplaints
to the District Attorney"
This was ali Major Heuer said, and
then Senator Perkins was introduced.
SENATOR PEBSINs PROPHECY.
Mr. Perkins said some nice things to and
about the miners, and then said some i'm.
portant things OF direct interest.
Il hope you will so carry on your voca-
tion that you Will no. iniure youf friend
q ha
cannot live without the miner nor the
miner without the farmer.
"We are here to hear what is best to be
done for the mining industry. If you will
put in tangible form what you want every
me m Der Of the California delegation will
do his best TO carry OUT your wishes.
II predict that within three weeks after
Congress couvenes the mineral lands bill
will pass the Senate and go to the House
1t S hould become a law sixty days after
Congress convenes.
Il see that radical changes in the min
ing laws are proposed. Don't make too
radical changes Remember that there
are forty -four other States that may not
agree with us. Don't attempt great
changes without knowing that other
States are with you.
There is large demand for Cabinet
officer representing the mining indus
try. That Is not practicable and you can
not get it now. But you can nave at
the next session of Congress a Commits
sioner of Mines and Mining under the
Secretary of the Interior, through whom
your objects can be attained. You will
have the sympathy and cooperation OF
the Director of the Geological Survey and
the Director of the Mint and proba bly, the
Secretary of the Interior. Once more, we
never forget and are anxious to serve YOU.
Command and we will obey"
Senator Perkins was loudly appIauded
as was Colonel John Z. Irish, who came 10
the platform as the representative OF the
State Board of Trade to assure the Califor-
MIA Miners Association OF its hearty sup
port in the effort to secure a Cabinet Off
Ger. He said that there was danger of a
great conflicting eff rt in the East to .e-
cure Department of Commerce
'While l believe in securing Commits
soner OF Mines, l believe in going the
whole way and asking for Department
OF Mines" he said, "or ii we ask for a
Commissioner of Mines let it be with the
understanding that we expect him to be
promoted to Cab net office. Under no
other flag but ours Is there so great an
amount OF useful and precious minerals
greater than IN any similar area on the