The San Francisco call., 1897-05-14
MINERS
: ARE Up
IN ARMS
Action Of the Anti Debris
Association Severely
Condemned.
BLOW AT A LEADING
INDUSTRY.
The Goodwin Injunction Said to
Threaten the Whole Mining
Industry.
ALL THE MINES MAY BE SHUT
DOWN.
Julian Sonntag Declares the Matter
to Be the Most Vital Now
Before the State.
The Goodwin Injunction Said to
Threaten the Whole Mining
Industry.
ALL THE MINES MAY BE SHUT
DOWN.
Julian Sonntag Declares the Matter
to Be the Most Vital Now
Before the State.

The action of the Anti-Debris Associa-
ton in suing out an injunction against
Jerry Goodwin of the Good win mine in
Nevada County has stirred the deepest in
dignation of the miners of the entire State.
President Jacob Neff of the Miners Asso-
cation has taken the field and proposes to
see to what length the Anti Debris Asso-
citation Is ready to go. Secretary Julian
Sonntag says the question which this ac-
ton brings before the court at Sacramento
is the most important to the people of
this State now before any court or other
tribunal.
"It the injunction holds" said Mr..
Sonntag yesterday, sit means that the
Anti-Debris Association has it in its power
to shut down almost all the mines of the
State and we know enough OF the disposi-
ZION of the men at the head of it TO be-
ieye they will attempt it,
The Goodwin mine is operated by
ground sIuicing. The decision OF Judge
Sawyer. rendered in 1884 was to the effect
that any person owning property on the
Sacramento, the Yuba or American rivers
might restrain, by inj junction, any miner
whose wore contaminated or diverted the
flow of the waters of these rivers or any of
their tributaries. The decision was di-
rected against case of hydraulic mining,
but no class of mining was named in the
decision.
The Anti Debris Association declared
that under this decision they could move
against any class of mining operation, but
that they did not think that quartz min
ing, drifting or ground sluicing were ma
terialIy injurious, and they would not dis
rurb any but hydraulic mining
The association at tnat time particu-
larly stated that it reserved the right OF
enioining any other class OF mining upon
its being deemed injurious. The action
taken against the Goodwin mine is the
first step over the line under this threat
and has caused the almost panic in the
ranks of the miners.
Il tell you," said Secretary Sonntag,
this love feast that has been so widely
advertised as being celebrated between
the miners and the farmers is all the
rankes: kind of bosh.
Under the act providing for the build
ing for the debris dams the difficulties
com planned OF will all be overcome, and
the miners, being permitted to WORK with
out hindrance and EN- barrassment, will
increase the wealth of the State from
Sc, 600. 600 to S., 000, 900 annually. When L
travelled through the mountains of Ne
vada and portions Of Placer County some
years ago / found a district dotted with
The pretty homes of a prosperous people.
When l went over the same ground within
two years after the Sawyer decision the
desolation l found there was enough to
make the heart sick. Property had been
laid waste to the value of IS, 600 600.
''If the Anti Debris Association at
tempts to act any role Of that kind again
there Glll be trouble"