The San Francisco call., 1897-10-18

This sixth miners convention I expect
to be the largest and most important we
have held" he said. There is a greater
interest In the association than ever be-
fore. and the subjects coming before the
convention this year are of great i'm por-
tance TO the industry. l hope thai the
convention will be a very strong force in
AID OF these things. / am sure that the
permanency OF the California Miners As.
sociatlon is assured.
"lt has had very successful career and
done very great deal for the industry.
To-day II is more prosperous than ever in
! its history.
"Condltions and needs will change, but
! the association will be an organization
that VIII look after he interests of mining.
and there will always be much to 90.
There is great deal to do and a great
deal needed just now.
"Ihe association has accom- pills he'd a
! great deal, as review of lis history in
outline will show. 1t began in 1891 when
mining was at its lowest ebb, with mining
towns depopulated ana mining, especially
hydraulic mining, deserted. Then
Thomas b. Everett of Placer County sug-
| gested 10 j. A. Filcher of the Auburn
heralu Inc calling OF meeting to see if
something could not be done for hydraulic
mining. The meeting was held Novem-
Der Is, 1891, and county convention was
called for few days later.
| There was a com mmittee appointed to
prepare an address TO the State urging
rellef Tor the mining industry, and the ex-
ecutlve committee decided to call q meet
ing OF leading men in San Francisco with
view TO calling State convention. Well,
| just sixteen men could be got to that
meeting with all the i'm portance OF the in
uustry 10 San francisco. Nobody was in
terested III the miner and the old hostility
OF ne debris agitation was still alive.
we were discouraged, but STAYED with
| Inn
| tlon here that proved a remarkable sue
cess. An awakening and a revulsion of
1eellng seemed 10 come about. At that
meeting we invited representatives of the
Antl-DebrIs Association to meet with Us
and they came. We assured them that
we wanted nothing con nticting W tn their
| interests, Dut only to secure harmony and
thelr cooperation in doing something to
| revive an industry representing an invest
ment OF $l00 0O0 600 of capital in which the
| prosperity OF a region depended. They
| met US half way and both interests united
In preparing a memorial to Congress. We
| iound a general readiness to assist us. We
began system atical and persistent cam
| palgn, which hnaliy resulted in the pas
sage OF the Caminetti Law permitting the
restricted resumption OF hydraulic min
| ing.
That was our first and great achieve
! Hieht Later we secured appro opriatons
| OF S25O 600 from Congress and the Legis-
iature There are now about 240 hydrau-
TIC mines IN operation under the law.
While the rehabilitation of hydraulic
mining was the original purpose, the OBJ
lecss OF the association were soon broad
! ened and Its field extended. The mineral
lands Dill and all mat has been accom-
pllshed IN the direction of its passage is
due 10 the California Miners Association
that originated II. Two or three years
ago We or ginated the demand for Cab
a n Nlr /, ,T.E l.
by other associations and congresses and
| become general one. The present gen.
era! movement for a revision of the Fed
erAl mining laws was started by US. AS
result OF our work and success other i'm
| portant miners as ociations have been
| formed in other States.
! The association and its conventions
nave served to bring mining here to the
/ notice OF the public and investors Its
dlgnlhed and conservative C curse and it's
success have won popular confidence and
respect for mining men. In various wavs
it has aided in the revival of the industry
! which makes such a wonderful contrast
! with its condition when the organization
| was formed.
1t has drawn the mining men together
ana made them force that is needed, and
| has taught the miners that they must be
| awake and help them selves. Its success
! mas come through the united efforts of the
mining men and the great assistance of
! the merchants and manufacturers OF San
FRANCISCO, who have given it strong and
liberal moral and financial support. Be-
fore the miner could not secure red ress or
! relief Dy his single handed efforts. United
| the miners appeals are heard
Perhaps the millennium has not wholly
! come as between the miners and the farm
ers, but II we can arrive at plan on which
we can work together for our common
| good we will stand more chance O: get
ting what we ask from Congress, and
unity OF action and falrmindedness have,
think, been substituted Tor controversy
and litigation. The association is out of
debt, and Will have money 10 prosecute its
work. We have the support Of the nress
and our people should continue to have
II. Every mem ber OF the association has
reason 10 be proud of it for what it has
done"