The San Francisco call., 1898-05-08
Old TuoIumne Stands Forth With a Great ReC-
 ord for the Year.
Caminetti Law Set on q Firm
 Foundation by the U. 5. Court of Appeals.

The statistics of the gold product or California in 1897, published last week, display Tuolumne County making the most rapid strides in the way of in- creased production. Its product of S1, 1,SO9,- 572 is an increase of s739, ,430 over 1S96 and jumps old Tuolumne from seventh to sec ond place in rank. Nevada remains the banner county, with record of S2,5SO, ioo, in spite of the fact that this shows de- crease of nearly $500, 900. Fresno County Increased its small output more than half, and Kern shows an increase of more than % per cent The s37, 1892 to the credit of Stanislaus is an increase of 124 per cent. The other counties showing increased pro- duction are: Humboldt, Lassen, Los An geles. Mariposa, Mono, San Bernardino, San Diego. With the exception of Tuo- lurnne and Kern, all the counties which are the heaviest producers show de crease. This is mainly due to the lack of water last season, but possibly 1t may be In some degree due, as far as the figures 20. to an increase in conservatism in making up the estimate.
 The decision of the United States Court of Appeals last week in affirming the de cision of Judge Ross in the case of the North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Company vs the United States, upholding and de- ciding the constitutionality of the Cami- netti act, is of exceptional importance to the hydraulic mining industry. The origi- nal Sawyer decision, which paralyzed hy- draulic mining, was based on common law grounds only The North Bloomfield Company voluntarily built a restraining dam before the Caninetu bill was passed and resumed operations, as they had a right to do, in the absence or statutory regulations, as long as they were not putting debris in the streams. The Cami- netti act came along with its prohibition of hydraulic mining on the watersheds of the navigable streams or tnls state unless a permit was first secured from Federal engineers composing the Caiifor- nia Debris Commission. The company re- fused to apply for permit, holding to right to operate as they were doing. as no damage was resulting. There seemed no doubt that permit would have been readily granted if applied for, as the and efficient. The fight was one of legal principle. The court finds that the act is mandatory and constitutional and that a permit is an essential condition of opera tions. This completely establishes the Jurisdiction of the engineers over all hy- drauic mining in these watersheds.
 Tuolumne County's Mineral Wealth. a monthly at Sonora, includes this in it's latest issue:
 You can call 1t boom or anything else Tuolumne County Is experiencing a re- awakening that reminds the old settler of another time One has not to seek far to find these evidences of renewed pros- perity. It is to be found in the sharp de- mand for mining property all over the county and the enormous increase in de- velopment work going on all about us It is also apparent enough to the person not Immediately concerned in financial schemes. Look at any of the small towns that rose like magic in early days and then steadily declined up to a short time since. A new life seems to have entered these unpretentious burgs. In several places where, two years ago, three or