The San Francisco call., 1899-05-15

have also had in hand all the other ex-
tensive Government work of the coast
including harbors. fortifcations and war
work, gives the main explanation for the
delay.
However, the commission took hold of
the matter about eighteen months ago
and since then Investigations have been
vigorously pursued mainly by Hubert
Vischer who has been an assistant en-
gineer in this employ for several years
Part of Mr. Vischer's time has been given
to inspecting private restraining dams
licensed by the commission, but he has
been mainly employed in surveys which
have reference to the restraining of de-
bris in the tributaries of the Sacramento
His attention has been given principally
to the Yuba, which has so great deposit
of tailings along it's bed. Extensive sur
yeys have been made at the Narrows and
at De Guerre Point, above Marysville.
AT the former place series of borings
showed that bedrock was about eighty
five feet below the river bed and that
dam there would consume most of the
S500,0 900. Incidental attention has been
given TO the attitude of property
and the cost OF land used or submerged.
Besides the study of dam sites close topo-
graphical and other studies of the Yuba
have been made from the Narrows to
Marysville, a distance of forty miles
Years ago the condition of this stream,
the amount of debris in It, the relation of
its debris to flow and overflow, ETC.. We're
carefully. studied 1t is probable that the
and supplemented by that recently gained,
so that the report will be an interesting
and important one concerning the condi-
ton of the Yuba. The possibilities of a
partial diversion of the Yuba will be dis
cussed among other things.
Mr.. Vischer is now spending much of
his time in that field while working up a
voluminous report. which will be consid-
cred by Colonel Mansfield, Major Hueur
and Lieutenant Dekeayn, and which will
form the basis of their report. There is
mr. fhof 4lan
bris Commission will soon submit to the
Chief of Engineers at Washington a
definite and comprehensive report on the
expenditure of $500 900 and the further
needs of the contemplated work.
Mixed up with the problem are the pos
sibilities OF electric-power plants at any
dams which may be built For instance a
great dam on the Yuba at the Narrows a
hundred or more feet high would have
splendid economic possibilities in this
line. There lies small but interesting
chance for government-ownership people
| to talk Smart men have been alert to
this chance from the start, and among
them are the members of two companies,
| largely composed of Marysville people,
who are waiting with all eyes open for
chance to make money out of any water
power Uncle Sam may create on the
Yuba. They have carefully looked after
their water rights in such case and
such water rights may become of legal
Importance in the future.
The California Debris Commission has
since the passage of the Caminett law
licensed over 500 miners or mining COM
panies to mine by the hydraulic process
behind restraining dams of their own
construction built on approved plans in
spected on completion by a member of
the commission and inspected at intervals
afterward. No court or departmental rul-
ings have so far affected the absolute con-
troll of the California Debris Commission
over hydraulic mining within the water
sheds of the navigable streams of the
State. On the klamath and Trinity riv-
tod
and unregulated.
The dams built on authorized plans and
duly licensed do not represent large in
vestments as a rule. and not all of the
! licensed mines are operating; but in the
aggregate they represent the employment
| of many men and a considerable in
| crease in the gold output. They are
nearly all built of logs and brush, gen.
| orally in canyon not far below the scene
of operations. They are supposed to
catch and to permanently hold practical
| ly all of the tailings, even IT they are
! built of wood. The only dams that have
! failed so far have been two or three that
| have been blown up with dynamite at
night by placer miners who OBJECTED to
| the lessened current and the deposit of
gravel near their own claims. The ac-
| companying picture shows dam about
! filled with tailings More logs and brush
are supposed to raise the dam for further
/ hydraulic operations.
A convention of the miners of Tuol-
umne County will be held at Sonora on
I the goth inst. to organize county branch
Of the California Miners Association.
/ At a recent meeting of the stockhold-
ers of the Gwin mine the following Off
/ GERS were elected F. F. Thomas, presi-
| dent: c. S. Benedict, vice president: J.
j. Crawford, secretary directors, E. C..
| VOORHEES,, C. M. Belshaw, David Nc
| Clure Jr and Dion G. Hyland. Dividend
No. of $4,000 has been declared, making
1 The miners of the vicinity of Volcano,
| Ell Dorado County, New, organized a
| mining district and elected J. w. Edmon-
| son recorder.
A new roasting furnace was given it's
! initial trial run at the Keeler soda works
/ Saturday A large force of white men
| and Indians are being put to work har-
yesting the soda deposits.
A vein of zinc ore has been discovered
/ at Edgwood by Wilson brothers. 1t is
of high grade and runs IA per cent zinc
! Traces of lead were also discovered in
/ the sample upon assay. 1t is more than
| probable that by sinking deeper rich
| body of zinc-lead ore will be uncovered.
| This compound metal is in great demand
/ at the present time.-Yreka News.
In an interview in the Redding Search
i light Albert Miller of the Coffee Creek
section says. 1.-THE Searchlight has not
| exaggerated the Importance of the recent