The record-union., 1899-10-25

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 24.-This
mornings session of the California
Miners Association was given up to
the hearing Of committee reports and
speeches from Congressional represen-
tatives.
The report of Treasurer Hendy show
ed that the sum of $15,61094 had bsen
received and $11 1896 disbur.sed dur
ing the year. There is $4,211.33 re-
naming in the treasury Assets over
liabilities give total balance of 3d.
745.33.
! Secretary Benjamin read a very in
structive report covering the results of
his administration during the year.
Senator Perkins was first called to
the platform, and he proceeded to
knock the proposition of asking FOR a
Cabinet officer on mines and mining by
saying that all the miners could hope
for would be a Commissioner similar
to the Land Commissioner.
Tirey L. Ford made a speech, pre-
senting the Hon. Lafe. Pence, late of
Colorado, who took the platform and
paid a graceful compliment to the Cal
ifornians. among whom he has lately
cast his lot. He spoke at length on
the efforts of the Western delegation
to force legislation through Congress
! that would be favorable to the miners.
Anent the Cabinet officer he took issue
with the previous speaker, by urging
that an attempt should be made to Sc
cure representation for the mining in
dustry in the Presidents Cabinet He
spoke also of the project for the con-
servation Of flood waters saying that
an investment in this line will be the
most profitable ever made.
Hon. Mar.nn De Vries, Congressman
from the Second District, made a
speech in which he ventured the proph-
esy that before the close of the Fifty
sixth Congress it will have enacted the
mineral lands bill, providing for a de-
partment of mines and mining and
passed legislation looking to the CON
servation of water.
The report of the Committee on Leg
islation was read by John F. Davis OF
Amador. The committees work mas
had to do with four matters of inter-
est to miners-first, the rehabilitatio
of hydraulic mining; second. the seq
regation of mineral from agricultural
lands in railroad land grants; third.
the establishment Of a department o,
mine sand mining and fourth, the cen
serVation Of mountain waters The
latter problem was declared to be the
white mans burden in this State. AS
to hydarul1c mining, the report de-
clared that nothing could be done until
some expenditure is made of the appro
priation now in the hands of the Cali
fornia Debris Commission.
A. H. Ricketts, read the report of the
Committee on Mineral Lands. whio h
has accomplished nothing since 1895.
enact any legislation
The report Of the Committee on Jet
ties was read by John NJ. Wright.
President Neff announced the fol-
lowing Committee on Revision of Con-
stitution and Bylaws: B. S. Rector
S. ]. Hendy. David Mcclure, E. c. Voor-
heis, T. j. Nichols, W. H. McClintick.
c. Fl. Dunton, Andrew Carrigan. Willis
G.. Dold
The report of the Committee on Res
olutions was then read by Chairman 7.
F. Halloran. Stripped of the nurner-
Gus lengthy preambles, the most i'm
portant resolutions are:
Resolved, That the California, Miners
Association stands by the existing
United States law regulating hydraulic
mining in California. and hereby
pledges its continued hearty and un-
faltering support to the unfolding az
the said law.
Resolved, That it is the duty of this
association to use all legitimate means
at its command to secure the creation
and establishment of national execu-
tive department of mines and mining.
with Secretary at it's head who shall
be member of the Presidents Cahi-
net.
Resolved, That the California State
Miners Association again directs pub
lie attention to the necessity for CON
certed movement toward the proper
conservation of the waters of the
State.
Resolved, That the Legislative Com
mittee of the Miners Association of
California is hereby instructed at the
next session of the Legislature of said
State to secure the passage of an act
which shall find in substance that ev-
cry person who shall feloniously steal.
take and carry away from any quartz
placer or other mine any gold dust,
amalgam, quicksilver or gold bearing
ore, earth or quartz, the property of an
other, shall be deemed guilty of grand
larceny, and on conviction thereof
shall be punished by imprisonment in
the State Prison for a term of not
less than one year or more than four
teen years.
Resolved, That we respectfully re-
quest action by Congress on the sub
ject of opening Pyramid Lake and
Walker Lake Indian Reservations
Nevada, to prospecting for minerals
therein.
Resolved. That the Committee OH
Legislation is hereby instructed to pre-
pare bill for presentation to the Leg
islature at it's next session. repeating
in clear and explicit terms the mining
Act of 1897.
Resolved, That a draft of a bill be
presented to the Legislature Of this