The record-union., 1899-08-27

under certain conditions and reStric-
tions. The essential features of the
law are that all such mines operated
under the hydraulic system shall i'm
pound, or restrain, their debris, or tall
ings, and prevent them entering the
navlSable streams, or injuring the land
of other parties. The California Debris
Commission, consisting of three United
States engineer officers, is empowered
to issue licenses for mining by the ny
draulic process under this law, when
it is satisfied that the debris dams or
impounding works are sufficient to re-
strain the debris resulting from the
mining operations of the claim. The
hydraulic miner must make applica-
tion to the commission for permission
to mine and submit plans for the pro-
posed restraining works, which are sub
ject to the approval of the commission.
Each separate application is advertised
for specified time and a hearing is
held before the commission at which
those opposed to the issuance of the
license may state their reasons. After
thorough investigation, if satisfied
that the debris can be restrained, Ii
cense to operate by the hydraulic pro-
gin operations. If the engineers see
any reason to believe. however, that
damage Will be done to rivers or to in
dividuals by the operation of the mine,
no license is granted and the mine may
not be legally worked Moreover, even
after a license is granted, if debris is,
for any reason permitted, to enter a
stream, or if it is not properly impound-
tal hn rlasc
Government commission has jurisdic-
ton over all hydraulic mines in the
drainage basin of the Sacramento and
San Joaquin Rivers and their tributar-
les. In the northwestern part of Cali
fornia, in Siskiyou and Trinity Coun-
| ties, where there are extensive gravel
deposits and many hydraulic mines,
there is no restriction on hydraulic
mining. The hydraulic mines in that
section dump their tailings, or debris,
into the tributaries of the klamath
River, which has been officially de-
clared a non -navigable stream.
In those parts of the State where Ii
| censes must be obtained, the miners
themselves must bear the expense of
the impounding works for their respec-
tive mines, and for this reason many
hundreds of the smaller ones, especially
| in Sierra and Plumas Counties, where
they are numerous. are still closed
down. Their owners. having become
impoverished by enforced cessation of
operations during a series of years,
have not generally the money to con-
struct the necessary impounding works.
Still, since the law was passed, some
hundreds of the hydraulic mines have
been granted licenses to mine, and are
now being operated, but not on the
former scale, as by having to impound
and settle their debris. they are re-
stricted in the amount of gravel they
may wash in a given time.
There are still very large areas of this
auriferous gravel which have not been
touched by the miners These unde-
veloped gravel channels need the aid
of capital to be brought to a produc-
tive stage.
The drift gravel miners are not re-
stricted in their operations. These are
also mines of auriferous gravel, but
the ground being covered by lava cap
ping, it is impossible to wash the gray
el by the hydraulic system.
In the hydraulic and drift as we'll as
in the quartz mines. experience shows
that those enterprises into which cap
ital has been put pay the best profit.
and that gold mining on a small scale IS
not proportionately SO remunerative as
that carried on in a systematic manner,
backed by abundant means. The long
tunnels, through barren material, to
reach the channel in the drift mines;
the money required for the reservoir,
ditch and pipe systems of the hydraulic
mines, and the expensive machinery
for the quartz mines, account for this
feature of gold mining. 1t doubtless
may seem strange to many that in
vestment of capital is necessary in this
particular kind of industry, and that
man having a gold mine should be in
need Of financial help. Still, as in al
most every other kind Of business,
much more can be done with capital
than without it. If the prospector in
the mining regions finds a ledge of gold
bearing rock which is rich near the sur
face he may take out considerable gold
at once, but generally they have to
sink deep shafts to properly open the
mine He may sink a short shaft and
find good indications of permanency in
his ledge, but to sink deeper he must
!
a machine hoist to take out waste and
ore. He needs timbers, supplies and
labor Then he must have some sort
of mill to crush his ore. and if there
are sulphurets he needs concentrators
to save them. All these things cost mon
ey, and money few prospectors have.
Even if he succeeds in getting down a
couple Of hundred feet his requirements
become greater, for heavier machinery
is needed, and also some kind of power,
steam, electricity or water. This in
wolves engines boilers, etc. The result
of this is, that there are in all the min
ing counties of California hundreds of
haIf-opened mines where men have
had to quit work, simply because they
did not have the money to go on furth-
er with development or to furnish ma
chinery to work the claims Natural
ly. most of such claims are for sale.
Again, some small company may start
to work such a claim and try to bring
it to a producing stage and then have
to quit because they have not funds
enough. Nearly everywhere there is
apt to be barren ground through which
it is expensive to sink, and floods of
water sometimes drown out mine not
properly equipped with pumping ma
chinery.
The rich companies often have ito
spend one, two or three hundred thou
sand dollars. and do not EXPECT any
returns until this money is spent in
development and equipment of the
mine Some mines are unprofitable
when worked in a small way, which
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