The San Francisco call., 1904-12-04
LOSING THE YUBA RIVER

an interview that is going through
| the papers IN the interior. are as fol-
| lows:
LOSING THE YUBA RIVER
Years ago I undertook the debris problem,
with a view to satisfy the decisions Of the
courts and so that the mines could be oper-
ated and the valley could have full protection,
tSs YGb b1 Which mines could
operate as long as there was any gravel to
mine During the last year this 1s plan 5ininS has
people Of Marysville and in Sutter County, be-
cause what is causing all the trouble is the
streams. the greatest being the Yuba River. in
that the greatest amount Of placer gold has
been extracted on its watershed
The problem resolves itself into two things
either the deposit is to be washed into the
navigable rivers or kept out 70 keep debris
No better argument is needed than the de-
cision Of Judge Davis Of Sutter County in the
suit against the Polar Star mine-wherein ne
held that the permits of the California Debris
Commission not final. the courts having
a perfect right to determine whether or not a
! hydraulic mine be operated with without
injury to the rivers. and that the function
of the commission is to permit only such min
the navigable streams.
During my visit to Marysvile 1 talked with
several members OF the Yuba and Sutter
! County Improvement Association and proposed
! that they call convention Of the citizens OF
the mountain and valley counties to be held
and settle all their differences by working out
! q plan for their mutual benefit The associa-
tion has taken the proposition under advise
ment. ALI the farmers and miners have to do
is to unload their troubles where they be-
! long-upon the lawyers and engineers OF twen-
| ty-fiYe years ago-and mako a united EFFORT 70
lose the Yuba,'' which will give both sec
tions all they ever really wanted.-.the valley.
relief and protection; the miners. the privilege
of operating their mines.
The Amador Ledger says that the
mill at the Fremont mine is running at
full capacity. Preparations are un-
der wav to start the Red Mill mine, in
the Aetna district. on large scale. A
! Stockton company has secured the
property. The Whitmore mine, near
/ Volcano, is operating on a small scale.
| The ore at the Bunker Hill Is reported
to look well. A large outlay will be
made for improvements in the ma
! chlnery. The dropping of 100 stamps
at the Kennedy mill will make it nee
essary to increase the working force.
MINES OF SISKIYOU.
Some account of recent operations in
! Siskiyou County is given by the Sac
ramento Bee, which says in part:
siskiyou County mines showing up well
men men Is enRaged in running crosscut from the
/ 700-foot tunnel to tap the ore that has been en-
countered at the bottom Of the shaft. It is in
/ tended TO erect large milling plant in order
/ that the mine may be worked on an extensive
scale. The Mount Shasta and Sightman placer
claims have been bonded to capitalists from
Portland Or, and it is reported that they viii
install large modern hydraulic plant, run
ming a ditch about four miles long, and work
/ the properties on an extensive scale. The Sal
mon River Mining Company having about 600
acres Of placer ground, is now running full.
/ The Gold Dyke Mining Company has finished
/ the erection OF its building and the machinery
/ is being taken in by pack trains. 1t con-
sists Of two three-stamp mills. and 1t is
thought everything will be in readiness for
! operation by January. The Cariboo Mining
Company has closed down for the winter
months. but viii start up again In the spring,
and viii then erect milling plant which will
be run by electricity. Two veins Of ore have
been encountered and the property is very
| promising. The mill at the Wild Irishman
! group has been completed and is running on
| ore said to run about $50 per ton.
Progress is reported at San An
dreas. The Citizen says in part:
season and give their jaws rest it win not
! be long before San Andreas will become a
good mining town and all business will -four
ish and every resident will profit directly or
indirectly thereby. A year ago nothing was
doing in gravel; to-day a half dozen or more
| and others developing and viii produce in a
| short time. Another company has been formed
property In the channel near the Andersnn
| The Stanislaus Power and Milling Compay is
| putting in q line to Copperopolis, some miles
| beyond knights Ferry, and in Calaveras Coun-
/ ty, to supply from 300 TO 400 horsepower to a
company opening the old copper mine there
1 on large scale. The process of unwaterine
the mine and preparing IL for the operations
planned has extended period of three or
four years, the copper precipitated from the
water yielding income that is said to have
met the cost of the operations. The water Is
run through boxes, over scrap tin and iron
| which serves to precipitate the copper carried
! in the solution. II Is expected that the COM
pany will employ from 200 to 300 men De-
velopment work is steadily progressing on the
| property Of the San Andreas Blue Gravel Com
pany The mill at the Chris Anderson has been
| operating half time the past week The
different tracks are being laid and other neces-
sary work above ground is being done and
| when completed the mill will work day and
night. D. P. Gray has purchased the Ginoc-
chic mine at Lower Calaveritas He will soon
| begin development work Gray has also Sc
| cured the Hagerman mine. town and has
| q force OF men at work there.
SUFFER- CREEK WORKINGS.
The Sutter Creek Record reports con-
cerning mining operations In the vi
cinity of Sutter Greek as follows in
substance:
At the Defender mine. near Volcano a
! three-foot ledge has been opened up in the
new shaft The Lone Star in the same dis
| trict, is making good showing. At the Ar
gonaut mine development work continues
while recently preparations have been made
| for starting the mill It is understood that
the mill will start within five or six weeks
| About one mile above Oleta at American Flat
one Mr.. Dietz- is said to be making prepare :
! tions for the opening up OF a quartz mine for
c. ~-11~1