The San Francisco call., 1904-12-09
Memorial Adopted in
Interest of Big
Industries.
OFFICERS ELECTED
Benjamin Is Chosen
President for Next
Year.
SEEKING NEW LAWS

The California miners convention
yesterday memorialized President
Roosevelt 10 take steps that may ulti-
nnately permit the resumption Of hy-
draulic mining IN California First the
convention adopted the memorial as a
part Of the report Of the committee on
resolutions, and the vote was unanim-
Gus In its favor. Instruction was then
given TO segregate the memorial and TO
forward il TO washington without de-
Law. sending with il a copy Of the ad-
dress delivered by Professor Christy OF
the University Of California, in which
the entire situation is eXhaustiVely re
viewed.
The memorial sets forth that I'VE are
firmly convinced that by rational ap-
plication Of the laws governing the
deposition Of sediment from torrential
streams the industries of both hydrau-
lie mining and agriculture may be car
RED on in this region, not only without
prejudice to each other, but TO their
mutual advantage"
A specific request is made 10 the
President Ito assist in the solution OF
this problem, affecting all the interests
Of a great commonwealth, by instruct
fng the director Of the United States
Geological Survey. through the Secre-
tary Of the Interior, as a part Of his
study Of the storage Of flood waters and
the reclamation Of waste lands, to un-
dertake a particular study Of those por-
tions Of the Sacramento and san Joa-
Quin valleys affected by the detrltus
from tOrrential streams. In view OF the
Importance Of this inquiry to the three
fundamental industries Of agriculture,
mining and commerce, we beg that THIS
inquiry be undertaken at the earliest
opportunity and pushed TO completion
as rapidly as consistent with thorough
ness"
The preamble to the resolutions, that
were made a part Of the memorial TO
President Roosevelt, contained many
interesting statements. including men
tion Of millions in treasure idly buried
in the ancient river channels OF Cali
fornia-
TEXT OF MEMORIAL
The text Of the memorial is as fol-
lows.
70 the President Of the United States. Wash
whereas The placer and hydraulic miner.
who originally developed the resources oi al
fforn5a and opened them 10 the world. oD-
aimed -frle from the Government OF the united
states 10 his placer lands with the common
---5e-r-e-7i--r rhat thev were 70 be worked
and their gold content recovered IN ACCORDANCE
VIM methods cf slutcing and hydraulic mining
r1bifciT known 10 have been devised and used
Tor the purpose from the earliest stages Of
placer mining,
Whereas Many deposits OF gold TO the value
II millions Of dollars are now idly buried IN
tbe ancient river channels Of California, under
s-ch conditions that they can be prohtaoiy
worked neither by dredging, nor by drifting
nor Boy any other process than that OF nydran-
lie mining,
Whereas The gold extracted by the hyorau-
lie miner was generously poured into the
treasury of the United States Government in
the dark DAYS OF the Civil war, when the na-
tionaI currency was worth only 80 cents on
the dollar thus materially assisting in main
tanning the credit Of the Government ana in
saving the Union;
Whereas The hydraulic miner has been re-
strained by the United states courts from dis
charging b0wlders gravel, sand clay and
other matter in suspension into the navigable
waters Of the state. whereby the industry Of
hydraulic mining has been destroyed and prop
errv 10 the value OF over 500. .OO0. 600 has been
rendered idle and uuproductive since 1884, the
natural wealth of the state rendered unavail-
able and a deadlock has resulted between the
fundamental Industries of agriculture and
mining,
Whereas. While admitting the injurious ef-
feet OF mining debris whore not effectually re-
strained the unavoidable effect Of natural ero-
sion and seGimentatiOn has been ignored in
the minds n the courts as well as Of the
farmers and All the injury due to natural
causes has been charged 10 hydraulic mining;