The San Francisco call., 1907-01-28


suspended the operation OF hydraulic
mining in California almost complete
ly. no event Of equal import to min
ing men has happened in this State
All the signs are now indicative,
however, of controversy that will be
as bitter and of wide reaching effect
because of the movement of the Anti
debris Association against the dredg-
ers operating in the Oroville district.
At a meeting in Sacramento the Anti
debris Association instructed it's ex-
ecutive committee to bring suits
against all the dredging companies at
Oroville.
1t is estimated THAI $40, 900, 900 has
already been taken out by gold dredg-
ers in the Oroville district. Mining
engineers estimate that the soil in the
district, that is accessible to dredging
operations, contains $20,o00,00O more.
Fifteen companies are at Oroville,
named and equipped as follows:
oroville Water, Light and Power Company.
operating four dredgers; Boston and California
Dredging Company oRerarIng rnn four dTedgers; Bos &
dredgers; Butte Gold Dredging Company, oper
ating one dredger; Nevada Gold Dredging Com
Company, operating one dredger: FL Orc Dredg-
ing Company operating one dredger; Feather
River Exploration Consolidated, operating seven
dredgers: Indiana Gold Dredging and Mining
Company, operating two dredgers; 0phir Gold
Dredging Company, operating one dredger; Leg
gett Gold Dredging Company, operating one
dredger; Pacific Gold Dredging Company. operat
ing four dredgers; Oroville Dredging Company.
operating two dredgers; Pennsylvania Dredging
dicate. operating enc dFeoger.
The reason assigned by the Anti
debris Association for It's decision is
that material from the gold dredgers
is permitted to escape into the Feather
River, and that this material is car
ried down the stream and will raise
the flood plane and so menace the
lands lying along the banks, includ-
ing farms, orchards, towns and cities.
This is the same general reason that
led to the North Bloomfield suit and
decision against hydraulic mining
where the detritus could flow into
navigable streams and, ultimately, to
the enaction of the Caminetti bill that
provided for the California debris
commission to regulate the operation
of hydraulic mining.
MILLIONS ARE AT STAKE
Many millions of dollars have been
expended by the representatives of the
gold dredging industry in plants, in
the purchase of lands, in prospecting
with drills and in the actual operation
of gold dredgers. Since the dredger
idea was imported from New Zealand
many improvements have been made
in apparatus and in methods in this
State, and the field OF operations has
constantly widened. A large part of
the gold returns of California for
some years have been due to the gold
dredgers.
While gold miners are largely con-
cerned in protecting their industry the
dwellers and owners of properties
along the river banks have also large
interests at stake. That has led to
this new controversy. The essential
point at issue is whether the debris
from the gold dredgers does escape
into the rivers. A committee on dredge
mining was sent by the Aptfdebris
Association to OroviIle. and that COM
mittee recommended that legal pro-
ceedings should be taken to have all
the dredging companies at Oroville
enjoined.
On the other hand. operators of gold
dredgers deny that there is any mat
ter escaping into the rivers as the re-
suit of their work that could cause
any damage.
All the dredgers are landlocked."
said w James. Whatever water
reaches the river p-rcolates through
piles of tailings and loose gravel. No
doubt it is highly colored, but it does
not carry matter enough to cause any
damage. The committee report made
to the Antidebris Association is not
correct It would seem to me that
the suits were prompted by persons
who see in the agitation some way in
which they can secure personal
benefit"
J. H. Leggett says that no dredgers
are violating the law and that the
Antidebris Association committee will
have difficulty in substantiating its
statements.
H. Apsel says that no debris is per-
mitted to escape into the river to his
knowledge The discolored water
seeping through the tailings has prob
ably frightened the committee, but it
carries absolutely no matter that could
cause any damage, as it is so fine and
light that 1t would reach the ocean
before it could be deposited" The same
general statement is made by ]. j.
Hamlyn at Oroville.
The Oroville Register reviews the
situation and makes statements as fol-
lows:
LOCAL VIEW OF FACTS
Local dredging men were taken completely By
surprise when the news of the proposed suits was
brought TO them. One and all deny most en-
carried to the river in sufficient quantities to do
any damage whatsoever. None or the dredgers
discharge the water directly into the river It
all percolates through piles of dredging tatlings.
All the material which could do damage is de-
posted before the water resches the river The
dredging men acknowledge that the water is,
this by the fact that it carries in suspension
SIT so nne that when water is bottled it will be
weeks before the silt is deposited in the bottom
Of the bottle. This water coming, as IT does,
from the red soil of this locality, Is undoubtedly
badly colored, but carries no material that could
in any way do the damage charged by the Anti
debris Association.
The action OF the association comes all the
more surprise, as they have reported that
the dredgers were obeying the law. They have
asked some little change to be made and these
changes have been reaony maze; Ihelr last re-