Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-12-17
WATER POWER
FOR MINING
p ANaYIY vYnrN
Use of Cement in Building
Dams Has Helped Make
Water Power Useful.

Grass Valley, Dec. 17.-Hydraulic
mining. is. showing renewed activity in
the group of counties where once 1t
flourished quarter of century or
more. The use of cement in the con-
struction of dams had, at least to
ing problem of disposing Of the re-
sultant debris, thus permitting the re-
opening of dozens of old workings
that once yielded good profits to the
owners and operators.
In Placer, Nevada, Sierra and Yuba
counties, preparations steadily have
been going forward for two or three
years past.
In the vicinity of Dutch Flat.
Placer county, men are at work ana
numerous old workings at Liberty
Hill, You Bet, Quaker Mill Omora
and elsewhere have been or are soon
fumes, in disuse for Is years. have
been rebuilt, the brush grown dig
gings cleared. Storage reservoirs have
been constructed, for, under state and
federal laws, none of the refuse Is
permitted to enter any natural water
course. .
In the La Porte district Of Sierra
and Plumas counties there is much
activity. In order to reopen the old
properties there, dams have been
constructed, tunnels driven and prep
arations made to convey water scores
of miles to the places Of operation.
At other places in the mountains
and foothills of the counties named
hydraulicking projects are either
ple.nned or ,snder way. all hased upon
the storage of the debris In convent
ent ravines or canyons by the ex-
| pedient Of dams. Work has been
progressing steadily for many months.
From a small experimental begin
ming in 1857, hydraulic mining in the
early seventies assumer large proper
tions in the group of counties includ-
| ing Nevada, Placer, Ell Dorado, Sierra,
Plumas and Yuba. The food and
snow waters of the Sierras were
wherein millions of gallons were
stored to be conveyed as needed
through hundreds Of miles. of bitches
and fumes.
The United States Geological Sur
vey estimates that gold to the value
| Of $500, 100000 was extracted between
the years 1860 and 1885. This in
volved the tearing down of 1926, ,000,-
900 cubic yards of gravel, according
to the estimates. 1t has been calcu-
f; lated that had this been conveyed by
ldll, II WOulU nave uccll SuIuClcAI "
load 525 average freight trains or
10,500 fiat cars daily.
| This tremendous waste matter,
| most Of which ultimately found it's
way to the valleys, involved the
miners in difficulties with the farm
ing interests and two decades of liti-
| cation ensued. The Anti-Debris as
ISOLATION, composed Of those who op-
posed the pollution of the streams,
was active against the practice. Court
decisions were obtained in 1884 which
rendered it virtually impossible for
the mines to operate and with few
exceptions they were abandoned.
Then, and now authority to issue
! permits for hydraulic mining is vest
ed in federal commission composed
| Of army engineers. These permits are
obtainable upon the showing that all
debris is to be impounded. Cement
construction and greater engineering
skill now makes it practicable to meet
| this condition, according to the view
OF those engaging in the industry.