Historical Clippings Book (HC-11) (314 pages)

The fone slumbering, but once prosperous hydraulic gold mining hamlet of French Corral, once again has heard the call of “sold”. But many of the old timers, some whose forefathers were hydraulic miners, are not happy. They fear a propsed Placer mining-operation in the diggin’s, which once produced ' millions, may deprive them of their hard fought for water rights and of the freedom of using roads which connect neighbor to neighbor. But county planning commissioners Thursday gave the Gold Reserve Mining Operation Company permission to carry on a three phase program to search for gold on 400 acres of the desolate diggin’s. Approval of a use permit came only after commissioners assured themselves conditions for the permit carried safeguards to protect the people of French Corral and the county. Lewis K. Uhler, a Scaramento attorney, and R. L. Sprinkel, a San Francisco official of the company, represented the 1975 gold rush company. They explained three phases of approach covering eight years. These include exploration, pilot and operational. A reclamation program to be conducted in cooperation with local officials also was outlined. They said the company plans to store, recirculate and contain all water on the property in a closed system in a way which will not interfere with water rights of the people or the San Juan Ridge water rights. They claimed the area has a rainfall’ of 80 to 90 inches a year. Not so, said Violin Smith, a long time resident of French Corral and a-director of the water district. She contended the use of the water would be a . violation of water rights that the ' district has been given by the court. ' “There just isn’t enough water here,’’ she told commisioners. Sut, Feb IF, ars French Corral protest “We have fought for the rights for 15 years and the court says they belong to us,” she added. Robert Smith challenged the rainfall. He contended that he has kept statistics and the average annual fall is 44 inches with the highest he can recall 52 inches. “Water rights are just like property rights,” he insited. Hexsaid that he was born in French Corral and his mother and father were born there. “And my grandparents came around the horn,” he added. Dep. County Counsel Brain Bishop said the applicants have agreed to respect water rights or voluntarily go to court to show cause why they have not. Uhler and Sprinkel assured ‘residents that they may continue to use roads across the property as they always have. The Gold Reserve Mining Inc. is based in Vancouver Wash. If and when it goes into operation it will be a far cry from the days of old when men and monitors washed down mountains. The San Juan Ridge was the center of operation of three mammoth hydraulic gold mining companies — the Milton Mining: and Water Company, French Corral, the Eureka Lakes and Yuba Canal Companies, North San Juan; and the North Bloomfield Blue Gravel Mining Company. All three were in the late 1870’s, huge corporations controlling mining operations of the tremendously rich ridge. According to records of the American Telephone -and Telegraph Company, the first long distance line was 45 miles in length, and ran between Boston Mass., and Providence, R.I. It was built in 1880.

The fone slumbering, but once prosperous hydraulic gold mining hamlet of French Corral, once again has heard the call of “sold”. But many of the old timers, some whose forefathers were hydraulic miners, are not happy. They fear a propsed Placer mining-operation in the diggin’s, which once produced ' millions, may deprive them of their hard fought for water rights and of the freedom of using roads which connect neighbor to neighbor. But county planning commissioners Thursday gave the Gold Reserve Mining Operation Company permission to carry on a three phase program to search for gold on 400 acres of the desolate diggin’s. Approval of a use permit came only after commissioners assured themselves conditions for the permit carried safeguards to protect the people of French Corral and the county. Lewis K. Uhler, a Scaramento attorney, and R. L. Sprinkel, a San Francisco official of the company, represented the 1975 gold rush company. They explained three phases of approach covering eight years. These include exploration, pilot and operational. A reclamation program to be conducted in cooperation with local officials also was outlined. They said the company plans to store, recirculate and contain all water on the property in a closed system in a way which will not interfere with water rights of the people or the San Juan Ridge water rights. They claimed the area has a rainfall’ of 80 to 90 inches a year. Not so, said Violin Smith, a long time resident of French Corral and a-director of the water district. She contended the use of the water would be a . violation of water rights that the ' district has been given by the

court. ' “There just isn’t enough water here,’’ she told commisioners. Sut, Feb IF, ars French Corral protest “We have fought for the rights for 15 years and the court says they belong to us,” she added. Robert Smith challenged the rainfall. He contended that he has kept statistics and the average annual fall is 44 inches with the highest he can recall 52 inches. “Water rights are just like property rights,” he insited. Hexsaid that he was born in French Corral and his mother and father were born there. “And my grandparents came around the horn,” he added. Dep. County Counsel Brain Bishop said the applicants have agreed to respect water rights or voluntarily go to court to show cause why they have not. Uhler and Sprinkel assured ‘residents that they may continue to use roads across the property as they always have. The Gold Reserve Mining Inc. is based in Vancouver Wash. If and when it goes into operation it will be a far cry from the days of old when men and monitors washed down mountains. The San Juan Ridge was the center of operation of three mammoth hydraulic gold mining companies — the Milton Mining: and Water Company, French Corral, the Eureka Lakes and Yuba Canal Companies, North San Juan; and the North Bloomfield Blue Gravel Mining Company. All three were in the late 1870’s, huge corporations controlling mining operations of the tremendously rich ridge. According to records of the American Telephone -and Telegraph Company, the first long distance line was 45 miles in length, and ran between Boston Mass., and Providence, R.I. It was built in 1880.