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Volume 035-1 - January 1981 (6 pages)
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Page: of 6
Early
Hydraulic
Mine
in the company for $80 a share, but the
deal fell through when several of the
gentlemen suffered financial setbacks.
As it was, earnings of the NCNG for
the next two years deminished
considerably because of the curtailing
of the hydraulic mining industry.
THE HYDRAULIC MINING DISPUTE
In 1881, the shadows on the wall
were lengthening rapidly for the
hydraulic mining industry.
In an effort to keep debris from
choking up rivers and causing flooding
of prime agricultural land in the valley,
the legislature had approved the
building of experimental dams on the
Bear and Yuba Rivers.
Before enough sand had settled
behind them to make them effective,
storms battered them with high water.
The dams were said to be effective or
worthless, according to whether the
report came from a pro or anti
hydraulic camp.
Residents from outside of the
affected district had no sympathy for
the battle between the valley farmers
and the miners. They did not want their
tax dollars used for debris dams. When
160 legislators inspected the dams,
neither side changed its mind.
A raging storm started on January
27. The four year bridge over Deer
Creek on the road leading from
Randolph Flat to Newtown was carried
off. Marysville stages could not run. On
the 31st the heaviest amount of rain to
be recorded thus far in 24 hours fell on
Grass Valley--5.17 inches.
The debris dams were completely
inundated and the one on the Yuba
broke in spots.
In early February four bills “having
for their object the hindrance or
prevention of hydraulic mining’’ were
introduced in the state legislature.
The editor of the Union declared that
if the debris law, authorizing the dams
was repealed at that moment, bringing
hydraulic mining to a halt, there would
still be danger. Mining debris would
continue to wash from canyons and
banks would wash away for years to
come.
Foes of the miners were called
“Architects of Ruin.’’ An Antihydraulic Mining Committee formed at
Sacramento was revealed to be headed
by the leading counsel for Bear River
Farmers.
Battle lines were drawn. In early
June a mass meeting of miners was
called at the Nevada Theatre to protect
mining interests. Thus began a boycott
of Marysville merchants and goods.
An injunction brought by the City of
Marysville against the North
Bloomfield Mining Company was
stayed and mines that had been idle for
two weeks started up again. Another
mass meeting was held on June 18.
There were more injunctions
against Columbia Hill and North San
Juan mining operations.
All mining communities vowed not
to patronize the anti-hydraulic people
of Yuba County.
Pro-mining forces claimed that the
debris dams had spared Marysville
from flooding that spring. Anti-mining
interests drew a red herring across the
issue, claiming that the hydraulic
mines employed Chinese and enriched