The San Francisco call. [volume], November 17, 1903, Image 16

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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PRESIDENT OF THE STATE MINERS' ASSOCIATION AND SCENE IN THE CONVENTION YESTERDAY
WHEN GOVERNOR PARDEE ADDRESSED THE MEMBERS AND TOLD THEM OF THE GREAT IMPOR
TANCE OF THE WORK IN WHICH THEY ARE ENGAGED.
Gives Note to Eppingers.
Henry Wadsworth, receiver for Ep
plnger & Co.. filed a suit yesterday for
11541 73 against Henry lloesch. The
money is due on a promissory note exe
ruted by Moesch in April of last year
'.n favor of the Eppingers.
Weflfilnjr cake boxes, wedding stationery. Ed
rard B. Knowles, Zt Second et.. Mala S9S. •
Ta.ke Plso'e Cure for Consumption. It will
cure your cough. 25c. By all druggists. •
• C. 'H. Noble, a drug clerk, residing
at Pacific Grove, filed a petition in in
solvency yesterday in the United States
District Court. He owes $593 and has
no assets.
Insolvent Drug Clerk.
Brushes, all kinds; dustere. whisk brooms
«pongee;reasonble. Atlantic Brush Co.,322 Bush.*
George W. Rumble, indicted for us
ing the malls with Intent to defraud
his correspondents by a fake mining
scheme, appeared yesterday in the
United States District Court for ar
raignment and was allowed one week's
further time in which to plead.
Rumble Gets More Time.
An exceptional offer is made which
will enable a person to own their own
home, with Email outlay. Two flats on
Fifteenth avenue. Richmond District, are
nearly finished and offered for J5000* of
this, $1000 cash, $250 in six months and
the balance as rent. Those interested
can hav? particulars of H. R. Cooper.
776 Market street. •
A Chance to Own a Home.
Thursday. 10 a. m.— Amendments to
constitution: report of credentials com
mittee; election of officers; executive
•ession. 2 d. m.— The three great pioneers
—"Lucy Stone," Mrs. Julia S. Sanborn
"Elizabeth Cady Stanton," Mrs. Mary
Mcllenry Keith; "Susan B. Anthony."
Mrs. M. L. W. Curtis. Present status of
co-education, Dr Sarah I. Shuey; collec
tion: "California Laws As They Affect
Women." Albert H. Elliot; question box,
Miss Gail Laughlin; executive committee
meeting.
The annual convention of the Cali
m t Y Crnan ' s Suffra^ Association
will be held la Golden Gate Hail Wed
nednesday and Thursday afternoons
and eveniners of this week a " ernoons
es T fo e jIo P ws? ramme f ° r the conve ntion is
Wednesday. 9 a. m.-Executlve com
mittee meeting 10 a. m.-Opening of co^
vention; addresses of welcome? response
«on 9n e^ entS> addreSS< MrS - Mar V Sta?
eon Sperry; report of corresponding
«cretaiT. Miss Carrie A. Whelin; £!
t O1^ °£ J ecor<31n ff secretary. Mrs. Hattie I
i r ,. .r man; re^ ort of auditors. Mrs j
Mary McHenry Keith and Mrs. Annie L
Carlbert: report of treasurer. Miss !
Clara M . Schlingheyde; announcement
of committees. 2 p. m.-Greetings from
national officers; reports from countv
eocleties and local clubs. 3 d. m — Work
conference; distribution of literature
press; Increase of membership; report
of chairman of advisory committee on or
ganization, Mrs. Josephine II. Mastick
discussion. 8 p. rn.-SoIo. "Battle Hymn
of the Republic," Mrs. Arristcene Schultz
<Mrs. Martin Schultz); reading, "An Ob
etacle," Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Mrs
Elizabeth Murray Newman; collection
address, "The Moving Finger Writes"
Miss Gall Laughlin. New York City
music. ' :
WOMAN SUFFRAGISTS TO
CONVENE HERE THIS WEEK
RigThts of tho Fair Sex to Be Dis
cussed in Golden Gate
Hall.
Some^polders of the lieu land scrip' had
placed their scrip upon the oil lands in
the. Kern River District. and it had been
been, decided by therDepartment. of the
Interior that this scrip, was not appli
cable to .mineral , lands;. and, therefore,
the locations 1 ' made by \ the "holders of
lieu land scrip upon these oil lands were
HOLDERS OP SCRIP.
During the past few years the custom
has been growing among different clas
sified. Industries of the country to meet
In annual convention for the purpose of
advancing their welfare and interests;
and I believe these conventions have
played an important part in developing
the resources and industries of this great
nation. I sincerely hope the California
Miners' Association •will continue to
meet each year and, as it has done In the
past, unselfishly perform . the duties
which may devolve . upon It. -¦>-¦..¦
During the last year our association
has not done much active work, because
there was nothing particular for It to do,
but whatever it had to do was done
promptly and efficiently.
Shortly after the adjournment of the
convention last year your president and
secretary were advised by Senator
George C. Perkins and the Associated
Oil Companies that legislation in Con
gress, known as the Dick bill, had passed
the House and was before a sub-com
mittee of the Judiciary Committee of the
Senate for consideration, and that 'there
was a likelihood that it would receive
the favorable recommendation' of this
committee If a vigorous protest was not
made against it. You will remember
that the Dick bill' had for Its purpose
the transfer of jurisdiction from the De
partment of the Interior to the Court of
Appeals of the District of , Columbia,' and
allowed appeals from the decisions of
the Secretary of the Interior or the Com
missioner of the Land Department prior
to 1902. That is. it allowed ; an » appeal
from all cases which had been decided
by the Commissioner,, of . the : Land De
partment in reference to the scrlpping
of oil lands by the holders of lieu land
scrip
President C. M. Belshaw delivered
his annual address, which was in' full
as follows:
Gentlemen of the California Miners'
Association: Once again we -have as
sembled in convention for the purpose of
discussing with due deliberation mat
ters of importance to the mining indus
try of this great State. Much good has
been accomplished for the miners in par
ticular, and the State in general, by this
association since its organization some
eleven years ago, and, in my Judgment,
there is more good work to be done by
this institution In the future.
BELSHAWS ADDRESS.
The following were appointed by the
chair a committee on credentials:
Thomas Clark, H. Z. Osborne, W. C.
Ralston. C. C. Derby and William Nich
olls Jr.
An invitation" was 'received from M.
L. Requa to visit the works of the Pa
cific Steel and Wire Company in East
Oakland. Then the convention took a
recess until after noon.
In the afternoon the committee on
credentials reported tnat 345 delegates
were entitled to sit in the convention. \
MAYOR SCHMITZ SPEAKS.
Mayor Schmitz, in behalf of the city
of San Francisco, spoke briefly. He
said that it was a pleasure to welcome
so important a body as the California
Miners' Association. The pioneer min
ers of California were energetic and
directed to this State the gaze of the
entire world. Good had accrued to San
Francisco from everything that bene
fited California. There was no gold
mine in San Francisco, but the State
had annually poured its wealth into her
lap. :
Proposed laws might be considered.
He hoped that the convention would
take up the relations of employers and
employes.- Unless each respects the
rights of the other California would
not attain the greatness that Is hoped
for. The city bade a hearty welcome
to the convention. All citizens of San
Francisco would try to assist the min
ers in carrying out laws for their bene
fit. Mining was a most important in
dustry to California.
valleys as the zephyrs do; the land, of
all the world, where Pandora's awful
box has never yet been opened.
Such, gentlemen, were the people who
so well preceded you; such were, the
pioneers of this great State. And you,
their successors, who carry on the voca
tion they so well begun, you the people
of California hold in great esteem.
During- thepastyear nothinghas been
done along-the line for. which' the associ
ation was first formed; that sis/ 1 to -make
hydraulic mining once, more possible in
the State. I believe -that 'good work
can and should be done along this line.
I have been. credibly Informed: that by
placing a' dam ' in Webber 'Creek/ El Do
rado County, • at a cost of ' not' to • exceed
$35,000, a majority: of ¦< the , hydraulic
mines Jn that county,, will be enabled: to
resume work. In my judgment/vthis as
sociation should appoint a , committee to
investigate this matter. ..with ..power " to
give the indorsement , of • the , association
to the building of this dam.-and ifithe
plan. meets with thelr.:approval.>to*urge
upon the State and Federal 'officials -the
necessity .' and . feasibility j of •' the work.
It Is our duty, to foster hydraulic mining
under .the Xamlnetti" act,"- and- we should
lendr financial » aid, " if;' need f be, -to ¦ those
who ' are endeavoring -to: mine t under < the
HYDRAULIC I MINING.
At our last annual meeting an innova
tion . was started in -the reading • of prac
tical " papers upon i subjects ' relative f to
the different" branches of., mining '• by
learned, members of- this association. I
am happy to j state that this* feature of
our last convention was^ a< decided suc
cess, .and I desire --to' strenuously urge
upon- you '.the '.continuance .of :these pa
pers' k at- each ' annual' -convention." ' We
cannot r overestimate"-' the • benefit • to .the
mining industry by the preservation and
dissemination" of this practical:informa
tion. These papers have > been printed
in pamphlet form *ahd then .distributed
all over .the .world.Vto the credit of the
State 1 of 'California.' '¦".¦¦*. ,;: . -^
i It seems to me that; it would not be out
of place -for "this association to under
take in future - to -arbitrate disputes
which may arise between; the mine own
ers and the employes, both; being mem
bers thereof. It-Is certainly for the best
interests of mining, in. Call fornia -that
the relationship existing between ? em
ployer and employe ¦ should at - all | times
be harmonious and cordial, and.lt should,
in my judgment, be the duty of this asso
ciation to > endeavor to -maintain' these
much to be'deslred. conditions, vl-there
fore suggest, that .methods of procedure
relative to this : matter 'be thoroughly
discussed and decided upon , during; this
convention.-- ¦•..¦•* - ¦ ' ' -'¦-?¦ •-•¦'.-
Since our- last' convention, the 'mines
along, the mother lode /have experienced
a. labor strike, but^I-am happy to state
that the matter was- satisfactorily, ad
justed before- any * serious damage >had
been done to any of Uhe properties in
volved. . '¦¦- ,* ;' " '¦'¦ '-•¦¦¦:.'
During the last session of, the Legis
lature of the State or California several
bills were introduced relative. to the em
ployers' liability and also as to what
should constitute a vice-principal. In the
judgment of many 'of the mine; owners
of the State the 'bills, as Introduced,
if passed, and signed, by the'Gqvernor,
would have worked ! an injustice to the
employer, and,, at the- request of -a- legal
number of members of this association,
a .special, meeting of. the . executive; com
mittee was called for the purpose of. dis
cussing those measures. - The executive
committee met at the office of the associ
ation on February. 2 8» 1903, and, after a
thorough discussion, of the subject mat
ter contained in the proposed, bills which
were before the Legislature of. the State,
it was unanimously: -resolved that the
passage of those bills would-be inlml
cable to the mining interests ) of ' this
State and that therefore, they should not
be passed. A copy- of . this* resolution,
duly, attested, was sent to the members
of the Committee on Mines. and Mining
of the. Senate, and I believe also to the
different members of the: Senate, with
the result- that there,' was no change; in
the law. relative to the subject matter
contained in these, bills. / -•- - » : .
THE I LABOR SITUATION. £ ;
As Congress was then in session, it
was most urgent that action* should I be
taken promptly, so, after consultation
with several members of the execu
tive committee and after having ' care
fully read the affidavits and papers pre
pared by the Associated Oil Companies,
your president and secretary telegraphed
to our representatives j in Congress to
use their best endeavors to accomplish
the defeat of the objectionable bill then
pending. As soon^as possible thereafter,
a meeting of the executive committee
was called and the action of your presi
dent and secretary was indorsed and
approved. The result of . our earnest
protest was that the Dick bill was de
feated and, I hope, put to rest for all
time. . . . '., . , • ¦ ¦
held by the Secretary of the Interior and
the Commissioner of the Land Office to
be invalid. The passage of the Dick
bill would have allowed these scrip lo
cators to take an appeal from the deci
sion of the Secretary of the Interior and
place the matter in the Court of Appeals
of the District of Columbia.
A report was received from the Cali
fornia Debris Commission regarding
the operations under the Caminetti act.
The text of the : report Is;srtven:
.Since the commission waa organized in
1893, 620 ¦ applications - for permits to
mine have been recelved'and 476 permits
.have been , issued ; 30 2 permits have been
revoked, and in most- cases .because "the
mines;, have .been worked' out or aban
doned "or? have -changed hands, and -71
permits have . from time , to time been
temporarily suspended.* -., ;¦
- During the. fiscal year the commission
received 55- applications for, permits or
licenses to mine, 35 licenses were grant
ed,- 130 licenses were revoked and 46
licenses were suspended. No considerable
failure of impounding barriers built or
maintained ..under license, given by the
commission* has come ."to ¦ the notice of
the commission during the; year.'
A' few "cases of illegal.: mining were
reported to ¦* the ? commission • during . the
year and the attention of the parties con
cerned -was i called '. to the :. requirements
of the law. « As far; as known the illegal
operations have; ceased 'in "each 'case and
In : some - instances the | parties • concerned
have -. subsequently - applied ? for and • ob
tained "licenses^ :.-.".; ;
j Occasionally a 'break occurs, in one of
the J impounding dams . built 'under per
mits from 'the commission,* but the total
number •" of * failures ¦' has -been • compara-
¦ I desire to direct your attention to the
wildcat mining schemes which have done
so much In the past to injure the mining
Industry of the country and will continue
to be a hindrance to honest mining un
less they meet with earnest opposition.
I believe. this association should devise
some method whereby people could be
advised of . wildcat mining" speculations
in this State, to the end- that all legiti
mate mining propositions might receive
the full confidence of the investing pub
llc Wildcat mining operators are alone
responsible for the hazardous specula
tive opinion of mining held by the gen
eral.public. It is my belief that a min
ing property, conducted on modern sci
entific methods, -is just as legitimate las
any business venture and just as certain
of financial success.
It is therefore our duty to promote le
gitimate mining. by putting out of busi
ness all mining schemes whose sole ob
ject Is to exploiUthose who have confi
dence In mining as a business enterprise.
I : am of the- opinion that past experi
ence has shown that the membership ot
our executive committee is too large and
diversified to be of the best service to
the association, and- 1 would, therefore,
advise that this committee : consist of
not more than nine members, with a.ma
jority thereof appointed from localities
easy" of access to San Francisco. Fre
quently it is desirable that the executive
committee should ; be called , together
promptly.; and a believe we ought to
make this committee so that, should the
occasion require, it may be able to meet
any emergency.. ....
< X desire to congratulate you upon the
efficiency of your secretary, E. H. Ben
jamin.- I have found him untiring in his
efforts in behalf of- the promotion of the
best interests of the association, and I
sincerely, hope that it may. continue to
have his valuable services. 1 want to
return "'to: him my sincere - thanks and
appreciation for all his kindnesses to me
during the past year. * .
We are also especially indebted to the
Union League Club of San Francisco and
the metropolitan press. - The f former
has continued its' kindnesses to the ex
ecutive-committee and the latter has
been uniformly courteous in informing
the public' of our transactions. •
" In conclusion. I wish, to 'again thank
you for the 'confidence which is reposed
in me when you honored me by ..making
me your president. When I accepted the
honor- I was conscious .of my inability
to' serve' with" the" marked distinction of
my- 1 predecessors. . but I ; sincerely trust
thati-in- receiving this ¦account- of- my
stewardship you will believe I have done
¦the-besV that- 1 could. -~--~: ; ,
REPORT OF COMMISSION. \
WILDCAT SCHEMES.
As the project for the conservation
and preservation of the flood waters of
the State was first promoted by us, I
believe that it should receive our care
ful attention and assistance. While the
California Water and Forest Associa
tion has done excellent work along this
line and has been instrumental in pro
curing State aid to be used in conjunc
tion with the Federal Government," nev
ertheless, I believe that we could and
should be more active in this work and
I know that the Water and Forest Asso
ciation would be glad of our efforts to
help them.
of vast importance to the mining indus
try of the nation, but would be of in
calculable value to the whole people.
Well thought of was our seal of State
The grizzly bear, the sheaf of wheat,'
the miner with his upraised nick the
mountain and the plain, the Golden Gate
leading out toward the setting sun and
all the wealth that lies on yonder side
of the mighty Pacific, and,. over all, Mi
nerva, the goddess of learning, calm
faced, with spear, buckler, helmet and
Well may you be proud of your prede
cessors, the men who, like the potter at
his wheel, molded into magnificent pro
portions the rough clay of a heteroge
neous population; who turned from the
miner's pan and rocker to the making
of a State: who. for a moment, laid
down the piok and shovel and, with cal
loused hands; took up the pen; who came
trooping from the muddy streams of the
mountains to meet in convention to
frame a State's constitution; who, paus
ing from their labors on ditch, wing
dam and cut-off, framed a code of laws
almost in the twinkling of an eye that
fairly put to blush the studied efforts
of those whom other States had espec
ially trained for that great purpose, who
untrained and untried, by sheer force of
Intellect and will power, turned aside
the giant forces of unfretted nature and
gave us California.
WORK OF MINERS.
My business here to-day is to assure
you that, although you. or your prede
cessors, are accused of having filled up
and ruined for navigation many of our
most beautiful rivers; although you, or
your predecessors, are said to have
washed away mountains, and with your
mighty monitors filled up canyons, creeks,
streams, rivers and bays and scarred the
beautiful face of smiling nature with
unsightly wounds and livid gashes; al
though others of your fellows have bur
rowed, like moles, deep into the bowels
of the complaining earth and so mud
died the water which we Sacramentans
have to use that some of us make that
as an excuse for using water only on our
lawns; although you have destroyed for
ests for power at your hoists and to
prop open the tunnels, inclines and
shafts with which you have harassed
our common mother; although you and
your predecessors have turned, and your
successors will turn, nature all awry and
inside out. I am here to-day to tell you
that the people of the State of Califor
nia love you none the less; and that,
along with our agriculturists, our horti
culturists, our viticulturists, our lum
ber, cattle and sheep men and all those
who practice the many arts, trades, busi
nesses, professions and vocations which
make up our California of to-day, there
is none who, from tradition or past or
present usefulness to the body politic,
is held closer to the hearts of Califor
nia's people than are those who follow
the profession of mining.
It was your predecessors who gave
California her first start in life; it was
they who. in the short space of a year
and a half, left their homes and loved
ones, crossed the plains, opened up and
settled a 'new country, organized a gov
ernment/far away from other advanced
civilization, and gave to the Union, as
a full-fledged State without probation as
a territory, the magnificent heritage
which you and I so happily now enjoy,
the great State of California.
WORDS OF EULOGY.
Gentlemen of the California Miners'
Convention: It Is a great pleasure for
me to be present with you here to-day
and to participate in the opening cere
monies of this, your annual convention.
This pleasure would be great were I here
only as a citizen of California. But it is
¦with a still greater pleasure that, as the
Chief Executive of the State. I look Into
your faces and testify by my presence
to the very great interest that the people
of California have in the great industry
which you represent and to which we
owe our early reputation as a State.
I shall not attempt to tell you what
you and your predecessors have done
for California. That is known of all
men. Nor shall I attempt that easy task
of predicting the future. No one knows
the possibilities of your industry better
than do you yourselves. Neither shall
I give you any figures as to the amount
of gold that California has yielded to
the wealth of the world; nor how large
a cube it would make, were it all mold
ed into one; nor how far it would reach
were it all spun into a wire an eighth
of an inch in diameter; nor how many
millionaires it would make were it equaf
ly divided among all of us here assem
bled; nor how long it would run the
State of California, at $300,000 per
month, were it all put into the State
treasury; nor, in fact, any of these in
teresting, but dry. statistics to which
none of us like to listen. All such mat
ters as these I shall leave to those whose
business it is to collect and, by a long
system of multiplication, subtraction,
addition, division and silence, put into
figures to the astonishment of even the
most hardened.
The convention was opened shortly
after 10 o'clock in the morning in Stein
way Hall by President Belshaw, who
congratulated the miners upon assem
bling once more, and also upon the
amount of moisture that has fallen
during the present season that will
facilitate mining. He then introduced
Governor Pardee, who spoke as fol
lows:
There were no debates on the floor of
the convention during the first day of
the proceedings. Papers of general in
terest to the miners were read, .jrhere
was a hint of a plan to deal with the
labor question in the mines that was
thrown out by President Belshaw. This
suggestion was that "It would not be
out of place for this association to un
dertake, in future, to arbitrate disputes
that may arise between the mine own
ers and the employes, both being mem
bers thereof." There are mine owners
and also mine employes in the conven
tion, and it is not improbable that the
labor arbitration plan will be discussed
quite fully.
GOVERNOR WELCOMES.
The matter of hydraulic mining
within the terms of the law was forci
bly mentioned by President C. M. Bel
shaw in his annual address to the con
vention. He declared, and the dele
gates applauded the statement of pur
pose warmly, "It is our duty to foster
hydraulic mining under the Caminetti
act, and we should lend financial aid,
if need be, to those who are endeavor
ing to mine under the law and are
meeting with organized opposition."
President Belshaw also favored the
proposition submitted by the miners of
El Dorado County for the construction.
Jointly by the United States and the
State of California, of a restraining
dam on Webber or Weaver Creek to
permit the resumption of hydraulic
mining back of the point where it is
proposed to locate the dam.
opening of their twelfth an
nual meeting. Mayor Schmitz extended
the right hand of the city of San Fran
cisco In his official capacity. There
were two sessions of the convention,
morning and afternoon. Both were
marked with events of interest.
QOVERNOR PARDEE gave a
royal welcome, yesterday, to
the delegates to the California
miners' convention, at the
' J. J. McMurray of Trinity County
then delivered a short address on tho
methods of preserving the forests oC
President Belshaw then announced
his appointments to the committee on
resolutions; the committee being as fol
lows:
-E." C. Voorhels, Amador County; n
English. Alameda; A. A. Watktns. CalN
fornia Promotion Committee: W. C. Ral
ston, Calaveras: H. E. Picket. El Dorado-
H. Z. Osborne. Loa Angeles: C C. Derby'
Mariposa; P. T. Pierce. Mono: J. R. Tyr
rell. Nevada; J. K. O'Brien. Plumas: W
Nicholls. Placer; J. .H.. Batcher. Sacra
mento; L. J. Ryder, Santa Clara; J y
Halloran. San Francisco; A. O. Dorks'
Shasta; R.' R.. Smith. San Jonquin; A It'
Briggs. State Board of Trade: TJroy f/
Ford, Sierra; A. Abby. Sonoma; Murk it
Kerr. .Tuolomne, and J. E. DoolUUo of
the State Mining Bureau.
Judge Niles Searls of Nevada County
was also called upon to address the
delegates and he made a short speech,
pledging his support to the work of the
association. He urged the delegates to
continue in their efforts to secure prop
er legislation for the benefit of the mine
owners of California.
Ex-Lieutenant Governor Jacob Neff
was " introduced to the conevntion by
the president and "Uncle Jake" was
given a rousing reception. He made a
brief speech, thanking the convention
for Its reception, and assured all pres
ent that he would always support the
Miners' Association in Its work.
If Congress intends to build reservoirs
they should be built in the high Sierra,
which is the permanent source of the
water supply. The mine owners should
have their share of the benefits to be
supplied.
If new reservoirs are built and the
old ones repaired, the Government would
secure an income equal to the expense
from revenues for use of the water. Let
us use all endeavor to secure a proper
water supply by the Government, but let
the. supply be first for the mines and
then for those who live in the valleys.
GREETED BY FORTY-NINEBS.
Preserving the forests is not the only
method of securing a proper water sup
ply. Miners do not waste timber, but
they must have a necessary amount for
the mines. The cry to preserve the for
ests is mainly a matter of sentiment.
Water should be stored in the'moun
tains and by building the reservoirs in
high altitudes a sufficient supply could
first be given to the mines and then the
water could be utilized in the valleys
and cities.
Mark B. Carr then delivered an ad
dress on "The Storage of Waste Water
for Mining Purposes." He spoke of
the plans of the Federal • Government
to erect reservoirs in the ; Sierras and
to' irrigate desert lands and made a
plea that the proposed reservoirs be
placed in the high regions of the Si
erras. Continuing, the speaker said:
The crest of the Sierra is a great wa
tershed and it is there that the waters
should be conserved. The average rain
fall of to-day is the same as it waa
twenty years ago and there is plenty of
water for all purposes.
TELLS OF WASTE.
Letters of regret were read by the
secretary from United States Senator
George C. Perkins, who is now in
Washington, D. C, and unable to be
present at the convention, and also
from Frederick Zeltler, both gentlemen
pledging their hearty support to. the
aims of the organization.
Senator Voorhels presented a motion
that the committee on resolutions be
composed of one member from each
delegation. The motion was carried.
J. K. O'Brien of Plumas County pre
sented a resolution that the convention
Indorse Congressman T. A. Bell
as a member of the River
and Harbor Committee and that
the Speaker of the House of Represen
tatives be requested to appoint Con
gressman Bell; also that the Califor
nia Congressmen be asked to secure
Bell's Appointment on the committee.
The resolution was referred to the
committee on resolutions.
H. E. Picket of El Dorado, chair
man of the El Dorado County Miners'
Association, submitted the report al
ready published in The Call relating
to the proposed dam across Weaver
Creek. The cost of constructing the
dam was estimated at $25,000. The
structure would, so reported the com
mittee, hold back all debris that might
result from the resumption of hydraulic
mining back of the dam. The report
was referred to the committee on dams.
Dr. C. T. Deane, secretary of the Cal
ifornia Petroleum Miners' Association,
read a paper on the California oil In
dustry. The paper abounded in statis
tics.. He estimated that the consump
tion of oil In California during the year
1904 would be 30.000,000 barrels. During
the year 1903 the consumption would
reach more than 23,000,000 barrels. The
various uses that will extend the de
mand for oil were recounted. There
were two great oil fields in the world,
he said, the Baku and Kern River
fields. With the increase in the con
sumption of crude petroleum the de
mand for coal was steadily decreasing.
The importation of coal to San Fran
cisco in the first ten months of 1903
had fallen 165,000 tons short of the im
portation for the corresponding period
in .1902. The "ehost of the scrip oil
land thieves had finally been laid." In
conclusion Dr. Deane extended to the
California Miners' Association the
greetings of the California Petroleum
Miners' Association. : .>;:
WEAVER CREEK DAM.
Barrier No. 2 was completed on No
vember 2 and it is believed that barrier
No. l will be completed in the course of
the next few weeks.
These barriers are built on the plans
or the commission and consist of cribs
built up. of fascines made of brush.
The fascines are about a foot in di
ameter, tightly bound together with
¦wire, and laid so as to form pockets
about six feet square. These pockets are
then filled with heavy rocks, the whole
structure rising to a height of about fivo
feet above the river bed. There are seven
rows of these pockets extending com
pletely across the river. \ It is expected
that the brush work will hold the rock
in place and have a tendency to consoli
date the debris reaching the point where
the barrier is built. The heavy rock
snouia hold the brush from being swept
away and give stability to the dam.
tively small and no large percentage of
the debris impounded under the direction
of the commission has escaped by rea
son of failures of impounding works.
The total amount of material mined un
der permits during the year Is estimated
at 622,600 cubic yards.
BABBLERS ON YUBA.
In prosecuting the plan of restraining
debris in the Yuba River provided for
by the Caminetti act. the commission
has now completed one barrier, known
as barrier No. 2, and has made good
progress with the construction of the
second, known as barrier No. 1 .
Wiley denied that the peon was the !
lazy, begging creature that some have j
called him. There will be found the in- j
dustrious among that class, while he |
admitted There Were to be found also i
the mendicants, but not to the extent
that had been so often described.
Wiley defended the Mexican's in
tegrity, so far as it touched their deal-
Ings with Americans. He had occa
sion to observe matters which came
Ix-fore the courts for adjustment and
in every instance the American re
ceived full justice and absolute fair- i
ness, he said. AH the old feeling of j
antagonism had gone, had been elim- I
inated until now there was a spirit of j
the most cordial friendship for the I
Americans who reside or do business in !
Mexico. If Americans failed to do busi- i
ness in that country, he said, it was ;
due alofte to their absence of respect i
and deference.
Mr. Wiley was at a loss to account
for the r>f-rsister.t clinging to the bull
Dgbt, in spite of the attempts of the '¦¦
government to end the barbaric cus- !
torn. It was. he said, surprising that a '
people so full of romance, so inclined to !
beautiful music, should still demand !
the continuance of the bloody scenes
of the arena.
MEXICANS ABE JUST.
Wiley imr>rer5ed upon his hearers
that there were free schools through
out the land and that the English lan
jruagre was generally a part of the
education. Old palaces and convents,
he said. h3d been remodeled and put
to public uses, and, while the exterior
lemained the same as of yore, the in
terior of moat of the buildings in the
city of Mexico was made lavish with
the most modern of furnishings.
The lecturer told of the regret of
tourists who noted the growing cos
mopolitan life that was rapidly re
placing the picturesque characteristics
of the past. In the interior of Mexico,
however, the touch of modern conven
tionalities had not yet interfered with
the people, for there couid yet be found
the ease and the old-time life of the
land.
"What Mexico Is Doing To-day" was
the lecture given last night at the
Academy of Sciences by H. R. Wiley,
the special lecture on Jurisprudence
at the University of CaJifornia.
The audience lllled every part of the
auditorium, and for nearly two hours
followed the lecturer with interest. It
was a lecture illustrated with remark
ably good lantern slides, which aided
the graphic and lucid description given
of the country ami habits of the peoples
of Mexico. Mr. Wiley gave the fullest
description of his travels, and, while
describing the Mexico of to-day lin
gered, to the doHpht of his audience,
upon the old and ancient land and the
customs of long ago. He told of and
showed iMCtorially the grand cathe
drals and lesser places of worship and
pave highly colored work sketches of
the old palaces and the rich gardens,
and the scattered and lonely estates,
with their suggestions of feudalism.
UELIODrL OLD 3UTLDINGS.
J. A. Filcher of the California Com
mission to the St. Loufs Exposition de
livered an address to the delegates and
spoke of the plans to give publicity to
the resources" of California at thp
World's Fair in 1904. He asked the aid
of all mining men to make the mining
exhibit a noteworthy one and requested
that specimens of ores and minerals be
sent to the commission for exhibition
purposes.
"If the miners are afraid to loan ex
hibits to us," he said, "we are ready to
buy them. We want to make a good
display and we must have the aid of
every mining man."
President Wheeler of the State Uni
versity was expected to be present and
address the convention, but he was un
able to attend.
The convention adjourned until this
morning at 10 o'clock.
The committee on resolutions sat in
council at the Lick House until a late
hour last evening. It was decided,
after some discussion, to recommend to
the convention to adopt a resolution
favoring arbitration in cases of dis
agreement between mine owners and
mine employes, and to indorse tha
proposition of the miners of El Doradu
County to dam Weaver Creek that hy
draulicklng may proceed behind the
barrier to be constructed. A resolution
will undoubtedly be adopted favoring
the institution of a national depart
ment of mines and mining. The rec
ommendations in President Belshaw'a
address were favored.
the State. He did not favor the scien
tific means taught to students of for
estry and 3aid that more could be
learned from the Indians, who pre
served the forests by systematically
burning patches of woodland.
URGED TO AID.
He displayed dualities of enterprise
which commended him to the special
favor of the . post. " He went to
Washington as a delegate to the Na
tional Encampment of 1902 and was
among the foremost In the fight to
bring the encampment of 1903 to San
Francisco. Many of his friends ex
pected that he would be elected de
partment commander, but General
Shafter was chosen to fill that position.
Many of Colonel Cutler's friends hoped
that he would be placed at the head
of the general committee of manage
ment of the National Encampment.
but General George Stone was selected
for that place.
Thomas Post of San Francisco la
known throughout the United States as
a Grand Army post of exceptional en
terprise and strength. The roll of
leadership in the post embraces the
names of eminent men. There Is a strong
feeling In favor of maintaining the
high standard of leadership, hence the
forthcoming contest for post command
er is enlisting keen attention In Grand
Army circles. The result may have
some bearing on the election of a de
partment commander to succeed Gen
eral Shafter.
There will be a meeting of George H.
Thomas Post. Grand Army of the Re
public, this evening. Nominations for
officers of the post will be in order.
The annual election will take place two
weeks from to-night. There are two
candidates in the field for the honor of
commanding the post. The aspirants
are Selden Sturge3 and P. L. Turpin
and all signs point to a hot contest.
Comrades all along the line are dis
cussing the merits and incidents of the
controversy. It was supposed until re
cently that Selden Sturgsa, who was
made commander to succeed Colonel A.
D. Cutler, who resigned shortly after
the close of the National En
campment, would be re-elected
without opposition, but there is
now gossip to the effect that Com
rade Sturges was placed at the head of
the post on an agreement that he
should give way to another comrade at
the expiration of the term for which
Colonel Cutler was elected. The cus
toms and traditions of the poat were
set aside when Colonel Cutler was
elected for a third term. .
Says Gold Hunters
Molded the Com
monwealth.
Suggests Arbitra
tion of Labor
Disputes.
Modern Usages Overshadow
Picturesqueness of.
Days of Yore.
Selden Sturges and F. L. Tur
pin Are Aspirants for
the Place.
President Belshaw
Defends Hydraul
ic Mining.
H. R Wiley Gives Vivid
Account of Past and
Present.
Indications of a Contest
for the Office of
Commander.
State's Executive
Delivers Words
of Eulogy.
METHODS CHANGE
IN OLD MEXICO
MAN TO LEAD
THOMAS POST
CALIFORNIA MINERS IN ANNUAL CONVENTION
FELICITATED BY MAYOR AND THE GOVERNOR
THE FAN FRANCISCO CALL, TUESDAY, NOYEMBER 17, 1903.
And well did they put above it all the
Grecian word, 'Eureka," for they found.
Indeed, the fairest land on earth; the
land whose genial summer sun kisses
Into loveliness the fairest flowers that
Nature's prodigality ever gave to man;
ths land whose winter knows no touch
of ice king's dreaded hand; the land
where Boreas lays aside his savage mien
and, lulled to gentleness by the nearness
of the great Pacific, woos our hills and
breastplate, her wisdom keeping us safe
from all that Ignorance always threat
ens and her armor saying to all who
would injure or oppress us: "I shall de
fend my people and my State. Let no
one interfere."
law and are meeting: with organized op
position.
• _I would most earnestly urge more
strenuous efforts for the passage of a
mineral land bill by the * Congress of
the United States, which would be sat
isfactory to all concerned. Also, I be
lieve the association should do more ac
tive work toward the establishing of a
department of mines and mining. Both
of these . subjects ought to receive our
earnest consideration. The former la
quite necessary In order to prevent our
mineral lands from being acquired by
speculators under the guise of agricul
tural lands. : -
The latter, in my opinion, is not only
16
ADVEBTI5E3IE2ITS.
yHJM PIANOS
I Hold the highest place to
I every music player's es-
I teem. Their musical as
(well as architectural super-
iority is evidenced by the
preference shown for
IChickcring Pianos by the
American people.
TVe display a splendid cnl-
. lection of Chickering Grand
I and Uprights.
| Bcnj. Curtaz *. Son
I SOUS AOXNT3
(Cnrtas Build In ar)
16 O'FARRELL STREET, S.F.
1 Saa Jo«e. Fresno. Alameda. Stockton.
r ORIENTAL 1
RUGS |
AUCTION I
TO-DAY .(TUESDAY), H
AT 2:30 P. M. i*
MIHRAN'S I
205 POST STREET. f J
Fin* !Urs Hue* Will Ba Offered at I
Toitay'a Sale. fl