Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/257

 came waier.

3d. That all  companies  shall  have  the  right  to  drain  through  claims,  cuts, or flume  j  below  them  by  paying  damages,  if  any  are  sustained.

It was  unanimously  resolved  that  the  above  laws  be  considered  as  addi- tional to the  former  laws,  passed  at  a  previous  meeting,  governing  Little Deer creek,  and  that  they  be  published  in  the  Nevada  Journal.

The followino:  characteristic  letter  to  the  Nevada Journal speaks  for  itself :

Red Dog,  November  23,  1855, Mr Editor:  Tlirtnigh  the  colunms  of  your  paper  I  wdsh  to  state  a  few  of the  grievances,  and  disadvantages  under  which  we,  m  this  district,  as  a  min- ing community, have  to  lal)or.  It  has  been  proven  to  the  satisfaction  of  all tliat  the  claims  here  will  not  remunerate  us,  as  long  as  the  present  high  price of  water  is  sustained.  But  when  we  can  purchase  water  for  two  bits  an inch  or  less,  we  can  make  good  wages  and  occasionally  have  a  day  of  grace. We  do  not  wish  to  make  perfect  slaves  of  ourselves  to  support  a  few  men, and  pay  for  the  keeping  of  their  fast  horses,  but  we  wish  for  a  decrease  in the  price  of  water,  in  order  that  we  may  enjoy  this  life,  without  working  so hard,  as  well  as  those  fortunate  enough  to  be  ditch-owners.

There were  but  two  or  three  of  the  claims  here  that  paid  wages  and water last  winter,  and  the  miners  worked  through  all  the  storms. The most of us  have  signed  an  agreement  not  to  pay  over  twenty -five  cents  an  incli  for water this  season,  and  we  think  the  ditch  company  will  have  to  come  to terms  if  they  calculate  to  sell  us  any  water  this  winter.

The Chalk  Bluif  ditch  company  built  a  large  reservoir  last  season  to  sup- j)ly this  place  ;  perhaps  you  have  heard  of  it.  Well,  it  cost  over  $2000,  and that  will  be  a  dead  loss  if  they  do  not  accede  to  reasonable  terms.  We  must have  a  chance  to  save  some  of  our  hard  earnings.  If  the  ditch  companies wont  come  down,  the  merchants  must.  Hoping  these  few  lines  may  meet the  eyes  of  the  companies  or  their  agents,  and  cause  them  to  turn  from  the error  of  their  ways  ere  it  is  too  late,  I  subscribe  myself.

An Honest  Miner.

Let us  now  see  how  the  miners  defended  what  they regarded as  their  rights. In the  summer  of  1851 there were  two  large  companies  at  work  at  Coloma. One, composed  of  Germans,  known  as  the  Tunnel company, was  sued  by  the  other  for  backing  up  water to their  injury. The Tunnel  company  was  ordered  by the  court  to  pay  $200  and  lower  the  dam. The court allowed them  ten  days ;  but  as  they  refused  to  obey the decree,  at  the  expiration  of  that  time,  on  the  28th of July,  1851,  Rogers,  the  sheriff,  with  a  small  posse proceeded to  the  dam,  intending  to  tear  it  down. He found the  place  guarded  by  150  armed  men  prepared to resist. The sheriff  withdrew,  but  soon  returned with 200  men. When he  reached  the  grounds  again, prepared to  enforce  the  law,  he  found  the  Tunnel company had  already  learned  of  his  movements,  and