Sacramento County CA Archives News.....Sacramento Daily Union January 29, 1859
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Sacramento Daily Union January 29, 1859
Sacramento Daily Union
Saturday January 29, 1859

	SALE OF MINERAL LANDS
  We admit an article to-day in favor of a sale of the mineral lands in the 
State, because we are in favor of free discussion on all subjects of a public 
interest. But we do not indorse the views of the writer. We do not think the 
condition of our mining population would be materially improved by the sale or 
donation of the mineral lands to parties in possession in small lots. The evils 
enumerated by the writer as existing in society in our mining districts are 
inherent to the occupation of gold mining. It is a pursuit which , to a very 
great extent, renders permanence in location next to impossible. It is only in 
a few cases, the exceptions to the general rule, where mining claims justify a 
man to settle down permanently with his family. In a large majority of cases it 
would be found impossible for miners to locate permanently, even if they could 
own the land in fee simple upon which they were living. Mining is a precarious 
pursuit, and history presents no instance in which gold mining secured a fixed 
population, except in localities where quartz mining was followed, and where 
the mines were owned by the crown, or by large capitalists.
   In this State a large class of men have visited the State to mine until they 
can secure a cash capital sufficient to buy a farm in some one of the new 
States, as a home for their wives and children. This class would not settle in 
the mines with their families if land were given to them. They do not intend to 
follow mining as a profession. Such, indeed, is the case with the majority of 
those who succeed. If they make a few thousands they leave mining, and engage 
in other pursuits, and no system of legislation can change this course of 
events.
  Under our present State laws the miner is secured in his rights of 
possession, under mining rules, as thoroughly as he could be under the 
uncertain legislation of Congress. If a settler elects to cultivate the land in 
preference to mining, he is protected against every trespasser, excepting only 
him who searches for the precious metal. And the Secretary of the Interior, in 
his recent report, urges upon Congress to insert a clause in the patents 
reserving all minerals to the United States, in order that they may be kept for 
American citizens to mine for, who may choose to undertake it. This would leave 
the owners of the land in the mines in the position they now occupy. The land 
would belong to him who had it in possession, but the minerals it contained 
would still remain the property of him who discovered and separated them from 
the earth or rock in which they were imbedded.
  Our correspondent has evidently traveled but little in the mining counties. 
Had he visited the oldest mountain counties recently, he would never have 
concluded that but little improvement had been made in roads. The improvements 
made in roads since 1851 are among the wonders of mountain achievements. We 
venture the assertion that no mountain country in the world possesses so many 
and so good roads as are found in the mining counties of California. We further 
declare it as our belief that history makes no mention of a mountain country in 
which such vast improvements have been made in the course of ten years in 
roads, bridges, canals, mills, dwelling houses, churches, school houses, etc., 
etc., as have actually been accomplished in California within the number of 
years under our present system. Why, then should we change it?

 	 BY TELEGRAPH TO THE UNION
	BY THE STATE TELEGRAPH LINE
San Francisco News - Arrival - Later from Oregon - Dispute on the Capital 
Question - The Steamer Northerner Seized - The Revival.
	San Francisco, Jan 28th
  The city is quiet to-day, nothing of note occurring.
  Ship Morning Glory, from Cardiff, 120 days; coal to Forbes & Babcock, arrived 
to-day.
	Later from Oregon
  The Columbia arrived this afternoon from Portland, with dates to Jan. 22d.
  An angry dispute has arisen in the Oregon Legislature on the bill to remove 
the Capital to Portland. The Council had passed the bill, and the House refused 
to concur. A committee of Conference was appointed.
  The steamer Northerner was seized the United States Marshal on her recent 
trip to Olympia, at the suit of the owners of the Resolute, for a collision 
which occurred on the Sound. Amount of damages claimed, $50,000. The Northerner 
gave bonds in the sum of $100,000 for appearance at the March term of the 
District Court.
   Eighty converts have been added to the Methodist Church, in Portland, in the 
recent revival.

  WALKER’S RIVER - Late advices from this locality state that the snow is a 
foot deep and the ground frozen to the depth of two feet. A thaw and a 
resumption of mining operations are not looked for until May. In the meantime, 
emigration to that region for mining purposes would seem to be useless.

  FIRE AT MICHIGAN BLUFF - A fire, says the Placer Courier, occurred at 
Michigan Bluff, Jan. 25th, which destroyed a building adjoining Gates’ drug 
store. The value of the building lost is not reported.

	MARRIED
  In Sacramento, Jan. 24th, John KILELLA to Kate BUTTERFIELD.
  At Nevada, Jan. 24th, Abel J. HANSON to Caroline MEAD.
  At Visalia, Tulare county, Jan. 12th, E.P. HART to Kate STUEBEN.
  	BIRTHS
  At Nevada, Jan. 25th, the wife of T. Ellard BEANS, of a daughter.
  At Nevada, Jan. 25th, the wife of Mr. CASHIN, of a son.
  At Nevada, Jan. 25th, the wife of Jas. STRATTON, of a daughter.
  At Nevada, Jan. 25th, the wife of R.G. McCLUTCHEON, of a daughter.
	DIED
  In Sacramento, Jan. 26th, Timothy CALLAGHAN, a native of Ireland, aged 25 
years.
  In Sacramento, Jan. 28th, Ah GAN, a native of China, aged 80 years.


Additional Comments:
Used with permission of Transcriber Betty e-mail address: betty@unisette.com



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