Gilpin County CO Archives History - Books .....Mass Meeting 1920
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 August 8, 2009, 11:44 pm

Book Title: Early Records Of Gilpin County, Colorado

MASS MEETING. [1]
     [1] Daily Rocky Mountain News, April 25, 1861, p. 2.

    At a mass meeting of miners, mill men and citizens of the mountain
districts, held at Central City, Saturday, April 20th, [1861], the meeting was
called to order by Mr. Parker, President of Central City District, Judge
Gorsline, of Eureka, unanimously elected President, and Edward P. Peters, of
Nevada, Secretary of the meeting.

    Dr. B. P. Rankin, of Missouri City, being called upon to state the object of
the meeting, said that this convention was called to decide upon the rights of
the Consolidated Ditch Co. to bring in and cede water to the miners and mill men
of the upper Districts, and to gain an expression of the opinion of the citizens
of these Districts in regard to those rights, and to the recent decision of the
Court of the Provisional Government at Denver, against the interests and
privileges of said company. The Dr. spoke at some length, and laid the case
clearly before the people.

    A committee was appointed, composed of one or more representatives from each
district, to draft resolutions for the consideration of the meeting.

    While the committee were out for this purpose, I. H. Morton, of Nevada, Dr.
Rankin and I. W. Hambleton addressed the meeting, in favor of the Ditch Co.
being allowed to supply their water to those applying for it.

    Mr. Carlton, of Enterprise, and Judge Gray, of Missouri City, also addressed
the meeting in favor of the interests of the lower and North Clear Creek
districts, and adverse to the right of the Consolidated Ditch Co. to supply
water to Spring Gulch.

    The committee on resolutions being now ready, reported through Mr. H. B.
Bearce, Chairman, who offered the following preamble and resolutions:

    Whearas, In a suit tried at Denver City, his honor, J. Bright Smith,
presiding, wherein the Black Hawk Mill Co. were plaintiffs and the Consolidated
Ditch Co. defendants, a most unjust and illegal verdict was rendered in favor of
the Black Hawk Mill Co.; and, whereas, if the rulings of said court in said suit
were sustained by the people, the very objects for which the said ditch was
built would be defeated; and, whereas, it becomes our duty, as it is our right,
to say and define what the rights of said Consolidated Ditch are, and what they
have been, and to sustain and defend them in such rights, therefore be it

    Resolved, By the miners, mill men, and citizens, in mass meeting assembled,
That the following sections shall be the law by which said Consolidated Ditch
Co. shall be governed:

    Sec. 1. The Consolidated Ditch Company have the right, established by
priority of claim, to bring in and sell their water to all persons applying for
the same, when wanted for mining or milling purposes.

    Sec. 2. The Consolidated Ditch Co. are not, have not, and shall not be
deemed liable for any damage that said water may cause after it leaves their
gates, by reason of its legitimate use.

    Sec. 3. All injunctions against the flowing of said water through the
Company's Ditch, or its sale and delivery to miners and mill men, are hereby
declared void.

    Sec. 4. That while we deem the priority of right of claim, and the right to
sell water without liability, in accordance with the foregoing resolutions,
clear in the Consolidated Ditch Co, we would ask of the company, and recommend,
that they should be at all times ready to give and effect any compromise which
will not interfere with their prior rights, as embodied in their charter, with
any persons who may be damaged by the use of the water.

    The whole of the above resolutions being put to vote, separately, were
unanimously adopted by the meeting, after being spoken upon by Messrs. Morton,
Gray, Hambleton, Rankin and Col. Wood.

    On motion, it was unanimously resolved that the proceedings of this meeting
be published in all papers in the Territory.

    On motion, the same were ordered to be transmitted to the Consolidated Ditch
Co. by the Secretary, with a request to see the resolutions abided by.

    On motion, it was ordered that the same be transmitted by the Secretary to
the proper officer in each district for record and reference.

    On motion, the thanks of the meeting were unanimously tendered to Judge
Gorsline, for the able and gentlemanly manner in which he presided over the
meeting.

    Adjourned.
                         Edward P. Peters, Sec.


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