Here is the letter to us miners from an Oregon local who has been fighting for our rights as miners. His name is Kerby
Jackson and he has included his website.
Howdy Dan,
Thanks for your note.
Unfortunately, the problem we have in Oregon is that we are absolutely
inundated with Californians. Atkinson, as an example, is complaining about
"out of state dredgers" coming to Oregon, but what I'm more concerned
about is out of state politicians like Atkinson himself.
Basically, what we have here is a sort of new concept of Manifest Destiny,
in that the environmental movement seems to not only feel some sort of
strong attraction to Oregon, but feels that they have some sort of divine
right to the place. This goes on to the extent that I have seen some of
them tell people who were born here (myself included) that we "do not
belong here". From a personal standpoint, I am starting to feel a bit like
an Indian and I know a lot of others who feel the same way. This much I do
know, we are bound to struggle back against them just as hard.
As for the economy here, it has already been almost entirely destroyed. A
government "shortfall" of 377 million was recently announced by Governor
Kulongoski and personally, I suspect that the number is actually much
worse. Here in Josephine County, we have a population of about 80,000. Of
those, over 1000 are now CONFIRMED homeless and added to that, 14% of the
population is on unemployment benefits. Another 20+% are retirees living
on social security and pensions. Who knows how many have slipped through
the cracks or were just too proud to report otherwise. Local support
infrastructure (like food banks, energy assistance, etc.) is stressed
beyond belief.
Meanwhile, the mineral resources of this one county are so immense that we
should have absolutely ZERO unemployment. Though as your friend points out
in the Mail Tribune (and they DID sucker punch him, by the way), though
you have to work harder to get the gold here than you do on the Klamath,
it is still here in a vast quantity. Anyone with the desire to learn how
it's done, who learns where it is found, who has the equipment and who is
willing to apply themselves, can go out there and get it. If they are
willing (or able) to sacrifice their lifestyle a little to hang close to
their workings, they can do very well and it's really only a matter of
time before they hit a really good pocket. That's just the nature of the
gold here. For example, there on the hill overlooking where your friend
was (is still?) working, there was a 600,000 oz. pocket uncovered that
only penetrated 20 feet beneath the soil. Though there are probably
very few more pockets as rich as that one at Gold Hill, there are still
many more that are plenty rich out there awaiting discovering. For that
matter, I know one fella with a very rich deposit on a historic claim. You
can SEE the mineral wealth sticking out of the cut, but the regulations
are such that he can't develop the mine (and it's a patented claim).
For that matter, it sounds like your friend was averaging a dwt per hour
there below Gold Ray. If a guy wasn't limited to three months a year and
could keep that sort of production up, people could do REALLY well. And
the fact is, in the old days, individual miners who really knew what they
were doing and who weren't afraid of work, tended to do really well for
themselves. The same was also pretty true of farmers and ranchers of my
great grandparents generation as well. That is not so true now and when we
think of miners and farmers (who really are doing the public a great
service), we are really now on the lower rung of the ladder.
As Sandi Cassanelli, one of our county commisioners, explained in a recent
speech in Salem, here in SW Oregon, we are much like a village in India
where everyone is starving despite the fact that a herd of sacred cows are
running at large through town. Locally, the sacred cow is our minerals, our
timber and our farmland, but the religion is radical environmentalism and
it just so happens that the people here who own the "sacred cow" aren't
members of the cult who orders that it must not be utilized.
That said, it's important to realize that we miners are really the "line
in the sand" in that we differ from others who use public land to create
wealth or food. Where we differ is that unlike fishermen, hunters or even
ranchers, we do have rights and we have a unique form of property
ownership that was granted to us by Congress. If we are defeated, that
opens the door for the environmentalist agenda to finish off the hunters,
the fishermen, the ranchers with BLM grazing and ultimately every other
use of Public Land. This doesn't end at Public Land either. More and more
environmental restrictions are being placed on private property.
I have studied this rather extensively and it appears that what we are
involved in is just the continuation of the battle that was raging back in
the early 1860's before William Stewart and others established the 1866,
1870 and 1872 Mining Acts. Reading Stewart's writings, he accused
industrialist bankers of attempting to thieve the Mineral Lands of this
country in lieu of a $65 million foreign debt which the U.S. accrued
during the Civil War. Stewart named names and pointed fingers, accusing
foreign powers of conspiring to steal our minerals and usurping our
sovereignty. The passage of his Act of July 1866 (the forerunner of the
1872 Mining Act) put an end to this sort of meddling since it essentially
placed the mineral lands into a form of public trust. Originally, the
intent of these acts was to take government intervention completely out of
the equation with the exception of establishing some form of order.
Interestingly enough, the same names that Stewart mentioned, were largely
responsible for the establishment of the early environmental movement and
were also instrumental in the establishment of National Parks, National
Forests, etc. and the varying agencies that have since become the bane of
miners and others. In some cases, the descendents of some of those "named
names" still pump vast quantities of money into the environmental movement
and also pushed hard for legislation like the Clean Water Act and the Wild
& Scenic Rivers Acts which has done A LOT to appear to handcuff us.
If people want to say that's a conspiracy theory, that's fine, but the
historical documentation is there if people bother to look for it.
As miners, it is important to realize that we have RIGHTS and that these
rights apply to us ANYWHERE on the Mineral Estate. Even agencies like USFS
and BLM understand this, which is why, if you wish to prospect behind a
locked gate, a bonafide prospector has the right to request a key and they
are not allowed to engage in activities that hamper our own. Older law
books (Ricketts, for example) describe that Mineral Estate as "the public
lands" and in fact, I can find no other right of public entry on Public
Lands other than mining law. It is important for the public to realize
that their rights to use public lands for hunting, for fishing, for
camping and for other forms of recreation, probably originate from
mining law.
Here again, we must be "the line in the sand".
As miners, it is also important for us to all realize that a fight in one
state, is also a fight in our own state. Too often, we don't care, so long
as it isn't happening in our backyard. As SB670 proves, once it's in one
state, it's only a matter of time before it spreads to the next few
states.
For that matter, it's also important for us to all realize that our enemy
environmentalists are not limited to just our area. These people move around
from area to area, spreading mayhem. For example, one of our local pain in
the asses with the Siskiyou Project, was previously actually down your way
with the SW branch of the Center for Biological Diversity. In fact, he got
in a bunch of trouble down there, because he assisted in slandering a
rancher and he and his coterie were ordered to pay $600,000 in damages to
the man. (Apparently they used photos of damage THEY created to Public
Land with a gathering and then used the photos to incriminate the rancher,
insinuating that the damage was caused by his cows).
So your regional problems have become one of our regional problems.
That said, it is REALLY important that we put a stop to Atkinson and treat
him such a hard lesson that no other "leader" wishes to go down the same
path.
With that in mind, it is very important that miners EVERYWHERE make a big
racket about Atkinson and start calling THEIR senators and congressmen and
demand that they take action against his attempts to block miners from
coming here, which is a policy which runs contrary to Federal Law (and
even our State Laws). In turn, we need miners EVERWYWHERE to be ready to
stand against this sort of thing regardless of where it happens.
What we really need is a national organization devoted exclusively to
dealing with this sort of stuff. I'm not talking about another "club" that
charges dues for the privelage of using some club claims (we have those),
but an organization, that even if loosely organized, can work toward
getting the word out to people about their rights and mobilizing them when
they are under attack.
Regards,
Kerby Jackson
www.kerbyjackson.com
ackson.
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part 2: We have to address these enviromental issues with science and logic . . . we cannot "redneck" our way thru life. The enviromental whacko's are here to stay . . . overcrowding is the primary root cause.
While the bottom feeding parasite industry has pirated the American Legal System and created tons of lawsuits that all suit the lawyers quite fine. If you guys want to fight or expose something . . . I would start there. The court system.
In The late 80's the Russians sent 10,000 lawyers to the U.S. to infiltrate the legal system. Their agenda was to stifle the american mineral industry, logging, fishing, so that we would be dependant on them as a source. They wanted to cartel the industires and have their competition eliminated thru phony lawsuits and other forms of trickery.
This is a crooked system . . for sure . . however . . it does not mean that we should pollute . We must try everything we can to avoid it and act responsibly . We can purchase extra equipment to contain our muddy mess.Sometimes a simple extra pump on the dredge can pump a "clay plume" from a dredge and send it to shore for filtering and removal. The whole dredging issue is about clay. Yes gold occurs with clay . . but clay is not a toxic pollutant and they should not treat it like it was. Now lead and mercury are toxic and we all need to be very cooperative with these standards. I cannot apologize for the thousands of " rogue, Redneck" miners who gave mining a bad name 100 years ago. No, we have to plan out our projects to address these issues.
But the state needs to draw a line between Toxic and Recyclabe emmisions.
desertratdan > rvbeckner,Searcher ExplorationMarch 31, 2011 at 8:33pm
Yep overcrowding. I've never seen so many people on the Rogue as there was last year, and caused by what? Califunya's new laws against dredging, against miners, prospectors and recreation. I would be more than happy to go back to dredging the Klamath, Feather or American rivers, to name a few. And since I personally cannot get back into the water and have parlayed my assistance into being more or less an observer, it really is nothing more than relaxing recreation to me and I am being denied that right, a fundamental right we Americans have long possessed. I am 100% service connected, 100% disabled Veteran and proud of it, but at times the politicians who got so many of us killed and maimed with their armchair meddling in Vietnam make me feel ashamed and lessened by their connivance, greed and cunning.
Did not get to read all the replies to this older post . . . but I have one thing to say . . . We have to get these "dumb Blondes" out of government. They need to pay better to attract better state employees with some hands on common sense. We have created a whole generation of " envirophobic" dummies. Some of these "envirophobes" are second and third generation SMOG BREATHERS. These are your urban and apartment dwellers who become anti everything out of shear toxic body syndrome from excessive car exhaust. The first thing to become damaged in a long term toxic environment is the emotional stability that most people have. With out proper control of ones emotions . . depression sets in ( the mother of all diseases) and they eventually become allergic to logic and happiness.
But be that as it may . . . these envirophobes are people and we need to tackle pollution aggressively. They are not to blame for 3 generations of car exhaust fumes in their face. We need to do everything we can to fight polloution. As gold miners we need to mine in such a way that we leave a place better than we found it and not turn our back on these issues.
Good recap of the situation. Interesting how dollars are shy so they do things to stop tourisim, one of the last sources of income for many small business' in Oregon. A recreational dredger coming in from Ca, Id, Wa, TN or wherever spends money in the local community. He buys food, gas, lodging and entertainment for his entire family quite often. This is not trivial money either. Take 5000 a summer, spending $2000-2500, that is possibly an underestimation at that. And the added bonus is we dont have to pay them for cleaning up the bottoms of our rivers and streams, making the fish happier !
desertratdan > Robin GalyanMarch 6, 2011 at 5:46pm
I can say this Robin, if a state has no acted upon death penalty for completely proven murderers and psychopaths, they are just spinning their wheels while shoving money down the throats of people who could care less where they get their next meal from. Prison is not a deterrent for the confirmed criminal. They just commit more crimes inside a prison and teach others how to do it also. If they are proven without a doubt to be guilty then why are we feeding, clothing, guarding and providing a roof over their heads, they have done nothing to deserve the same treatment that some guy who stole a car for a joy ride gets. Compare the housing of criminals & psychopaths to a few shots of cyanide. They would sure have more money to spend on education and police departments. What a racket.
I just got this from Kerby's site. This guy has gotta go!
Heads up, people. Jason Atkinson and his cronies have launched a full fledged attack on mining and water in the State of Oregon through a new bill SB 765.
desertratdan > desertratdanFebruary 23, 2011 at 4:45pm
In case you can't go to the site: One of the things he is proposing is a $50 licensing fee for residents and a $2500 non-resident licensing fee! Caught without one is punishable with 30 days in the pokie, a $1250 fine or both!
Just follow the money. Arizona is a far different state than what it was when I lived there along with my very good friend, Justine Spitalny now deceased. Her ranch was west of the black canyon freeway, Maryvale and Glendale, and she donated land for a grammer school that was and still is named after her. The school just had a reunion last month and you can learn more of that on Facebook. Justine dated Tom Mix for those old horse show fans. Everyone was welcomed to Arizona. Was there a drug problem? Yes, but Goldwater's dad cashed in on that along with the Bonnanos, formerly from NY, in Tucson. Arizona was like Nevada with open gambling until the right wing christians moved in along with the mormons. It is a far different state today and a reason why I left. The folks running the Government in Maricopa county should be ejected from the state just on historical principal and irrationality.
I met Tom Mix when I was in the third grade in Long Beach Califunya! A navy jet crashed near our school with the pilot staying with the plane to the last, to keep it from crashing into the school. He ejected and landed in my friends back yard as his mother was hanging laundry. Broke both his legs and killed 1 person in the book bindry he crashed into. They helicoptered Tom and some other western heroes in to our playground to talk to us kids. Also brought their horses in by trailer. Tom Mix, Hopalong Cassidy, the horse Silver and Tonto but not the Lone Ranger. Thanks for the memory!
In case y'all missed it, Kerby has a website, www.kerbyjackson.com If nothing else, if you go to his site you can read some really great western stories. His clan was pioneered into Oregon.
Replies
part 2: We have to address these enviromental issues with science and logic . . . we cannot "redneck" our way thru life. The enviromental whacko's are here to stay . . . overcrowding is the primary root cause.
While the bottom feeding parasite industry has pirated the American Legal System and created tons of lawsuits that all suit the lawyers quite fine. If you guys want to fight or expose something . . . I would start there. The court system.
In The late 80's the Russians sent 10,000 lawyers to the U.S. to infiltrate the legal system. Their agenda was to stifle the american mineral industry, logging, fishing, so that we would be dependant on them as a source. They wanted to cartel the industires and have their competition eliminated thru phony lawsuits and other forms of trickery.
This is a crooked system . . for sure . . however . . it does not mean that we should pollute . We must try everything we can to avoid it and act responsibly . We can purchase extra equipment to contain our muddy mess.Sometimes a simple extra pump on the dredge can pump a "clay plume" from a dredge and send it to shore for filtering and removal. The whole dredging issue is about clay. Yes gold occurs with clay . . but clay is not a toxic pollutant and they should not treat it like it was. Now lead and mercury are toxic and we all need to be very cooperative with these standards. I cannot apologize for the thousands of " rogue, Redneck" miners who gave mining a bad name 100 years ago. No, we have to plan out our projects to address these issues.
But the state needs to draw a line between Toxic and Recyclabe emmisions.
Did not get to read all the replies to this older post . . . but I have one thing to say . . . We have to get these "dumb Blondes" out of government. They need to pay better to attract better state employees with some hands on common sense. We have created a whole generation of " envirophobic" dummies. Some of these "envirophobes" are second and third generation SMOG BREATHERS. These are your urban and apartment dwellers who become anti everything out of shear toxic body syndrome from excessive car exhaust. The first thing to become damaged in a long term toxic environment is the emotional stability that most people have. With out proper control of ones emotions . . depression sets in ( the mother of all diseases) and they eventually become allergic to logic and happiness.
But be that as it may . . . these envirophobes are people and we need to tackle pollution aggressively. They are not to blame for 3 generations of car exhaust fumes in their face. We need to do everything we can to fight polloution. As gold miners we need to mine in such a way that we leave a place better than we found it and not turn our back on these issues.
Good recap of the situation. Interesting how dollars are shy so they do things to stop tourisim, one of the last sources of income for many small business' in Oregon. A recreational dredger coming in from Ca, Id, Wa, TN or wherever spends money in the local community. He buys food, gas, lodging and entertainment for his entire family quite often. This is not trivial money either. Take 5000 a summer, spending $2000-2500, that is possibly an underestimation at that. And the added bonus is we dont have to pay them for cleaning up the bottoms of our rivers and streams, making the fish happier !
http://www.leg.state.or.us/11reg/measures/sb0700.dir/sb0765.intro.htm
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