Sierra Sam wrote:Like Jim states, it has always been my understanding that it was only when the New 49ers basically, openly, thumbed their noses at the Klamath natives (operative word here is "native"), ignoring their concerns with respect to their fishing rights and conservation efforts to support a renewable resource of salmon in the area, that the "stuff" hit the fan, so to speak. They openly voiced their stance that they were not against "miners", that their concern was that of their fishing industry on a relatively small section of river in a specific area and that those rights as defined by the United States Government for indigenous tribes, were being ignored.
My take was that the New 49ers were more focused on their margin than the sport, hobby and business of mining. I know from personal experience that fish begin to suffocate if the water becomes too murky and feel guilty if I see fish begin to roll on their sides from lack of oxygen.
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Sam, you need to read what I wrote again. I never stated anything like what you wrote. Your understanding, as you wrote it is totally flawed. The club never thumbed it's nose at anything native. We went out of our way to address the natives concerns about their sacred areas. Dave Mack instantly shut down any of our claims that the natives said were in sensitive areas.
I don't know what enviro-wacko literature you have been reading, but murky water has absolutely nothing to do with fish suffocating from lack of oxygen. If murky water killed fish, they would all die in the winter runoff. Your so-called "personal experience" is a farce. I defy you to prove that anyone has ever seen fish rolling over and dying from turbid water.
I lived in Alaska for thirty seven years and every year when the glacier melt is happening, the water is so thick with sediment that you cannot even see the salmon when their dorsal fins can be seen poking through the surface. They thrive just fine.
You sound more like an enviromentalist than a miner.
One last thing. You wrote about the indians rights being ignored. This shows your total ignorance on this issue. The Karuk Tribe has no reservation, therefore, by law, they have no fishing rights.
The insideous anti mining cancer from the klamath has poisoned the well from whence all our rights came. Throw in PLOP ignorance and viola NO DREDGING RIGHTS. Watched the train wreck worsen for over 25+ years whilst 99% did nuttn' but say the GPAAAA,Plop and the 69rs are using our cash to protect us 
