Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-04-16
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OUR CALIFORNIA LETTER
The Debris QucstiOn-Yisit OF the
Legislators.
YuBA Cry. April1.1SSO.

ED. JoURNAL:-The weather here still
keeps Geld, with an occasional white frost.
The fruit prospects are very gloomy. A
fine rain last night and to-day, which, to-
gethcr with what we have had, will make
between 10 and IL inches of rainfall for
the season. Wheat is looking very well
and an unusual large acreage is sown.
The Legislature OF California came up
from Sacramento on last Sunday, by special
train to Marysville, to investigate the de
bris question" by taking a personal view
of the situation. They were met at the
train by about rs farmers and conveyed in
carriages to the point of high hill some
10 miles n. f. of Marysvile, from which
full view of the Yuba river valley could
be had. Here they could overlook the
whole valley OF the Yuba clear to its
junction with the Feather, at Marysyille.
Having accompanied the party, l will
briefly narrate what transpired First, in
order that you may better understand what
was there disclosed will give you a short
pen picture OF the valley as it now is.
From Marysvile to the foot hills, on either
side OF the Yuba river, and from 2 to 4
feet high, on the outside, while on the in.
side they are only about half ms high, and
all this vast expanse is waste Of sand.
bars, lagoons, and willow patches ,inclosing
an area of about 80 square miles. The old
settlers here told the story of this once
beautiful valley, which is now nothing
short of pcnI-up sand bar, threatening to
throw the murky Yuba upon the city and
the broad, greenwheat fields, which now
lie below its own obstructed course level.
They said, that previous to 1861, and be-
fore hydraulic mining WAS practiced, that
the Yuba river ran ina broad, deep chan
mel, through the center of that waste, with
the upper edges OF its banks, or its high
water marks. from 20 to 40 feet below the
surface OF this waste that on both sides of
the river the land produced SO bountifully
to the hand of industry, that those who
had been so fortunate as TO locate and i'm
prove it, could hardly be tempted to. sell
even at 5000 per acre; that vast orchards
OF fine fruit grew and hourished there.
One, the famous Briggs orchard, contained
several hundred acres OF trees from which
his annual income was fabulous sum to
mention; that spearing fish in the bright
Mountain Yuba was favorite pasime
and tins little valley produced yearly more
than all the county besides That in 1862
the mountain ravines having been all
| filled with sand and slickens by this terri
bic process of mining, the great freshet
drove ii down into their river bed filing
it full to overlooking and that since then,
the whole county had spent heavy part
of their earnings to evee it in, and that il
only remained for another great freShet to
come, to place the whole county of Sutter
| in the same situation, rendering the soil
sterile and the air deadly with poisoned
vapors OF the obstructed, pulrid waters, un
der this tropical sun.
After viewing the above prospects, the
party returned TO Marysvile where Mayor
Rideout gave dinner that did credit to
the city. After dinner the party again
took the road, this time not to see the ruins
of former glory, but to view the beautiful
wheat-carpeted plains OF Sutter county, tu
see if there was anything there worth saw
ing. After having viewed the county by
parties, in different directions, they re-
| turned fully satisfied that the granaries
and warehouses of other countries, ms
well as OF all California, would miss the
| product OF this single county.
What the result OF this investigation
may be, the future will unfold. Many OF
the members Of this distinguished body
are true, royal hearted men, who seek only
the good OF the people. But, Ito do the
better class justice for being so slow to do
what seems clearly their duty, they are
c!ogged with heavy force OF thugs,
who cannot pass "whiskey MILL" when
out on such important business, even
though they could plainly see that their
more manly attendants blushed while wait
ing for them to get ont of the carriage and
get their 4" hell drops" and return, in brual
daylight, aud on the Sabbath
The whole "debris question " boiled
down amounts to this; "Uncle Sam
sells TO A. piece of mineral land, and tC
b. a piece sl agricultural land, He gives
them both title which he agrees 10 de-
fend AS land is not taxable, for its val
ne is invisible and uncertain; its products
are also invisible and therefore untaxed
BIS land is rated at its current value and
taxed, It's products are all listed and
taxed. Now; shall A. use his land to de.
stroy Bis land with? And il so, who is re
sponsible?
[P. s. Constant Reader " shoulC
pass by this-it is from 4" Pedagogue."
Yours, "PEDAGoGUE."