Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-11-10
DEBRIS.
Report Of the Investigating
Committee.
WHAT THE COMMITTEE SAW
Graphic Description Of the Ru-
ined Ranches.
VISIT TO THE HYDRAULIC MINES.
Conclusions Arrived at and Recon-.
mendations Adopted.


SAN FRANCISCO, November 9th Following is the
report of the Debris Committee Of the Board OF
Trade, completed this evening
THE REPORT
The committee appointed by the citizens of San
Francisco to Investigate the subject of injury to
agricultural lands caused by debris from hydraulic
mining, report that in their investigation, made at
the request OF the AntiDebris Association of the
Sacramento Yslley, their attention was called by
that association specially to the condition of things
existing on the Yuba, Bear and Feather
rivers, and the adjacent country, and their
examination therefore has been confined entirely
to that section OF the State. They began their work
at Aarysviile. There they inspected the Yuba and
Feather rivers, and the extensive evees intended
for the protection of that city from the lnundatioa
OF these rivers. Its condition is critical in the
extreme The bed OF the Yuba river along the front
of the city has been filled up with debris to such
depth that it is above the general level Of its
streets. Formerly there was sufficient depth of
water along its front to float steamers of consider
able draught. The whole river to the opposite bank
has been filed with white sand, and the only
protection the city now hiss from the annual
nundation is by levees about fifteen feet in hight
constructed and maintained at an average annual
rate OF taxation for the last ten years OF five per
cent. Ii the debris is allowed to flow into the river
as in the past, it is certain that these evees will
cease to afford further protection, and the ruin of
the city will be inevitable At no point OF their ex
animation did the committee witness more
STRIKING ILLUSTRATION OF THE DANGER
OF an unchecked flow of debris into the river chan
nels. This debris consists Of fine muddy particles
held in suspension, which is known as " "sckens."
and coarse sand and gravel, which rolls along the
bottom of the rivers. The adjacent country along
the west baak OF Feather river, in sutter county,
was next examined as far down as the town of Nico-
laus. Along this line of seventeen miles, levees OF
immense dimensions have been constructed.
some of which have a width of one hun
dred feet at the base and. twenty feet
at the top, and IS feet in hight for the purpose OF
protecting that plrt OF the county from inundaton
The Feather river country in Sutter county living to
the west of the evee referred to- is rich alluval
plan much of which is under cultivation and GOV.
cred with fine residences barns and other improve.
ments. Over this extended plain, on the other
hand, were evidences of the recent inundation to
considerable depth. The committee was informed
that this overflow was caused by breaks in the
Feather. river levees during the winter floods OF
1sso-s1. They next examined the east side OF
Feather river, in Yuba county, far down as Bear
river, ard also the adjacent country Evidences OF
inundation were On every side and to depth even
greater than the west side OF FeSther
river. At point on the main road
from Maryssle to Bear river there are water marks
on barn standing what is there termed high
land, which showed a depth of about fl7c feet OF
water during the winter of 1es9-S1 Along the low
lands on this bank OF the Feather there was de-
posit Of white sand many feet in depth, totally
destroying them. This was specially the case with
a large part Of the Millar ranch aud the Mesick
ranch, which but few years since were under full
cultivation in alfalfa, orchards and grain. These
fine lands are