Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-26
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE.
fcoNTINgED FROM FIRST PAGE.

was sworn He supervised the work OF the district
Devoted his time to all OF it, but most TO the largest
works. Visited the Yuba dam during the building
on average Of three times week, and sometimes
more. Knows the plans as originally drawn.
Changes we're made from them, because the
Directors and State Engineer determined the
changes 10 be better or more desirable. The con-
tract was completed according to the plans and
the changes made and approved. Was al the dam
Saturday afternoon last. Found the dam in good
condition. As engineer say II answers the pur-
pose for which constructed. From estimates of
the State Engineers department it will hold IS 00o,
600 cubic yards Of deposits. believe the STATE
ngineers department has surveys showing the
mount Of debris which would reaeh as low as the
Yuba dam. The dam has not settled so as to be
useless Such a statement, if made, is untrue. The
dam is now doing as much "a can be reasonably ex-
pecttd in holding debris ba k, and more than was
anticipated by most. believe the tailiugs can be
successfully impouDded, sho9ld judge tor a term
OF years. Ny observations that point are not
definite, but believe they can be held for from ten
TO fifteen years. By building other dams that time
can be increased. | saw the Bear river dam about a
week ago. 1t was then accomplishing tine purpose
for which built. 1t is not true if stated that it
has so settled as to be Of no use. 1t IS intact as
built, except some settles. My testimony as to
the Yuba in all respects applies to the
Bear river dam. The latter was built as
originally designed, with changes made by the
engineering department as stated Whtre changes
altered the quantities OF the work. the prices for
the work remained the same, but new work had to
be adjusted to prices, as the Directors may
arrange. reported to the directors mat the Two
dams were completed according to contract. l re-
ported only after careful examinations and esti-
mates During the season visited all the works IN
the district and reported on all, except IN the I'M
mediate vicinity of Sacramento. The witness here
specified in detail all the works he visited and
supervised The changes made in the construction
of the dams were more expensive to contractors.
In some cases, he believed, allowances were made
them, but he could not give the aggregate
The work was all done strictly in a workma1like
manner. There are settles in the dam. He could
estimate the cost after observation Of bringing the
settles up 10 grade. The cost would be trltiing
The repairs could be made at any low water. The
filling in strengthened the dam every day, and made
it more solid. The taiiiugs settle as soon as the
current Of the river is checked by striking the slack
water. Some of the willows in the dam are now
sprouting. Such growth viii greatly strengthen the
dam as it goes on. Undoubtedly the dam will do all
the engineers claim tor -unquestionably. The
plan and scope of the work not to dam the water
but to strain filter it, and store the detrtus and
let the water 60 The dam is OF fine brush, and
that strains the water checks it, and the particles
settle and the water goes on freer CT the sediment.
The deposit begins at the dam and extends back
above it. The current is checked and cannot longer
carry on the debris. The carrying capacity OF
stream is exactly according to its velocity. Thst
velocity to certain weights is settled by engineers
The dam has two objects. First, check the water
and deprive ii Of the power to carry debris, and
second, to permit precipitation OF detritus. 1t
causes these things by first h5cking the
current, and second, by straining the water.
The deposit may be above and below the
willow network and for such works engineers select
wide places in a stream. The shorter the dam the
less it costs the longer it is the less pressure it
must endure AS to flooding lower countries, the
dams are more firmly anchored the longer they
stand, and can't be torn out to cause flood, and
the dam is not rs high as supposed. Above 1t other
networks may be run, aad the deposit level kept
rising and so the work OF building these mounds
may go on for 100 years. Eventually the deposit
will take the slope OF the old river that is, the
deposit will fill up the inequalities OF the river.
Above the lnta dam large FIAT country. 1t
will take many to fill il up, and with connect
ing valleys. probably 80 years. When that becomes
solid sediment then filing up will go on above
it, The deposits up in the foothills will thus be
much higher than the dam below Scientifically
that is the action of all rivers. The strained or
filtered water, after passing these dams, has the
capacity OF taking up sediment below and carrying
it on. Rivers running through low lands will build
up their banks The object OF The plans OF this
drainage district is to store up the debris and thus
clear out the river increase its securing capacity and
restore the navigation OF streams; and streams are
made to seour by combining them by levess, and
thus increase the velocity and hence the taking up
and carrying capacity Of the streams. There is no
greater pressure the dam if the water backs
back 1000feet than if it backs back only twenty feet
The deposits Immediately above the Yuba dam,
along its 10000 feet, are fully three feet Deep and in
other places more. can take any man there and
dig through it and show il. In the old river chan
mel there is fully feet deposited, and all
this since the construction of the dam. No part of
the dam proper is washed out. At the north end
the earthwork connection with the table land has in
fact washed away, but in no place has the body Of
the earthwork gone. In places the dam mas settled
so as to bring thes crest below the uniform grade
but i. is all there that was ever put in. In some
places the brushwork has settled few inches and
some foot. No where has 1t washed out, or has
the water run beneath. Some places the settle OF
one foot is $50 feet The greater settles short
The dam can easily be made permanent rough
estimate made now, as to cost of repairs should
not like to make but I'd say less than So 900 would
repair it and make it even better than ever have
been Il civil engineer nearly eighteen years, and
continuously engaged in my profession, and nearly
all that time engaged IN engineering works.
J. C. Person, civil engineer, was sworn Was one
OF the engineers OF the district had charge Of the
Bear river dam and levees and some brush work.
The work was done in a wcrkmanlike manner, and
as directed. | saw the dam Friday. 1t was ia
very fair condition. and the repairs made on the set
ties The dam answers all the purposes for which
erected. IL it has been stated that the dam has
settled that The debris goes over it, and thai the
dam is useless, such statement is a fasehoOd. The
debris remains above the dam. At the largest set
tie of $50 feet the brush settled from three to six
feet Cannotsay what the actual cost would be to
repair the dam, but don't think 1t would exceed
81 GOO The statement is not true that only few
(2O) wheelbarrow loads of debris is deposited. Who
ever says so has not seen it. No engineer with re-
gard for his reputation would make such
statement, nor would any practical man do
it. l believe the dams will fully meet
expectation They have exceeded mine. Witness
detailed the points OF work which he had
pervison. He had engineer for thirteen
wears consecutvely and all the time. He continued
az was the engineer who was in charge OF the en-
cheering inquiry in the old Sacramento Drainage
District under engineer Smith, and made report
that has been Published. Ii the measures now
adopted and being tried, or Others are not put in
force the navigation of the Sacramento river viii
be soon utterly destroyed. To stop mining will not
remedy it, because SO much heavy material
is already in the canyons, and the grade
Of the Sacramento river cannot be made
sufficient to carry it as it is washed intoit The
thaI ota nod mot hro
large settle was over the old channel where the
foundation clear sand, and sediment was in it
to pack It. The dam checks the current and allows
the sediment to fall just as was expected and in
tended Ali the leTees on the Bear stood well in the
late flood. No serious damage followed the flood.
Judge the Bear river work was done at Il very
reasonable price. Willows are growing in
the tributaries of the Sacramento and
catch the sediment some. The
material on the Bear lodges higher up the stream
than the railroad bridge. do not know that brush
tied with wire is found below the dam all along the
river. From five to six teams were working on the
dam Four.horse teams and driver get So Thirty
men were not at work on the dam, but twenty one.
| was there Friday and know no brush is carried
away and that there is no break in that dam. IL
did not give away | know it. There are not two
breaks There is not one, do not know there are
six settles. do not know it requires boat to cross
the dam.
Mr Cannon here gave notice that he would prove
that the dam was broken, and that at two places it
was washed away.
Mr.. Parks-l just want you to fetch your wit
nesses TO prove it.
Mr. Long-Yes; or that one yard OF brush is gone
Mr. Camron-I saw it Saturday.
Witness-As to that brush, let me say that no fac
ines-wired brush--was put in. In making repairs
/ used some, but none OF them have gone. Not one
tlcine was ever put into the dam
Mr. Camron-I saw them; wired bundles Of
brush
Wituess-You could not There is no part OF the
work gone We had -considerable-bru
stored to use for repairs, il needed-if settles took
place Some Of these by high water were swept off,
ana gave rise to the idea that the dam broke Some
settlers used wired brush to protect the leyees 1t
never came out OF the dam.
The committee here asked Mr.. Cannon to give the
names Of his witnesses, and the committee would
subpoena them. They wanted the whole truth.
Mr.. Cannon declined to give the names. He did
not know them. He the water running eight
feet deep in a break and men driving stakes TO hold
brush and close the break
Mr.. Parks-It is another wheelbarrew story. It
is not SO.
The committee here subpenaed Mr.. Csmron to
testify.
Engineer Wilson Was here sworn Was in charge
of the work at the English break Notifications were
deemed necessary to make the work what it should
be.
Mr.. Parks-I wish certain and many residents n
the Bear river prove that not one foot of the dam
has washed ou | can prove 1t by 100 witnesses and
by men on the dam Yesterday.
Assemblymau Cannon sworn: Saturday | saw
one break sure and saw another place indicating
another break The break first named was from
fcrty TO fifty feet No sign OF brush could be seen.
! was on the edge OF the break aud saw it. They
ITer driving tweve-foot stakes in it. and piled up
hrush in IL 1t was about 800 or 400 feet from the
Ievee saw where it appearef they had filed $50