Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-10-20

MARYsvILLE, October 19th.-The Debris
Investigation Committee from San Francisco,
and accompanying party, headed by Mayor
Stone, of this city, started at o'clock this
morning in carriages for trip down the east
side OF the Feather and up the Bear river.
THE YUBA RIVER.
Ia starting out from Marysville the Yuba
river bridge was crossed at the foot OF d
street. Here it was stated to the committee
that the river, which was formerly Of suffi-
cient depth so that large steamers and schoon.
ers foated at all times of the year, had now
been filed up with the detritus to hight of
twenty-five feet from its original bed that
not even the smallest vessels can
now enter the Yuba, but such
as can come up the Feather have
to discharge their cargoes for Marysville and
receive freight on the Yuba City side of the
Feather river. The river bed at the D-street
bridge was also shown to be two feet above
the level of the streets in Marysyille, from
which the city is protected by ffteeu-foot
leyee. Immediately across the bridge, on the
south side, was described the location of the
former Low ranch, one of great value, and
| now under sand for 10 to 10 feet in depth,
and covered with heavy quantity of under
growth, which has become OF sufficient size
to be cut for 6rewood. An embankment II
feet high, and 20 to % feet above the original
surface, extends from the bridge across this
ranch for road. The city has cut a
ditch several hundred feet wide across
this and the adjoining ranch, for the
| water to run through at the next high water,
| with hopes that it will cut across from above
A. - t,o1e IL
| thus giving o new and shorter channel, and
| turn the river away from the city. The
| Hedges ranch, adjoining was described as
| 400 acres, upon which four crops of alfalfa
was cut each year, which was it's condition
| two years ago, and now there is oaly small
patch of it which has not been DESTROYED
The State Drainage Commission last fall con-
structed fine levee on this side Of the river
from nearly opposite Marysville down the
east side Of the Feather river, distance of
five and a half miles.
OTHER RUINED RANCHES.
The party proceeded down the old Sacra-
mento and Msrysville road as far as the
Miller Bros ranch, formerly known as the
celebrated E! Dorado orchards. The present
owners stated that they paid S21, 600 for this
| ranch Of 45O acres only few years ago, and
1000 has since been expended in fine
| large residence, extensive orchards, etc.
| This ranch was considered above the waters
| reach, and until two or three years past had
| no leyees There was 125 acres of full
bearing orchards upon it, aud the remainder
was fine alfalfa land. Last winter the water
swept over it. The river changed its course,
cutting off and carrying away about 80 acres
of alfalfa next to the river. and q building.
A large portion Of the land is covered badly
with white sand, in som places several feet
deep. A place of pure slickens was examined
near the river, where cracks from its drying
were measured, which were four inches wide
at the surface and twenty.eigbt inches deep.
The committee remained here for some time,
and remarked that this wss by far the worst
scene of destruction that had been witnessed.
It was also arranged to have large block of
the slickens sent to the committee at San
Francisco.
From here the party drove upon the next
ranch below, formerly owned by w. S. Me-
sick. OF Sacramento. 1t has 1000 acres.
"Here," said gentleman TO the committee,
lis where two years since were alfalfa fields
and fine grain lands, which have raised from
so TO 1C0 bushels of barley per acre, and now
| ], COO acres of this land is covered and made
into desert of white sand from eighteen
inches 20 six feet deep, and is ruined forever. :"
At one place, a quarter CT . mile from the
river, small smooth Worn stones, some of
on top of three feet OF the whita sand deposit.
were picked up by the committee and were
regarded with interest, as showing the vs-
iocity and capacity of the river to carry tie
larger substances far down the stream.
The next place was owned by NJ. q. Lozier.
"The buildings, said VIM. Miller, were upon
high grounds, but six-foot levee was thrown
up around them, and last winter. during the
high water, came down here from cur place
in boat. When [ got here the water was
four or five feet deep over the lower floor of
the house, and I rowed into the front door,
tied my boat to the stair rail in the hall, and
landed about half way up the stairs
Nine miles below Marysviile the Plumss
ranch was reached, which contains 4, 160
acres, and lies at the junction Of the Bear
and Feather rivers. The committee were in
formed that this was one of the mcst noted
grain farms on the west side of the Feather.
That ten or twelve years ago, at the death
of Jerry Parsons, g former owner, it was ap-
praised at S75 600; that there was raised upon
it one year IA, 600 bushels of wheat and 5. 900
bushels of barley. and the wheat was sold at
81 25 per Genital. The river having COM
menced to overflow from filing up, it was
sold three years ago for S24, 900. and was pdr-
chased last June by Samuel Harding for
$4,000. The house and buildings, stand
ing on high ground away from the river, are
inclosed in a lsvee surrounding four acres of
ground This levee was overtepped last
winter, and water-marks six feet three inches
high on the residence above the mound upon
which it was built were measured by one of
the committee. The owner pointed to an
upper window, ten feet above the ground,
Through which he drove pig from his boat
last spring to the upper floor of barn. to
rescue it from the food. One of the Miller
brothers said: "We occupied this. ranch
three years, and never saw any trace of aikai
upon it !; but you now see it shows in tome
places, and upon our ranch above it has also
shown this year for the first time"
ALONG BEAR RIVER.
The Bear river was now crossed, and i'm
rnediatelv unon the other side CONGRESSMAN