Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-05
The DEBRIS QUESTION.
Speech Of Mr. Mcclure, Delivered Monday
Evening, February 2sth.

sarily deal with two classes OF problems First the
practical or engineering Problems second, the
politieo- economical problems.
j. The measure under discussion proposes to
repeal law passed at the last session of the Legsla
ture, 10 meet supposed, great public neces-
sity In reviewing the field Of practical engineer
ing inquiry are to ask
"a Was there ever u necessity for the passage of
that Act7 What it, and does that necessity
still exist
o. can this great engineering problem be solved
e. Does this law put in operation proper ma
chiuers for its solutionf
Ii We answer these queries in the affirmative,
must conclude, then, that the drainage law
should stand as it is unless some grave objection
be found to it in the potico- economical aspect
of the case, unless some gross injustice is done,
suffer Witho commensurate return.
H. Considering this measure from the standpoint
Of the political economist, the statesman, the legs-
!a'or, we ask
al VIA. solutions Of this question are possible
% Docs the welfare of California demand an
engineering solution Of the whole subject? Are the
benefits "a be derived from such solution common
surate with ,s COST Can California afford to dis
pense with s. proper engineering treatment of her
rivers
(e-) are the principles of this Drainage Act
measurabiy lust =,
a. Does it contain proper safeguards for its just
application and honest administration
&c II desirable, could the operation OF this law
he arrested now without great loss the people OF
this state!
After replying to these questions, as we think
they should be answered. it only remains to inquire
Has the execution OF this law been intrusted to
proper personsg
I. TIE engineering question: Was there ever
a necessity Tor the passage Of the Drainage Act
What 1t? And does it still exist?
Ia speaking TO this question, it Will be necessary
To INT briefly some of the circumstances which
led up ta its passage. The agitation concerning
the damage done by hydraulic mining had made
itself ie within these nails at each session OF the
Legislature in greater or less degree from 1864
down to io77-7S. AT first it sounded only as a cry
from some solitary representative of small injured
community, on the Auba or Bear river, and though
gradual increasing in volume from year TO year
and receiving little more attention each time, it
always pArJooh OF the character of personal COM
plant and the subject was treated as a local issue
Our legislators failed to realize the fact that broad
tounda ion Tor gigantic State question was being
laid. We Dad 10 organizations to look after the
peoples interest in the public property-the streams
OF the state; officer charged with the duty of
diagnosing the disease that was de elopiRG, pre-
dieting the probable extent OF its effects and arous-
ing attention to ID as a State matter
During he session of 1S777S the irrigation inter
est in tue southern part of the State demanded
legislation IL was proposed to form Board Of Irri-
CATION commissioners and give them power to APP
point engineers 70 inquire into irrigation matters
A. the time the swamp land iuter ests were de-
nandlng legislation OF a somewhat similar charac-
ter. just then spralg up the memorable agitation
concerning the debris question, which was headed
by Mr. Berry since elected to Congress) and an in
Vcstlg2tIon by u legislative committee was insti-
tuted
As the result of these several propositions and as
A compromise measure, law authorizing the ap.
pointment of State Engineer was passed Besides
jnquiring into the problem of irrigation and recla-
NATION and river improvement Ia other parts OF the
State, this officer was specially charged by the law
with the duty OF deyising some plan whereby the
injuries caused by the dow of detrtus or debris from
ha tod
with the working OF such Mines" Take notice. Mr.
Speaker, without iuterferi with the working of
such mines tsection T. sub. s, chap 429, Statutes
lSi7-S, p9g 635C
Eighth The state Engineer shall also inquire
into the relation which hydraulic mining bears TO
the navigation of the rivers, and to their carrying
capacity to inquire into the question OF the flow Of
debris the mines into the watercourses of the
State 30 ascertain the amount and value of aqri.
cultural lands and Improvements which have been
covered up or injured by the overflow deposit of
debris coming from the hydraulic and other mines
III the Sacramento valley, and 10 devise a plan
whereby the injuries caused thereby be averted
without interfering with the working OF such
mines
The 7norabe gentleman from San Luis 'Obispo,
Mr. Murphy, was nj that time a member Of the SEN
ate which passed that law. He voted for it in all its
stages lie evidently then realized the necessity for
doing something in this matter-the great necessity
for wardIng off or preventing this injury and with
out interfering with the working of the mines"
might leave it TO him, therefore, Mr. Speaker to ex-
Diam the point am now speaking to-that OF the
necessity Tor doing something to stop the ravages
resulting from the flow OF detritus without inter
seTiug with the mines-but that he has changed his
Jews on this point and returned here this winter
bent on striking down everything connected with
his project
To return to my subject In January, 1880. the
Stafe Engineer, rs in duty bound by the law under
which ne was appointed, submitted re ort to the
cTeet that the object aimed at in the matter of the
debris problem could be best accomplished as far as
his eX animation went, through the agency of dams
IN holding back the sands and gravel on the flats at
She mouths OF the main tributary streams Of the
valley. This plan had received the Endorsement of
General Alexander and Colonel Mendell, consulting
engineers and has since received that Of Mr. Eads
one of the most renowned civil engineers the world
mas ever produced
Concerning the necessity for holding back the
sands, find she following in the report mentioned
{see Part IL. PIP. 72-74).
First-Ihe valley rivers, already much deficient
IN capacity TO carr, the waters of ordinary foods
re annually. in the most important divisions he
corning less capable OF performing this duty.
Second-The great primary cause of this deteri-
Grafton OF the channels is the flow of the sands from
canyons into which IKE mining detritus is dumped.
"Seventh-TThe presence of sand in the upper
rivers, whence 1t is liable to be brought down in
quantities, impairs the confidence which ought to
exist in the success of whatever plans may be pro-
jected to regulate and facilitate the drainage of the
The danger
Eightb-H the deposit of detritus in the
streams were to ut once yet would it be neces.
sary to restrain in the canyons and in the tributary
streams below the canyons that which is already
there, and stop the flow Of sands therefrom in
order that we may count with any considerable de-
gree OF certainty upon the efficiency and perma-
nance OF drainage works in the valley
Tenth-The restraint of the sand in the can
yons, and the deposits along the tributary streams
below the canyons, admit of no delay. 1t Is the
frt objective point in the restoration Pnd improve
ment of the carrying capacity of the valley streams
Let us remember, Mr.. Speaker that this report
was brought about through the passage of a law.
at the instgaton of the farmers OF the Sacramento
valley generally, but particularly those of Suffer and
Nuba counties. Let us remember that previous to
this report being made the miners st uty denied that
they were doing any great amount of damage. (See
testimony taken before the Debris Committee ses-
sion ls77-7s)
The report OF the State Engineer was replete with
evidence that the damage was the result of the flow
of sands and gravel from the mines, which filed
the channels Of the streams, caused the waters to
spread, and, by thus spreading deposit their finer
sums the adjacent lands. The people of the val
ley satisfied that justice had been done in this
matter the miners yielded the point they
acknowledged the wrong and damage to the farmers
and streams, and the question went forth, " What
we TO do about itT'
The engineers had said a. The sands and gravel
must be Kept out Of the large riVers-the Feather
and the Sacramento. (2.) The danger could be
warded off, in great degree at least without rldi-
cal interference with existing interests :" and 81
That works for this purpose must be built whether
hydraul c mining he stopped or not TO hold the
heavy material already subject to the wash of the
floods tSee Part :, p. "a Part 3, p. 49, State En-
gineer's report, January, 1SS0)
They SAID this work would be expensive and must
necessarily extend through series Of years. to pr
duoe any very appreciable results He who will
look over the testimony Of Colonel Mendell and Mr.
Hall, given 10 this chamber Def re the Assembly
Committee on Water Rights and Drainage, year
ago, will see that this point fully brought out
and ind in the report of Mr.. Hall (Part H., D. 75)
these significant paragraphs
This is subject of great scope and Importance,
directly affecting the welfare and prosperity of a
large portion OF the people of the State, and the
problems involved are of the gravest character, so
that their solution cannot be arrived at, OF fully
marked out even, in year"
Remedial works can only he carried out by de-
rees and the detail of treatment which the subject
must receive can only be determined upon finally
the partial results attained point out the way"
There is no effort at concealment here-the case is
shown in its broadcast light. Something must be
done, and begun quickly too. 1t will take a long
time, and cost much money, is substantially what
said. Il was not said that it would do no good
to stop hydraulic mining. On the contrary II was