Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-14
THE D. BRIs QUESTION.
SPECIAL MESSAGE BY THE GOVERNOR
ON THE SUBJECT.

Governor was yesterday sent TO the Senate:
To the Senate and Assembly of the State of Cali
fornia: In my annual message to your honorable
bodies | stated my intention to trest the subject of
Drainage in special communication The magni-
tude OF the interests at stake and the compexity of
the considerations involved render it impossible to
deal CURLY with the topic. When, as here, the
very existence of OF the most fertile portions of
the State is imperiled; when destruction of prop.
erty aggregating Immense amounts is threatened
when it is made apparent that failure to egisate
effectively must entail the complete abolition of the
States most important waterways, thus retarding
prog ess and settlement wide areas through the
consequent increase of transportation charges; when
also there is involved thefate OF an extensive produc
tive interest which adds yearly between 900
and 81, 900 to the capital of the community it
has seemed to me that it would be reproach on my
administra ion did not to the best of my ability
press my opinion OF the gravity and urgen OF the
situation, and give my for believing it the
duty OF your honorable bodies to take the whole
question under earnest delioeration.
The Act to promote Drainage, which was passed
by your predecessor in Office received my signature
ID April, 1880. As the reasons which induced me to
sign that measure have all been fortified and con-
frrned By subsequent investigation, and as those
reasons embrace the foundation of the whole ques-
tion propose to state them here.
Under the law of March, 1873, organizing the
office of State Engineer, provision was made for
aiming the condition OF the rivers in connection
with the deposits of mining debris in their channels
and also the effect of these deposits Of debris upon
the valley lands during floods An appropriation Of
100000 was mode to cary this law into effect, and
the result was the accumulation OF IA mass OF very
important information, from which, as embodied in
the reports already land before you, and from the
subsequent Investigations made under the Drainage
Act, the principal facts am about to state are de-
rived
1t is already known to your honorable bodies that
considerable injury has been done to farming lands
by the debris from the hydraulic mines 1t is also
known to you that come steps have been taken to
remedy the evils in operation. Ny purpose here
will be to treat this subject as fully the available
data permit and to co slider, ~ the nature and
extent of the injury done and threatened ~ the
value OF the property directly and indirectly men,
aced () the results to the State OF the threatened
destruction OF its principal waterways; a. the i'm
portance of the hydraulic mining interest, directly
and indirectly; % the practcability of remedy,
its conditions and its implications 90 the fuhlity
of merely stopping hydraulic mining % the rela.
lions and obligations of the State to the question
(sl the necessity OF some sustained engineering
treatment OF the rivers, under any circumstances
These divisions of the subject l shall treat as con-
cisely as possible in their turn.
Of the nature and extent OF the injuries inflicted
you have already been informed somewhat fully by
the reports OF the State and consulting engineers
The damage done by hydraulic mining consists in
a direct destruction of agricultural and other lands
(2) indirect damage to such land (3) direct injury
to the rivers and streams (D, indirect damage to
the rivers and streams. The most serious direct
damage to property has thus far occurred on the
American, Bear and Yuba rivers. The nature of
the damage practical burial OF large areas under
the mining detritus, or Z" slickens" and sand. The
property SO buried is, in fact, so completely de-
prived OF agricultural value that in the opinion of
competent judges it can under the most favorable
circumstances be fit for nothing but raising swamp
timber for from fifteen to thirty years. AS to the
extent of the damage done in this way already II
State Engineer has reported the grea. injury Of
49, acres of farming lands rated alta present prot
able valuation of 81 72 800 for the land alone He
further informs that since making the above re-
port Gin January, 1SS0,) he has become satisfied
that he underestimate the amount of this loss and
he now believes that the damage or destruction
which may be classed as direct IN the loss of agri-
cultural property may with safety be estimated as
follows
Landed property. s. 000o0
Improvements. 1000 600
Total ...............................:s6o 600 900
The indirect damage to property is most apparent
along the main streams; the Feather river, and the
upper and lower Sacramento river. For the most
part the difference between direct and indirect dam
age to property is more in the degree of harm in
1icted than in its character. This, however, is not
Invariably the case. The injuries resulting from
hydraulic mining are, in truth, extensive that it
requires both a comprehensive and careful survey
to embrace them all. The settlers along the lower
have, for example, expended millions OF
dollars during the past fifteen years in attempting
to reclaim swamp and overfiowed lands The failure
which has followed these courageous and spirited eff
forts must be ascrib2d to the constant operation of
mining put in motion, and which from year t. year
have been counteracting and multiplying the most de-
ter1nined attempts at reclamation. As the State
sold the swamp lands the condition that they
should be reclaimed itmust be difficult to show that
it is under any obligation to remove obstacles
which render the fulillment of the conditions thus
imposed by it, impracticable.
The indirect injuries which may be traced without
any doubt or difficulty to hydraulic mining are
however very extensive. In all these cases th9
future can be predicted from the past. On the one
sand and debris On the other hand are lands
with this food. And the food is con-
tinually advancing. The low lands of the whole
Sacramento Valley are in fact threatened with I'M
avoidable destruction. That is to say that an area
inclosng from twelve to fourteen hundred square
miles of fertile territory is indirectly damaged, and
is menaced with ultimate destruction.
Nor is this the whole Of the situation, for the in.
jury done to the Sacramento Valley extends, by
reflex action, to the low lands of the San Joaquin,
and to the lands about the upper bays by direct
movement 1t may therefore said without exagger-
alton that the indirect damage actually embraces an
the Straits of Carquinez.
So far | have only considered the injury done by
the actual prospective destruction Of the fertility
of arabic lands. It's however impossible to conine
the consideration of this branch of the subject to
that channel It is necessary to bear in mind that
the destruction of the navigability of the Sacra-
mento river is involved This would deprive the
whole of Northern California of competition in
The wheat crop alone of that re-
gion may be estimated at 500, 900 tons. 1t NAV also
be fairly calculated that the removal OF competition
would result in rise OF freight rates to the extent
of 81 per ton. Thus then an additional tax of
81, 200, 900 year on the movement of the harvest
alone is involved in this question: concerns North
ern California. An illustrative instance OF the in
fuence of river Improvements on freight rates is to
be found in the effect produced by deepening the
channel at the mouth of the Mississippi. The com.
petition offered by that river after the opening of
its mouth reduced the aggregate freight charges on
the first years products of tn, Mississippi valley
fifty millions of dollars.
have endeavored to ascertain, by reference to
the assessment rolls and the report of the Board of
Equalization, as well as from other sources, the
amount Of values menaced directly and Indirectly
by the effects OF hydraulic mining / have above
stated the opinions OF the State Engineer as to the
extent OF actual destruction already accomplished
He puts il at So, 100000. Taking the counties of
Cousa Placer, Sacramento, solano, Suffer, Yolo,
Yuba, Butte and Tehama, and estimating the
lots, and the improvements, and of the town lots