Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-24
DEBRIS.
FHIRrY-TIRsr DAY OF sLIcKENs IN
COURT.
Further ard Interesting Evidence for the
Defense-Court Adjourned until
January 8, 1882


presiding.
John Macbeth resumed the stand, and was
cross examined by Mr.. Cadwalader-The
adobe soil in the neighborhood of Sawmill
ravine, in Butte county, is black mold. It
is not clay, but more of a vegetable SOIL
When this soil is wet it ia very sticky. In
the winter it holds great deal of water, but
in the summer it dries out and cracks clear to
the hardpan. The slickens deposits 1 speak
of contain but little sand Sand alone would
be an advantage to the adobe soil. The first
year that a slickens deposit is plowed it
breaks up and makes excellent soil.
Lewis Posy sworn. Direct examination 10y
Mr.. Dibble):
Question-Where do you reside?
Answer-In Butte county.
Q.-How long have you resided in Califor-
MIA?
A.-Sincs 1S49. cine to Sacramento in
September of that year.
Q.-How long did you remain in Sacra-
mento?
About three weeks. Then went into
the mines and remained there until the first
heavy rains. stopped in Sacramento until
the 9TH of February, 1850.
Q-Whas was the condition of the city at
that time. with reference to water and floods ?
Ave had good deal of wster in 1849 /;
the big food, think, was about the 18Th Of
January.
Q-How big was it?
Alt covered the whole country.
Q.-To what depth?
A.-Well, l could not say. Most of the
citizens moved ont Of town in boats.
Q.-Where did they go?
Avery place where they could find
high ground.
Q.-Do you remember place of the name
of Hoboken?
Al do not recollect that. 1 remember
Poverty Point
Q.-You went to Poverty Hill. Give in
stances of the food of January, 1850?
A.-Well, we went to the st. Louis Ex-
change on ferry boat we went out on
ferry boat on the Sacramento river, and in
going out we tried to touch bottom at some
places and could not do it. At other places
we could fad it three or four feet deep. We
saw no land for two miles on our way out
Q.-Give any especial instances with re.
spect to the depth of the water at that time !;
for instance, in reference to horses or cattle,
or anything of that kind.
A.-Some time along about the first of
February had some horses Gown about SUIT
terville, about two miles from here, on the
opposite side of the river, and took little
boat and went out there to see the stock. l
found, on my arrival at that point, that eight
of my nine horses had been carried away by
the flood.
O-Where ia Poverty HiII9
Att is south about two miles from here,
/ should think. When was here in 1S49
and 1850 I should think there were about
twenty. five vessels in this port.
Q-Are you acquainted with the lands
upon Sawmill raviRe and below it. in Butte
county?
Ayes, sir.
Q-Do you know what are sediment or
slickens lands.
A. Yes, sir.
Q-State if you know what amount of
territory is covered there with slickens.
About 1000 acres. That land ia %
per cent. better since its deposit of slickens
than before. The land itself sold at $50 per
acre, and before the deposit of slickens it
sold for S22.
Q.-What kind of soil was produced by the
deposit of from six inches to three feet of
slickens upon poor land?
A.-After it is plowed up it becomes sandy
loan and good land. just like bottom lands.
Q-What is the fact of the deposit Of
slickens upon the land, with reference to its
retaining moisture?
A.-Well, I think it retains it better than
adobe land.
Q.-When mixed with ordinary red soil of
the plainr, what is the effect of the slickens!
At has very good effect.
Q.--What has been the result of the slick
ems deposited on the land of your neighbors?
A.-The same effect-a fertilizipg effect.
Q-State the parties who have used slick.
ems in fertilizing their lands state their
names.
A.-Keppel has been using it, and Harri-
son Bros, of Chico Bend. About 500 acres
belons ing to MIR. Carroll, of this city, has
been covered with heavy deposit. Keppel
has 600 or 700 acres of slickens land. The
fills better. The ground retains the moisture,
and it takes little longer time to mature. 1t
is not cut off by the north winds.
ON you own farming, where was your
own best wheat raised?
A.-On the slickens land
Q.-State whether there is any difficulty in
breaking slickens land with the pillow.
A.-No, did not find any difficulty at all.
1t is easier broke, think, than most any or
binary land. I know of farmers wanting to
put gates into the canal. so that they could
get the slickens upon their land.
Cross-examination (by Mr.. HART: O.
How long have you been farming:
A.-Since 1854-farming and stock.raising.
I have mined meme since 1852.
Q-Whose land have you been farming?
Al was farming the Cherokee land.
Q-Are you now occupying land belonging
to the Cherokee Company.
A.-No, sir.
Q-Where was the st. Louis Exchange
located?
Al think the St. Louis Exchange was
on stree t, three or four blocks from the
river. We started from there on h ,ferr boat
Q.-Were there any houses at Poverty
HiHy
A.-No, they were all canvas tents.
Odd you count the vessels that year In
this port?
Al did not count them. but frequently
passed down on the levee. l came to Sacrs-
mento in October.
Q.-Your recollection Of the vessels here
at that time was only rough guessg
A.-Yes, sir.
Q-There might have been Is instead of
sA.-Yes, there might have been.
Q-Where is Sawmill ravine located?
Alt ia in Butte county, near the Chero-
kee mine. Dry creek is about mile below.
This ravine runs into Dry creek. Sediment
land will produce crop every year, and
think its value is fully 25 per cent. better
than the adobe soil.
Q-You mean to say that slickens would
improve land taat is not so good as slickens
A.-Yes, sir.
Q-Would it improve bedrock?
A.-Yes, sir, if put on thick enough.