Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-05

These things are Of record in engineering wsrks
and many more examples like them, and, therefore,
say, Mr.. Speaker, it is idle for any gentleman to
say here that this problem cannot be solved on this
point
know that every old Californian who has had
ought to do with mining ditch, or a fume, or q
swamp-land leyee or amouutain-road grade imagines
himself civil engineer but the State OF California
does not elect him to the Legislature display his
conceited ignorance on professional subjects.
There are other points-the politico- economical
questions, on which We can all talk learnedy, that
we should turn attention to, and thus discuss
this bill it's merits But before coming to these
must dispose of the other point of the engineering
question.
Will such dams have the effect of storing the
sands as desired?
| find on page Il of Part ILL., of the State En-
gneer's report published year ago the following
It should be clearly understood that the obje and
effect Of these proposed dams would be to bold back
tine sands and gravel, and not the finer sediments
which discolor the waters"
On page "a OF the same paper | find a statement
in tabular form of the amount of material washed
into the several rivers by the mines On page SO
an outline of the storage plan and again. in the
report presented to this Legislature and just pub
lished is to be found the whole subject recapltu.
lated and calculations of storage made The result
is, as testified to before the Committee on Water
Rights and Drainage by the State Engineer there is
storage-room in sight on the Yuba and Bear rivers
to hold this detritus for twenty to twenty five years
Now these results are derived from actual survey
they have cost the State money; they have never
been disputed by any who has looked into the
matter. And it is idle for u.s. or for any of us on
this floor TO undertake TO gainsay them without ex
animation. II we do not have faith in these enoi-
neers why then go into their office, expend DAYS in
examining their figures and maps and plans before
undertake to critic!se their reports | ask
whether any member this floor has undertaken
to really inform himself in this way, 50 that he
| might speak knowingly on the subject And do
not hesitate to say that none have.
No, Mr. Speaker, this question as to whether or
not this great engineering problem be solved
not within our province to consider. The State En-
gineer has reported upon it, and three OF the
eminent engineers in the United States have Endorsed
his report. We can with good grace let it alone.
The experience had thus FAR with the works com
menced is just no experience at all, every Just
man must acknowledge. The State was told very
plainly before the Drainage Act passed that this
was work OF time and every one OF ordinary intel
ligence knows that it must necessarily be so.
1t is all very well, for purpose, to cry out here
that the works have faed it is all very well to say
they cannot be made success Ii you gentlemen
who make use OF such tactics reconcile YOUR
to your own consciences, for one am willing
that you have all the rope you desire. But to those
reasonable gentlemen OF this body who come here
with determination of basng legislation in each
case upon its merits, say we have right to look
upon this question from engineering point of view
this year, any differently from what We looked on it
last year The experiment is yet untried, and ii we
are 20 repeal the bill, we must put it other
ground than that OF failure of the wCrks else we
make asses of ourselves before the world
The third question IN this engineer ng category is
OF nature more susceptible OF general discussion
Does this drainage law put into operation prop
machinery Tor g solution (the solution Of the en-
cheering problems of holding back the sands and
improving the iivers)?
We can only consider this question here as an en-
cheering one, for it up again in our second
category as politico economical question, in two
10 ms
In brief, the Act to promote drainage creates a
State Board of Drainage Commissioners composed
of the Governor, the State Surveyor-General and
the State Engineer, who outline designate drain
age districts The Governor appoints a Board OF
Directors for each such district formed. The
State Engineer forms general plans of improvement
and submits them to the District Board, and this
Board after adopting them, by the aid OF its own
engineer carries out the works designed.
We here have business possibility that breadth
OF treatment OF the whole river system which is so
essential TO success. 1t has been universally ac-
knowledged that tn cause OF failure in river works
is the absence OF extended system. We can well
understand that a sustained and systematic treat
ment OF the streams necessary effect their rec
tification, and in order to do this general control
over all works must be lodged in some competent
authority In this respect, therefore, the Drainage
Act appears to be well adapted to the requirements
OF the case.
AS to specific works, well as general plans, the
Act gives the scope so essential 10 success. 1t is
supposed by some that the line of action is bound
down TO some prcconceived definite plan already
ported. Such is not the case Whatever engineer
ing works may be necessary to accomplish the re-
suits aimed at can be undertaken under this Act,
AMI if particular course of action from practical
point OF view, Is at any time found unwise, it can
be changed, modified or abandoned to suit the case.
1t has been said that this law should be repealed
because the system OF reservOirng the sands would
not succeed; the sands ought to be run into the
deep basins or tue lands ami there be stored. Why
SIR that is no argument for repeating the law. Ii
it is proper thing in any case to store sands or
slickens in the tule basins ii can be done as well
under this law as under any other. The power ex-
lists under 1t to carry out any engineering work
which can be paid for out OF the revenue and which
will effect the desired result
1t has been urged that this law ought to be re-
pealed because the miners ought to take care of
their own detritus. | submit, Mr.. Speaker, that
that is no argument for the repeal of this law We
all admit that the State, some authority other
than the miners alone must hold back the sands
and gravel already in the tributary streams can
yons and restore the large rivers to their former
condition. This Drainage Act provides the machit.
cry for that purpose, a if hydraulic mining were
stopped tomorrow, still would it be necessary to
carry forward the very works now projected.
careful review OF the field leads me to the belief
that this Act to promote drainage does put in
operation machinery OF nature calculated to solve
the problem to be dealt with, and that there can be
no point urged for its repeal on this ground Ii in
its details it is detective, that would constitute
reason for amendment and not repeal
H. We now come, Mr.. Speaker, to consider this
SUBJECT from the standpoint of the statesman, the
legislator We have great question forced upon
US by the improyidence of the General Government
and by our own negligence
a. What possible solutions of this question are
there?
We may say that great public question is solved
when 1t no longer agitates the public mind, and for
the sake Of argument We will look upon this matter
IN that light. To stop agitation we must stop in.
jury compensate the injured-for so long as some
one is being ruined he will continue to ag1tate and
know by experience in this State that one person
can stir up mucn noise and popular sentiment, when
the newspapers help him land the newspapers are
certainly on the side of noise in this matter) To
completely stop the injury that is in progress. and
that we hear so much complaint about, means {:
% To stop hydraulic mining ~ to spend about
three to four millions OF money in holding back the
sands and gravel already in the upper streams and
in rectifying restoring The lower or larger rivers
to their former condition of greater capacity Or
an alternative during the next ten years to spend
perhaps mill on of dollars more in holding back
the sands put in by the mines during that period
and allow them to go on with their work in the
meantime.
Here let us distinctly call to mind the fact that it
is with the results of this mining produced in the
past that we are called upon TO fight the hardest
battle. Sands have been put INFO these rivers for
the past twenty five years, and Ye just now
suffering the result of the work OF all that long
period. The repeal OF the Act to promote drainage
will not stop the injury IL will not stop the injury
that is direct, and caused by the submergenee of
property by sands, or that which is indirect and
caused by the filling of the river channels and con-
sequent spreading of the waters
Above the city of Marysville in the Yuba river
and It's canyons there rests according to the esti
mates OF the State Engineer, made from actual sur.
vey and examination, 81, 7i6, 100 cubic yards OF
terial, mostly coarse sand gravel and small bowl
ders, which is in position to be swept into the
Feather river, and down upon the lands adjacent.
In like manner, in the Bear river its canyons,
dumps, etc, the quantity of these tailings have
been estimated at Sc, 160,S60 cubic yards in the
American river, 90, $50, coo cubic wards in the up
per Feather river, 600 cubic yards. Here is
grand total of material liable 10 be brought into the
main streams-the lower Feather and Sacramento
rivers aggregating 800 9S6, 400 cubic yards.
Now the sum total of the filing that has already
taken place in the large rivers-the Feather below
oroville and the Sacramento below the Feather
has been estimated by the State Engineer part Ill.
OF Report 187s-79, p. III, at 1873, $685. 46 cubic
yards In other words, there is more than twice as
much OF this material yet to come into these main
rlvers-already mined out aud ON the way to them
as has already reached them. And that which is
yet 10 come is of heavier, kind which will
not sweep out, but will lodge and stay somewhere
in the main channel and there is sufficient in guam