Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-28
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
q BEAR RIVER PICNIC.
Legislative Excursion to the Bear River
Debris Restraining Works Near
Wneatland.
PASS BEARER
70
SHEATLAND AND RETURN.
L. WALTERS,
Sergeant-at-Arms, Assembly.

Sucl was the tahSmanlc bit OF bristol board
that secured the holder admission to the train
of three cars that bore legislators and others
to Wheatland in the cold gray of yesterday
morning. Il was free pass that was outside
the prohibition of passes generally, and the
schemes rssorted to, the wire pulling engaged
in, and he petitions put up to gain possession
of them by those not strictly entitled were
manifold, and by reason of their ingenuity,
worthy better CAUSE. Bat the Sergeant-at-
Arms was firm. and very few mansged
to hoodwink him and go upon "Eze-
kiel's picnic who were not classed
among legislators, press representa-
tivss, attaches of the houses, or officials
whose preseaee was necessary. The company
numbered 16l, and quite 100 were Senators
and Aesemblymen. State Engineer Hall and
District Engineer Rhnades accompanied the
party, the latter. with his assistants, remain
ing over at the dam to make actual measure
msuts Of the dstritus deposited in the few
weeks since the completion Of the works.
THE RUN TO wHEATLAND
Was uBeventfuI. Leaving at o'clock, the
company planted foot in the town at $3.50. A
large number of teams were in readiness, or
soon made ready, and the battalion took up
the line Of advance upon the dam in buggies,
wagons. carryalls, express carts and lumber
wagons. On the route up, Assemblyman
Cannon assumed a prominent position, ac.iHg
as q general director or guide TO the company,
and confidently expressing himself as being
able to convince his brother legislators that the
dam had given away, aud he would show it
beyond cavll. The engineers, Commissioner
Parks, and members familiar with the works,
were equally as certain that he could show
nothing Of the kind, and this issue led to
warm canvass and debate Of the whole debris
question, and the discussion pervaded the
entire atmosphere of the train, notwith-
standing that the Commissioner and engi-
neers declared that it made no difference in
principle If the dam had broken, and that
such q mishap proved nothing. But the de-
bate led TO expressions that heretofore have
not been whispered-or if so, very lightly
and nader the breath, to wit, that Mr.. Cam
Tons activity in the matter grows In part cut
of an ambition to clothe himself with Con-
gressional houors in the not far future. and
thst he IS beginning to make capital with his
local constituency already. This rumor grew
so loud thai it led up-country members Of the
Second District to remark more than once,
that the Congressman who fought against the
preservation OF large part of the district
from dss THction might as well bury his hopes
OF reelection, while another added that new
aalirauss might as well consider that there
are people
DEMANDING REPRESENTATION
Outside those so fortunate as to live at Oak
laud, where the nation is building a harbor
that nature gave no foundation for and com
marce did not inperatively demand. Others
were omen In expression that the Sacramento
valley must take care Of itself, AID that the
other sections of the State had no such inter
ests in its welfare as to warrant contribution
to thu fund TO save it. On the other hand,
the debris advocates pointed to the millions
OF taxable property in the district, its contri-
buttons to the general burdens Of govern
ment the common interest of the people in
the preservation of the district, the necessity
for keeping the ehisf river of the S5a,e navi-
gable, etc; and so the current Of debate,
hint aud argument ran on until the dam was
reached. The road out was good, the day de-
liShtful, and hence the visitors arrived on the
ground n q very fit physical condition to
give their minds to the examination fully
and fairly.
THE DAM
Was found to be about four miles from
Whsatand, to stretch across the Bear river
bed fer thrse quarters Of mile, and to be
Hanke5 by very substantial leyees. It's con-
SLllCEtbu WAs lUuAu W UC EAdCb4S like LtldL VI
the Yuba dam, heretofore deliberately de-
scribed and illustrated by diagrams in the
RECORD UNION. Its levee connections were
found uuhr0ken and unframed. Some 800
feet from the westerly end the visitors came
as they tranped over and struggled through
the brush crest of the work-to the point
where Messrs. Cannon and Sargent had
alleged the break in the dam occurred. About
this spot attention first conferred. State Eu-
ginelr Hall here explained to successive audi
epces, rs the visitors gathered in groups, the
construction OF the work, pointed out that
the dam had sunken at that point in quick
sand gjust AS he has stated, in his
reports prior to It's building, that
it would do along its line until its bearings
should be found, and warmly contended that
there was nc break, but that foundation poles
ana mattresses had sunk in the sand to con-
siderable depth, over which the water was
then pouring as Is came through the dam.
He pointed out that the loose brush shown
by hir. Cannon down stream was brush
stored on the dam for use in repairs, and
which had been hoated off in high water, and
farmers residing IN the vicinity verified his
statement by interfering that such was the
fact. Above the sink the repairs had been
made and Lew brush put in, but the top
layer OF poles which had sunk with TIE struct-
ure had not yet heen replaced By new ones.
hlr. CanrRp contended that the dam had
broken. and that as the mattresses could not
be seen, they had gone out, and that
ALL THE EVIDENCES
Bore cut his assertion that a section Of tie
dam had washed away. To this Mr.. Hall
replied, offering to back his statement to the
extent of fiom 500 to $500, that the dam
had not broken that it was intact except in
its crest alignment and that no man could
i
psrtof the heavy timbers in the foundation,
for they were on the dam and deep in the
auicksand. He explained why the dam was
built as il was, and on the sandy bottom, be-
cause all such dams must be so built, and
cannot be laid on clayey or rocky foun Ia
tions. And so the debate went on with
the charge. question, reply, calculation and
examination, the party moving from point &c
point on the dam meanwhile, until finally.
when some member suggested something de-
rogatory to the accomplished results of the
work, the Engineer threw up his hands IL
despair and cried out, You expect mira
Giles send for a magician. l appeal to any
practical man, with these evidences before
him. il this dam, in the few days Of its first
test. has not accomplished wonders, if it hs;
not done all Captain Eads said of it, and i
1t does not fully answer, thus far, its pur
noses Meanwhile Director Parks was en-
gagged in q Ike manner answering questions
describing the dam and steadily sweepinf
away objections raised. 1t was very evident
that few members had previously formed {
correct idea of the work, and that persona
examination had given them much light OF
the subject. 1t was, practically,
THE UNANIMOUS VERDICT
That Messrs. Sargent and Cannon were mis-
taken that the dam had not broken; that i
had checked the food current to such an ex
tent as to cause very heavy deposits o.
detritus, through which, as the waters went
down, and the stream sucked through tbs
settles, channels had been cut, leaving great
sheets Of mud, acres in extent, with bank
from one 20 two feet in hight. Mr.. Parks to
one group explained the storage ques
ton, aad showed TO his fellow legisla
tors the difference between the stor
age OF water and the storage o
sand and gravel; how the first seeks the
lowest level. but the latter keeps the slope o
the river, something like o lot OF marbles
upon any inclined surface, and explained how
the mountain stream, carrying heavy grave
and powders and bodies of cement, loses it
force when it first enters the reservoir at ;
mint hekuaan three and four miles back from