Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-11-19
DEBRIS.
sr1oKENs AND SAND BROUGHT INTO
COURT YESTERDAY.
Fourth Day of the Hydraulic Mining Case
Proceedings Of Fr1day-Testi-
mony for the People.


The trial of the slicrens case, The People
VS.. The Gold Run Ditch and Mining Com
pany, was resumed at $40 a. N. yesterday,
Judge Temple presiding.
James Holland was sworn on behalf of the
plaintiff. TO Mr.. CadwaladereI reside
north OF the city, near Lisle's bridge. am
farmer and orchardist. live on the bank
of the American river, near Lisle's bridge. I
came to California in 1850 from New Orleans.
I first saw the American river in 1850 The
first point I saw it was at Lisle's bridge.
When first came to California I mined in
Nevada county. Icrossed the American river
once or twice year up to 1867. have
resided at my present home since 1867.
I first saw the bottoms of the American river
in July, about 1850 came from San Fran
cisco on the 10th of July, 1850. then made
up an outfit for the mines, and went with an
OK team to Nevada City. forded and waded
the river at point where Lisle's bridge now
stands. The river, from bank to bank, there
was about 400 feet wide. The banks
were high and steep. The river bottom was
smooth, and composed of sand and small
gravel. The lands on the banks were covered
with sycamore. cottonwood, willow and oaks.
The soil was sandy loam-a dark loamy
soil-and very productive. l first noticed
sand washing in the river in 1852, and the
water during the daytime was little riley.
Witness was referring at that time to what
he saw in Nevada county.] In 1866 and 1867
was the first time that we could call the river
muddy. In November, 1867, purchased the
HUBBARD GARDENS.
Il was composed of very fine loamy soil.
The floods had not damaged the land prior to
that time. In December and January 1867
and 1868 there came high water and covered
my place, and came into my house to depth
of three feet, and left tremendous amount
of debris and sand, and all kinds of rubbish,
huming, lumber wheelbarrows and nearly all
classes of mining machinery. had mined
nearly fourteen years. The sand that was left
on my place 1 recognized as Of the
same character of sand that had handled in
the mines; The deposit that year, when
summer came, dried out and would net pro-
duce anything. had to boat that time all
the time. The water was very thick and
muddy. The amount of sediment that set
tied in the rooms of my house was from three
to four inches deep. The house was very
large house, so feet in length and 2S feet
wide, and had about twenty-one rooms, and
was originally built for a public house. 1
had barns, Sheds wagon-sheds, etc. l had
my place well fenced with wicket.fence. |
had thirty acres in orchard and vineyard.
The channel of the American river that time
filed up at least four feet.
THE CURRENT
OF the river that winter was very strong. l
have seen houses, fences barns, etc., going
down stream with the current. That winter
it rained at times for several days very hard.
I have noticed the sediment, debris, sand,
etc., moving along with the current, and have
noticed frequently since that time very high
waves by sand rolling down with the current.
The current of the water passing down,the river
rolls in waves, and is caused by the sand mov-
ing on its downward course. These waves
sometimes are from two to three feet high.
They make a noise like ordinary waves. 1t is
a different noise from that of clear water, or
water not ladened with sand. It is only in
the high stage of the water that these waves
are noticeable. When the river is high sand
waves can be seen at all times. When the
Sacramento river is higher than the American
river, these waves are not seen in the water
backed up from the Sacramento river. Near
Brighton, however, they at that time can be
seen. The debris left during these floods was
of coarse, white sand. Since 1867 and 1868
lean has changed its channel in places a
canal has been cut since then, cutting off a
bend in the river; the old bed at that place
is entirely filled in. Around my place it has
filed up at least four feet. / remember being
with Mr.. Cadwalader in July of this year
about 400 feet above Lisle's bridge. The de-
bris of last winter had
FILLED IN
At that point four feet of white sand. The
filling in of the river channel has since early
days come I'D in some places to the hight of
the original banks, and in other places from
two to four feet from the top of the banks.
Last winter a deposit of two feet of white
sand came into my orchard east of my house,
on at least fifteen acres. have places on my
farm that are covered five feet deep with sand.
I have one field of twelve acres that is filed
from two to five feet deep. Ali of my stone
fruits, peaches, plums, cherries, etc., are
killed. Apple and pear trees have stood it
better. In my apple orchard the sand has
filed around the trees, up to the branches,
and many of them are dying. My receipts
for fruit for many years was $1,000 to $1,000
annually. OF late years the receipts are
very SMALL New trees will not grow in this
sand. The whole place will not, under the
most favorable circumstances, produce more
than 81, 800 or $1,000, and perhaps will
I had at one time fine cherry orchard, but
it was totally destroyed, together with 800
peach trees, during one high water. They
were just at the age when they were the most
profitable. There has been in the neighbor-
hood of 500 or LOCO acres destroyed in my
neighborhood in this manner. It was origin
ally the finest garden land in the country.
Over eighty Cinnamon were gardening it,
and from what it produced 1 should judge it
worth at least 5000 per acre. Now it could
not be sold for $50 per acre. Myself and
Mr.. Greenlaw are the only white men who
live in that locality at present. My house is
ON MOUND
Seven or eight feet higher than the original
ground. Last winter It came up within
eight inches of my floor. The water last
winter stood two feet higher than it did in
the winter of 1868, and three or four inches
of debris was left in the barn. My house is
on the county road leading to Marysville.
The foods since 1867 have destroyed the
roads many times. Fer months they could
not be travelled. A year ago the county
raised the road leading from the city to
Lisle's bridge from three to four feet. The
food LAST winter ran over this road and cut
it very badly in three places. The water
stood very deep over this highway for two
days. 1t stood in many places over the
road ten days. Water from the American
for six months runs under the bridge near
the railroad track close to the city. This is
bridge on the road leading to Lisle's bridge.
just north of B street. From the B-street
levee to Lisle's bridge is nearly three-quarters
of a mile. The road on the other side of the
American river is covered during high water
similarly to that on this side of the river.
The grade on the other side connects with
the red highlands. It is three.quarters of