Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-17
THE BEAR RIVER DAM.
Report of Resident Engineer J. c. Person
as to its Condition.


as to it's Condition.
J. c. Pierson, Resident Engineer of the
Bear river Division of Drainage District
No. 1, and who had charge of the construc-
ton OF the Bear river dam, and has remained
in charge since its completion, came from
there last Saturday and makes the following
report as to its present condition. The dam
was completed and accepted from the con-
| tractors about the LIST of December, at which
| time the water covered the area within the
| dam. but only percolated through the lower
part of it. About the 10th of December there
was rise in the river, and the water rose to
near the top of the dam, which produced
settling near the south end for distance of
about 40 feet It was caused by the sand
washing from under the foundation, and
made it settle vertically about four feet. This
was repaired by building an additional brush
work to the former level, and weighing it
down with sand bags. This settle occurred at
place where former channel of the liver
had been filed in by the natural action of the
water. At the next rise of the river, which
occurred about the Goth OF December, settles
were produced in four places, all in the
same manner, and 10 each place the
dam maintained its vertical position,
but settled from five to six feet
from the crest line. One of these
places was about 400 feet from the north end,
aud Immediately over the old channel of Bear
river, being 140 feet in length, The second,
about quarter Of a mile from the north end,
was about so feet long Another, about
500 feet from the south end, was 80 feet ia
length. The fourth was near the south side
and Immediately by the former break, which
had been repaired as above mentioned. This
one was 80 feet in length. The two upon
the north end were repaired, and the one
nearest to the south end was closed to within
80 feet when
THE STORM SET N LAST WEEK.
This caused the water to rise rapidly and pre-
vented the completion of the work. On Friday
morning the dam was full from end to end,
being the highest water which had occurred
this season. Friday afternoon, about l
o'clock, another settle commenced about $50
feet from the north end over portion of the
old channel of the Bear river, and at the side
OF the section which had before been repaired.
Friday night it had settled for distance of
about 40 feet, and the next morning it had
extended to $50 feet. Mr. Pierson says this
appears to be like the previous settle, so far
he can determine and that none of the
dam has gone out, but has sunk for that dis
tsnce some five feet below its alignment.
When he left on Saturday afternoon about
o'clock. the water had fallen from two to
three feet, and the dam remained intact ex-
cept as here given. This last rise did not
widen nor change the settles at the south side
He further states that some loose brush which
was out upon the crest of the dam when the
last storm set in was carried down by the
high water and
GAVE RISE TO THE IMPRESSION
That L l. ! j
away. The cost of repairing the former
settle near the north end he says was about
$500, and the present one, to the best of his
judgment, is of a similar character and of
about the same extent. The water had fallen
sufficiently so that on Saturday afternoon a
force of men were about to commence work
at this principal settle to build it up again to
the general line, when MIR. Webster, the
owner OF the lands adjacent on the north
side of the river appeared and ordered
the engineer and his party TO vacate the
premises. The reason assigned for this was
that their driving across his property was
producing an injury. They were encamped
upon his land and would have to haul the
brush for the work across his field.
1t is understood that the Board of Drain
age Commissioners will at once proceed by
due process of law to procure the necessary
condemnation Of right of way over the lands
adjoining the dam, 50 that the necessary re-
pairs may be made.
Mr., Pierson says that it has been demon
strated, from the effect of the water upon the
Bear River dam thus far, that the settles
occur invariably where there is deposit of
sand uumixed with other material, and that
whenever there is a deposit Of clay or slick
ems )" with the sand, it retains its frmness
and withstands tie pressure. From this he
concludes that there will not be much diff
Guilty from settles hereafter, as the greater
portion Of the foundation is of mixed ma
terial, and that the damaged sections on the
north and south portions of the river are al
ready nearly or quite coextensive with the old
channels which were filed with sand deposits
a large quantity of sediment has already been
stored above the dam since its construction,
which the engineer estimates at two feet il
depth, and in places to exceed three feet.
The structure of the dam is such that the
water passes through it, and has no. as yet
any time entirely covered its crest When
the water was the highest last week, about
seven inches ct the top remained out of water.
Since writing the above reporter has re-
turned from Whsatland, who states that the
river has 50 far receded that an inspection Of
the dam has been made by the foreman OF
construc ion, and the dam is found to be not
broken, but in good condition, except settled
down as before stated.
METROPOLITAN THEATER-Miss Bucking-
ham, as Mazeppa, seems to have made
Friau1s ba,a ord % q recnlt nf noDr