Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-06-13
THE EAST LEvEE.
Imaginary Conversations Concerning the
City's Levee Defenses.

!
City's Levee Defenses.
A stranger in our city entered real estate
Office. There were present several agents Oh
property, lawyers. judges and newspaper
men.
Said the stranger TO one of the agents:
contemplate locating in your city, ard called
TO look over your list of business property,
and also to inquire as to the safety of yeur
leyee defenses, and particularly those along
the American river, as I hear that river is
fast filling up with sand.
"Oh." said the agent, "our city is safe
now. We have just had put upon the face
of all our levees several thousand car loads
of cobble stones-immense quantities of
them. All that you iced to convince you is
to see the stone. These gentlemen here ad-
vised that they be used, and have seen the
stone, and know they are safe"
Said the stranger g will stroll up over
the levee and look at the stone for myself"
In doing so, about half mile above the
railroad bridge, he met four intelligent
looking men, walking together, and near
them several plain and practical-looking men.
The stranger introduced himself, told them
his business, and he found that one
of the four was the City Surveyor, man
who had been educated for a civil engineer,
and had charge Of the levee improvements ud
its protection. Another was the County
Surveyor, ard a civil engineer of many years
experience, and who was wall acquainted
with the levees and river channels. The
third was the resident engineer of the Central
Pacific Railroad, whose duties for many
years past had caused him to closely and
carefully observe the action of the rivers in
connection with the levees; and the fourth
man was the State Engineer, man of large
experience, who said he had made thorough
examination of the American river at that
point few months before this stone had
been put on.
The stranger was informed that those COM
mon-looking men with them were levee build
ers who had constructed this levee twenty
years ago. and had much to do in its care and
protection since.
The stranger said he presumed the engi-
neers had recommended this great amount of
stone that lay in such profusion on the lower
part of the levee, and that they were entirely
satisfied with the result. /
The first above described engineer, speak
ing for all, said they had not recommended
the stone to be put on at that time, and were
not satisfied that the point of greatest dan
ger had been met.
The stranger asked if the stone would not
keep the water from running over the top of
the levee
The answer was mo"
Twill it not keep the channel of that river
from coming SO uncomfortably close %
No"
"Will it not protect the levee from the
quicksand washing ont from under it?'
"No.n
"Will it not keep the gophers out ~
"No."
"Hew can they get at their holes to poison
them then =
Move the stone."
Said the stranger What was the object,
then, in spending SO much money in stone ?"
He answered "We were informed that
real estate men and lawyers and men of that
kind said if it was done that strangers and
others unacquainted with such matters would
see the stone and think the city safe."
The stranger inquired what would be done
when that current we see there cuts in and
undermines the levee?
"0h, they will bring men from town, cut
brush, and get plenty more stone in on the
cars, and fight it off, like they did at Rabers
tannery few years ago"
but why was an effort not made to turn
away that river instead of spending SO much
money on stone~
"Well, they got the proposition to expend
the money for cobbles land none for turning
the current away, before the people, and |
these same lawyers and real estate agerts |
said-although the proposition submitted |
was probably wrong-it would not be good |
policy to postpone the election in order to |
change the tickets, so that the more import.
ant work might be done-for, in that case,
strangers might think that we cid not intend |
to do anything at all"
How long would it have delayed the
election to have changed it"
Probably one or two weeks"
The stranger remarked that the old saying |
Of "Be sure you are right, then go ahead"
did not seem to have applied in that case.
'No our folks often seem to forget it"
Do those levee builders and practical |
men with you agree with your ideas in this |
matter"
Eyes; but they could not talk like the
other parties
After thanking the engineers, he remarked |
that he was glad he had met them, and in-
quired at what time the next train for the |
Bay would leave, and walked down to the |
depot, glancipg first at the current in the |
river and then at the stone on the leYee, and |
said to himself: This people seem to act
strangely. | shall invest nothing here. /
can nee no difference between spending money
thus and doing nothing in the premises"
The LITTLE BIRD THAT HEARD IT.