Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-11-21
------7 ON1OITV@ NJ DITI@TTVI
DEBRIS.
FIFTH DAY OF TEE TRIAL OF THE
sLIcKENS SUIT.

FIFTH DAY OF TEE TRIAL OF THE
sLIcKENs SUIT.
Interesting Testimony by Captain Foster
Saturdays Proceedings
in Detail.
The trial of the case of the People VS.. the
Gold Run Ditch and Mining Company was
resumed on Saturday at $50 A. NJ, Judge
Temple presiding.
Captain Albert Foster was sworn for the
plaintif-(To Mr.. Cadwalader)-I reside in
the city of Sacramento, and at present am
employed in the capacity of Assistant Super
intendent of the steamers belonging to the
Central Pacific Railroad. This company at
! the present time have ten or twelve steamers
| plying the waters of the Sacramento between
| this city and San Francisco. We also have
steamers plying between Sacramento city and
points above. Have had this position and
| been intimately acquainted with this COM
| panY's steamers and their movements since
| 1872. 1 came to California ir 1S49. came
| to the city of Sacramento on the 1st day of
| August, the same year. 10 small boat called
the Baton. which was propelled by oars and
| sail. "A lew uays aiter my ursI arrival at
| Sacramento city l proceeded in the same
boat to Parks Bar, distance by river
of about 200 miles. 1 returned to Sacra.
mento on or about October Ist of the same
year. I am quite positive that 1 was in this
city on the 10th day of October, 1S49. On
the 11th day of October l went to San Fran
cisco.
STEAMBOAT SLOUGH
Is thirty miles below Sacramento. 1t is five
| or six miles through the slough proper its
average width is about $50 feet. It is about
halfas wids as the Old river. The Old river
and Steamboat slough come together at Cache
slough, three miles from Rio Vista. Hogs
Back is in Steamboat slough, five miles
above the lower junction with the main
river. Steamboat slough proper is
above the mouth of Sutter slough.
| The North Bend was the name of brig that
I loaded at New York Landing On the 10th
of October, 1S49. Her tonnage was some.
thing over 200 tons, ard her draft about seven
feet. The rains commenced that year on the
| 1st or I'd of November. The Senator arrived
in San Francisco the latter part Of October,
| 1S49. She was sea-going vessel; her tom
mage was from 500 or 600 tons, and her draft,
| light, six or seven feet. She piled between
| San Francisco and Sacramento for several
years She made three trips week, leaving
San Francisco at P. N. and arriving at Sac
ramento at 2 or 3 A. N. Ol down trips she
| would leave Sacramento 1T p. n. and arrive
at San francisco ct or 10 P NJ She carried
considerable freight and a great many pas
sengers. / have travelled on the Senator BE-
tween these points many times. l shipped on
the schooner e. A. Sliser as a sailor for about
six months. She was employed in carrying
reightbetween San Francisco and Sacramento.
Light, she drew FIVE feet Of water, and when
laden, about seven feet. Her tonnage was
about fifty tons. This schooner made trips
regularly, and never had any trouble. AT
that time the river was clear, and all the
reaches deep. We calculated that in front
of this city on always having twenty. four feet
of water in low stage OF the river. 1 came
down from Mill creek, in Shasta county, in 6
canoe in August, 1851.
THE ooMANcHE
At that time was being built on the Yolo
| shore. She YVES side-wheeler of 200 tons
burden. She first went into the upper Sac
ramento trade, making several trips. After
wards she was used between San Francisco
and Marysville, carrying heavy loads OF
freight and passengers The steamer. Erilda
was built about the same time of the building
of the Comanche. She was about the same
size as the Comanche. L will state that the
material or parts of these steamers were
shipped around the Horn and put up here.
Those vessels that first came here were OF
heavy draft and strongly built. The Sacra-
mento harbor in 1850 and 1851 contained a
great amount of shipping. The Governor
Dana was stern-wheel river steamer. l
made trip up the American to Patterson's
ranch On the Governor Dana, distance of
eighteen miles. From 1S49 to 1862 ! was
constantly employed in the navigation of the
| Sacramento river. About the time the SEN
ator came the New World came. The Nc
Kim, Hartford, Antelope, Confidence and
Wilson G. Hunt came or in 1S49 aud 1850.
They were all
SEA. GOING STEAMERS.
The Confidence and Hunt came around the
Horn, but could not be properly classed as
sea.going. The Capital was the largest vessel
ever put on the Sacramento, her tonnage
being /. 600 tons. She came on in 1866 aud
continued in the trade until 1871 The
| Chrysopolis was next in size to the Capital.
Her tonnage was ], 100 tons. She was taken
off about 1870. The Yosemite was used az
the same time in connection with the Chrys-
opolis and Capital. Captain Chadwick was
master Of the Chrysopolis first, and after
wards [ succeeded TO her Captsincy. We
usually left San Francisco about 4 P. NJ
and arrived here from 2 to A. NJ
The general size Of our csrgoes was several
hundred tons; 500 tons was her largest load
The draft of the Chrysopolis was six feet.
| The Capital was 800 feet long and so feet
wide. Her hull was something near 80 feet.
The Senator was the largest boat on the river
prior 20 the Chrysopolis and the Capital.
The Senator I have seen lately. She has
heen built up some on her deck, but not
| heightened. The first obstruction to navigs-
tion was at "Hog's Back" The "Hog's Back"
shoal at first was apparently hard-pan be.
fore il began to shoal up. We lighted up the
| boats to enable the steamers to come over the
Hogs Back" with less delay TO waits etc.
They were not necessary really, only TO en-
able us to cross at lower tides. The next
obstruction was the ' Haycock" shoals, about
ten miles below Sacramento. We had no
trouble with the Cbrysopolis in 1866 when I
first took charge of her, to the best of my
recollection. That shoal
KEPr sHoALING
More and mora, till at the last of my run
ming there was less than five feet. l always
heard, by report, that at first, at that point
vessels could cross drawing thirteen feet.
The river has shoaled at times so we could
not get above h street. That was before tie
Chrysopolis quit running. Our landing was
above r street, at K. At the footof the bend,
and in sight of cur landing we had the worst
| shoaling we ever had. 1t was from quar-
ter to a half-mile below the new gas works
| just above the point OF the bend as it shows
Few. That shoal we had no particular name
lot. IhaI snoal gave US Ifoupls IN 1919.
| At low water we had about three feet in the
channel. Formerly we used TO have at least
twenty-four feet there in the channel. That
shoal I don't think gave US any serious
trouble before 1875. For over four months.
then, we had to land st Murphy's landing.
The Amador aud Julia were running then.
They were lighter boats than the Chrysopo-
lis. The Amador's tonnage was S97 tons. 1
think she was 1S0 feet long and very broad.
The Julia was smaller. put or her once
225 tons Of wheat, actual weight. When I
left the Chrysopolis I went on the Anador.
| I left as Captain in 1872
HAVE TAKEN soUNDINGs
In the Sacramento river, or had them taken
in 1875 To improve the navigation of the
river, a dam was built by the Califorpis
Steam Navigation Company at Haycock
shoals. It was repaired by me after 1 left
the Chrysopolis, probably about 1865 or 1867.
Can't say what the date of the building of
the dam was. The channel had shoaled at
Sacramento. One wing-dam was built op-
posite K street, and one further down. Beth
were built from the Yolo shore, and to