Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-11-22

at time, they made their regular trips from
here to sll the mountain towns. Think they
could have run since 1862 about the same, for
the roads have been built up. SO that delays
would only be for few days. Without these
grades they couldn't set along, of course.
Now, as the river beds are raised, the waters
stay up over the roads longer.
CRoss.EXAMINATIoN.
ITO Mr.. Catlin)-Over 10000 acres over
the American river il sll swamp land. The
title came from the State as swamp land.
Began to buy it in 1868. Acquired the
whole 10, Goo acres in about six or eight years.
From the lower boundary of the Rancho del
Paso to its north boundary it is largely
swamp land, but there is nearly two sections
of Government land on it. Bought the land
to Craze cattle. Some Of it was tule land
when got it; small part of it is so now.
1t was heavily stocked and eaten out, and
when the tule ceased there came sort of
smart weed that was better feed than the tule.
At real high water the land is all flooded, but
more now than ever. But there is 100 acres,
ridge, that was never flooded until 1873. It
is sort of island, or perhaps more of a
peninsula. Fisherman's lake is on the west
side of the island. 1t was an island as far
back as loig,5o. | saw grain raised on
the land. Cultivated to grain a few
acres myself on it. In 1862 Bear river
aud Feather and Sacramento rivers aided in
flooding my land. Lived on Dry creek, this
side of Marysyille, in 1862. Was in Sacra-
mento every month. Was in Sacramento in
the food of December, 1861. I was here in
January. 1861. AT Mississippi Bar the bluff
is about as high now as when 1 was first
there. The river keeps cut out there. On
the front of the San Juan ranch all along
there has been mining on the American river,
oE
mining still goes on there. l don't call these
bars bottom land, but gravel deposits by the
river. Think the average fill in the channel
of the American river from here to Hoboken
is fifteen feet. The Sacramento Valley Rail-
road started in 1855. Since then have fire.
quently been on lands along the river on this
side of the river, but above Rooney's havn't
been on the lands since 1855. Before 1862
in high water what is known rs the island
section down the Sacramento river all went
under water None of the II 600 acres on
the San Juan ranch have been injured by de-
bris deposit.
was. 1t is high, red land.
Witness-The north levee at Smiths Gar
dens is, at some places.
HALF A MILE
From the river. On the upper end it is
aDOub u tluatGGF VI u lille. AS JlS GOrtn
levee goes out of the city, it is, on the line of
Eleventh street. about half mile from the
American river. Up at RabePs tsnnery it
comes close in to the levee. From the levee
out to the American river, no, tn OF the city,
there must have been 500 Cinnamon working
on the lands there-some washing, some gar
dening All this land was not swamp, for
mighty fine pear trees and peaches grew
there, and there were orchards and gardens
there. By the building of the city leYees the
water was thrown off to one side. Two years
ago the food over there killed out fine cherry
trees. The 10000 to $4,000 acres injured
north of the American includes my 10, 900.
Bought most of my land over there at So an
acre =; some at 81 an acre and I'll sell it to-
day for that, or less some paid SIS for.
am taxed for it at the value of s. per acre. If
located any of the land, ard think did, 1
must have sworn it was all swamp land
Clear back to 1850 it was swamp land, but
they built levees on it to reclaim it. and cul.
tivated it. Levees were there before 1860.
DON'T think any were there as early as 1855.
Il all had been leveed when I bought it, but
some of them were broken. We never tried
to leves it again had we leveed up it would
have forced waters over on this side. It is
now sort of reservoir over there. Don't
think the construction of levees on the
river and islands has increased the foods up
the river. OF our 10 900 acres over the Amer
ican river fully 5000 are covered with slick
ems. 1t might
HELP TIE LAND
Ii we could keep the water eff and could
mix it with the soil. Fisherman's lske is on
our land 1t is from two and hall to three
miles long, and has fish in il the year round.
Never had project in mind to turn Bear
river, so as to fill cur lands with slickens.
Have said if they wanted TO run their slush
down there and Eli up the place, TO go on and
do it, and get it up out OF the water The
Feather and Sacramento never rises high
enough to come on over cur land before the
American gets in. When [ said the Sacra,
meDto and American ran up to Fremont and
the Feather, it was because the basin filing
there does it, Before the last three or four
years the basin Of my land never got entirely
dry. Before that it used to dry off each
year. There are now fully 5000 acres there
now in the basin with water on it.
(Re-direct)-I5 don't run eff, because the
rivers have filed so that their beds are
higher than the basin on cur lands. There
has been no high water, az recollect, in the
American river. since 1868. Ii [ spoke OF
high water in December, 1862, meant De-
cember. 1S61-the food year.
At the suggestion of counsel moving the
Court to do 80, the Court intimated that the
adjournment on Wednesday probably will be
until the Monday following, on account Of
Thanksgiving intervening, and the desirs of
counsel to return home then.
The Court, at p. NJ, adjourned until $3.50
a. NJ. to-day.