Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-15
TIE GOVERNORS MESSAGE ON THE DE-
BRIs QUESTION.

places the whole subject before the public
in a manner which has never before been
attempted, as regards comprehensiveness
1t is evident that the Governor is deeply
convinced of the magnitude of the topic,
and of the necessity of dealing with it
adequately, and it is equally clear that he
has surveyed it on all sides, and in every
possible light, witha singlepurposeto attain
the truth. A more frank and unreserved
reorganization of disagreeable facts has IN
deed seldom been ventured upon, but the
entire candor with which the most start
ling dangers are pointed out shows how
fully persuaded the Governor is Of the need
of prompt remedial action. 1t is difficult
to review document which IS IN It
self a review, for it may be presumed
that the Governor has condensed
his conclusions and statements as much
as possible, and that therefore it would
require at least as much space rs he has
occupied to rehearse his views He sets
out with grave and emphatic declaration
of his belief in the gravity of the subject
He then proceeds to discuss it under
series of heads, namely " The nature and
extent OF the injury done and threat
tened the value of the property directly
and indirectly menaced; the results to
'tthe State of the threatened destruction
''of its principal waterways the impor-
lance Of the hydraulic mining interest,
"direotly and indirectly Z; the practicable
ity of a remedy, its conditions and i'm
plicatioas the futility of merely stop
ping hydraulic mining the relations
and obligations Of the State to the ques-
ton the necessity of some Sustained
engineering treatment of the rivers, IN
* der any circumstances It viii be seen
that these heads afford opportunity for
discussing the Debris question il thor
oughly exhaustive manner, and though the
Governor has certainly refrained from com
hitting himself where Partially in him
might seem iniudicious, he has succeeded
in bringing out the leading features Of al
most every vital consideration connected
with the subject.
We think the first impression produced
by reading this message Will be, with the
majority, establishment at the unexpected
seriousness ana magnitude of the debris
question. It has been so frequently treated
as a local question by in-informed journals
that when its real extent and Importance
are thus demonstrated the effect must be
to amaze and almost confound the aver
age reader. It is possible that even in
credui5y in regard to the Governors sta
tistics may be entertained at first sight,
but careful analysis of them convincas us
that in many instances he has been almost
over cautious in putting results below
what might have been justly claimed.
Thus for example his estimate of the
products of the hydraulic mines is GER
tainly far too small. He calculates the
entire output OF these mines during
twenty years at $50, 600, 600, and he
puts the annual yield at between SO, coo,
600 and SI4 600. 900. Now we are satisfied
thai the actual total yield of these mines
up to the present time approaches nearer
$3.50, 600, 600 than $50, 900 600, while it
is very well known that the annual output
may with justice be estimated as between
SIS, 600, 0OO and $50. 0O0. coo Again, the
Governor estimates the popalation directly
dependent upon the mines at $4,000,
whereas he would have been justified in
putting it at $4,000. We think his esti-
mate of the direct and indirect damage
done IS also within The mark, but all these
evidences of caution and moderation only
add significance to the general tenor Of the
message, for they show that the primary
purpose of the Governor was to state the
actual facts without Che slightest approach
to exaggeration.
The Governor Is careful to state that his
facts and conclusions are derived from and
based upon the reports and researches Of
the State and Consulting Engineers, ana
the assessment rolls Of the various coun-
ties. From these sources he has collected
the principal data for his message, and GER
tainly it would be impossible to have
brought together a more grave aud dis
qpieting series of statements than are here
presented. Briefly the situation as thus
deIineated by the Governor may be thus ep.-
itomized Property to the value Of Sc. OO0,
600 has already been destroyed by the de-
bris from the hydraulic mines. Properly
to the value of S60,00O.O00 is menaced
with entire destruction unless the flow Of
debris is stopped. Through the threat
ened removal of competition in transporta-
ton, by the loss of navigability in the Sac
ramento river, a loss estimated at $780,
900, 600 Is made to impend over the
northern regions of the State. Ia effect
that northern section WILL in the
words of the Governor be " blotted out"
unless the evil is abated The reality OF
the injuries past, present and prospective
having been demonstrated, and the results OF
a destruction of competition upon farming
land having been discussed in very careful
and thoughtful way, the Governor proceeds
to consider the values concerned in that
interest which it has been proposed should
be suspended. He inquiries into the posi-
ton and general business and other rela'
lions Of the hydraulic mines to the country
in which they are situated, and shows how
large population is dependent on them,
how much they have contributed TO the
progress and prosperity of the State, and
what amount of depression and collapse
must necessarily follow any measure re-
curing their suspension. Having shown
that the hydraulic mining interest is one
of so great Importance that it could not De
eliminated without running the territoryin
which it is situated, he proceeds to ex-
anime the reports of the engineers on the