Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-11-23
DEBRIS.
cvvvsTH DAY OF sLIcKBNs IN COURT
TESTIMONY OF A PILOT.

svvvxrH DAY OF sLIcKENs IN COURT
TESTIMONY OF PILOT.
John Roonsy-Joseph Routier-Peter spen-
cer-william S. Joy-W. s. Manlove
"a. S. Greenlaw.
The slickens case. People vs.. Gold Run
Ditch and Mining Company, was resumed at
$50 A. N. yesterday. Judge jackson Temple
presiding.
Captain Albert Foster was recalled by Mr..
Cadwalader. The witness produced chart
which he had prepared, whereby he could
more fully and clearly explsin to the Court
the manner in which he ascertained the fall
in the Sacramento river between this city and
Steamboat slough. He said that during the
high water in 1862, when these observations
were taken, there was a fall in the river be-
tween those points of inches to the mile.
Since that time the fall has considerably ig-
creased. He stated that in early days the
fall in the river between this city and Suisun
bay was about feet, AID now it is fully al
feet.
JOSEPH REUTER- SWORN.
live on the south bank Of the American
river, in Brighton township, Sacramento
county, about ten miles from this city. 1
came to this county On the 18th of June, 1858,
and have been one of its residents ever since.
My place is what in early days was called
the Ten-mile House / have during all these
years been engaged at my present home in
gardening and fruit-raisiDg. In 1855 my
bank The bank in front of my residence
was quite abrupt, and rose forty-three feet
above low water. The bed of the stream at
that time was hard and rocky, and the waters
showed considerable discoloration from the
effects Of the mining going on in its upper
waters. The bottom land was black, sandy
soil, and very productive There was about
twenty feet difference in the hight between
what We termed bottom and upland. There
was a stretch of about FIVE miles of this rich
bottom land. The bottom lands on the north
side CT the river think were little higher
than similar land ON the south. became
quite familiar with the river and the topog-
raphy Of the country at very early date.
Being fond Of hunting, l frequently went
cunning over all portions of the country on
both sides of the river. In early days the
country in this locality was the most beauti-
full and picturesque I ever beheld. The banks
vera fringed with fine groves of whiteoak,
liveoak, shrubs and beautiful flowers of every
form. hue and variety The river banks were
high, abrupt, showed no signs Of wash; on
the contrary, they were covered with moss
and fern.
THE SOIL
In the bottoms was all occupied by thrifty
farmers, who were engaged in growing wheat,
fruit and vegetables. A large black oak
stood on the bank at my place in 1S53-six-
teen feet above low water. Some years after
wards 1 cut it down, leaving stump three or
four feet high. Since then the river channel
has filed up, and deposit of sand covers
that stump 80 deep that it would be impos-
sib!e at present to locate it. The bottom of
the river has raised at that point moro than
twenty-six feet. The witness was here
shown two samples of sand-one from the
Hoagland place in Washington, the other
from the farm of A. S. Greenlaw, north Of
the city, I recognize both Of these samples
TO be the same kind and character as that
deposited by the American river upon my
place. have a great many acres of the
came kind of sand as the samples. This sand
debris and detritus has been constantly en-
croachiug and burying us since 1862. think
this sand comes from the Mines I know that
the channel from where it empties into the
Sacramento is completely, entirely filled up
to point twelve miles above my place.
THIS FILLING
OF the channel extends further up, but have
never been above that point The depth of
this fill throughout its length will average
from I6 to 20 feet. This sand di not bother
our farm lands until 1862. After that time,
when crossing the river in boats, we found
that bars were forming aud moving daily. In
early days the sand that would settle in the
cnannel would be washed out annually by the
winter freshets. The water that came down
during these freshets was heavily laden with
sand aud dstritus. | have found by examin-
ing it chat it contains one quarter of this sub.
stance. One thousand acres Of bottom land
on my side of the river is covered from six
in shes to ten feet deep. | had part of my
place in an orchard Of 5000 trees, and ten
acres Of il in vegetables. l only saved 300
trees cut Of the 5000. The rest were killed
and buried in grave OF sand. There perhaps
is $50 left. | cannot raise fruit vegetables
nor grain on that portion where the deposit
Is deep. During the food of 1867 we had
another sandy deposit. The water ia the
river during the last few years seems to be
more heavily laden with detritus than
formerly. The trees along the river bank
have been inbedded in from 10 to 20 feet of
sand. and many of them have died.
Daring the high water of 1862 the
Hood came within ten feet of my house.
The channel now has no capacity, and the
water spreads out during floods and covers
what originally was classed as high lald. In
M2-ch, 1855, we had food that covered
half Of the orchard, and staid ON two days.
This overflow carried no detritus, aud on the
whole was very beneficial This last year
the water in the American river was at least
five foot les than IL 1867. | never tried to
levse the river front. ! Inade a small levee
500 feet long once to keep out back water
from low place 4 portion OF my land now
is continually under water.
THE ORCHARDS,
Whey ards and gardens, originally profitable,
are now destroyed entirely, and in some csses
abandoned. Mr. Studerus had 800 acres of
good land. and It has all been destroyed
except thirty-ive acres. Others of my
neighbors have suffered similarly. The
cbi5ory ranch is covered from one TO ten
feet deep After fifteen years of repeated
attempts they have succeeded in growing
alfalfa. This ranch before the sandy deposit
was one of the NEST fertile in Sacramento
county. Prior TO 1862 all the bottom lands
along the American river could be cultivated
without the use of leyees. Pattersoif's place
is one-half mile west of my place. 1t has
been partially washed away. the fruit trees
ali destroyed and the whole place covered
with white sand Tried to come down from
my place to Sacramento city in small boat
during ordinary high water, but foundered
on sand.bars. Ths water covers such wide
area that it has no depth.
Cross examination TO MIR. Catlinl-When
thai sand is wet it will adhere. When I
bought ny place it contained eighty-two
acres. was covered with white oak and was
called upland. My house stood on an abrupt
bluff forty. three feet above the river. 1 am
quite positive that l know the difference
between bottom and bluff lands. The
Studerus bottom was all covered in 1862.
That year about $50 acres of bottom land