Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-08
Afternoon Session.

Mr.. Shafer, continuing-In 1877 nearly all
of the island, or about 1900 acres was culti-
waited. 1 have frequently travelled on the
river between the island and Sacramento
city. I first noticed the rivers shoaling in
1871 and 1872. Since then it has shoaled
more and more each year. The deposit made
in 1873 was very much coarser material
than any of the previous deposits
Cross.examination Ito Mr.. Cstlin) n)-Old
river bounds Brannan Island on the north,
jackson slough Oh the east, ard Seven mile
slough on the south. The north end of tie
island is opposite the mouth of Cache creek.
1t is almost north of the island. The
water in Cache slough comes from the
tule basin, and has a tendency TO back
up the waters Of the Sacramento river.
In 1852 and 1853 the water from the slough ran
across Brannan Island. It also over the island
in 1862 and 1873. The witness named several dif-
ferent dates when Brannan Island had been over
fowed.l The natural banks OF the island when we
first settled on them were scarcely five feet high.
The tule lands overhowed by the action OF the tide
through the sloughs The larger portion of the is
land was originally tule, or wet grass, land.
THE BANK LAND,
Or that portion we cultivated varied in width from
five to forty rods. The first farming | did was on
ABOUT lofty aCTtS OI IllS Dlflk lanO. In 1917 We
leveed the island all the way round. That levee
was intended to be five feet above extreme high
water. IL would average throughout the whole
length hight OF about five feet above the original
SOIL This levee completed during the year 1872
About 1876 almost the entire island was cultivated
to wheat and barley. The tule soil was Of a peaty
nature. In 1866 the river in front of my place
sixteen feet deep Since 1871 and 1872 have seen
steamers shoaled immediately in the channel oppo-
site my residence. In 1876 We suffered consider.
ably from spsge during the high water OF that year
There no high waters after the levees were
built until 1875. From 1858 up to 1862 the island
was not oyerfiowed. The tule, or interior land OF
the island, frequ nt'y oyerhowed during the high.
water stages. We have kept stock in this tule land
during the entire winter. Tomato slough puts out
from Jackson slough, and almost crosses the island
There some small islands In the river between
Rio Vista and Brannan Island. The character Of
the soil on those small islands vas sirnsr to that
composing the banks of the Sacramento river. The
longest of these little islands is perhaps one mile
The channel where the boats usually run was on the
east side OF those islands. My residence is mile
and half above
WOOD ISLAND.
The food OF 1878 left deposit of coarse sand The
deposit on our land in 1852 had average depth Of
about six inches. We did not consider that deposit
detrimental to our soil The food OF 1865 did not
leave any extensive deposits. There are places on
the island covered by said deposits from the floods
of 1878 to depth Of three feet. Sand Of the char
acter deposited by the floods u 1878 is very detri
mental u the soil We tried to cultivste some Of
those sand deposits since, and found that it drits
With the wind and destroys cur crops. The tide in
1858 at the island from four and half to five
feet. Now 1t barely rises three feet. Opposite of
Rio Vista slough puts into the island that is in
fuenced by the tide. Seven mile slough has never
been closed. 1t has been leveed on both sides,
TheY commenced reelairning TSitchell Island
about 1869.
Redirect examination Ito Mr. Cadwalader)-The
water from the overflow OF the Yolo basin coming
through Cache slough quite clear when COM
pared with the water Of the Sacramento river. The