Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-19
THE DEBRIS QUESTION.
J. e. Jewett Takes the Mayor of Marys-
vile" to Task and Corrects Some
of His Errors.

EDS. RECORD UNION: My attention has
been called to an article of the 18th inst. over
the signature of g. Z. Stone, the present
Mayor of Marysville, dated the 18th inst.
The statements contained are so entirely at
variance with the facts, that as a citizen of
this city, in justice to Mr.. Parks. and in vim
dication of the truth of history, [ dislike to
see them pass unnoticed [ ask the privilege.
through your columns, to give the facts as |
find them. The truth is that no man ever
did offer to perform a work for 81, 600. or any
other sum, for which MIR. Parks asked $780,
600.
Previous to 1871, the subject of filling the
slough running through the city of Marys-
vile with deposits from the river, was
mooted. Mr.. Parks, in conversation with
the Common Council and others, proposed to
fill up the slough with sediment by bringing
the water of the Yuba several miles through
hume or canal, for the sum of $50, 600 The
work, however, was of such a magnitude
that the proposition was not entertained by
the authorities. 1t was finally decided to
build low dam in the Yuba river near the
slough, and thus partially fill the depres-
sion. The work was commenced in 1871,
and was SO far successful that a con-
siderable deposit was made in that
year. Again, in 1872, contract was let to
turn the river into the slough it proved
failure, and the contractor abandoned it,
leaving debts for sacks, lumber, etc, unpaid.
In 1873 the work was again resumed by the
city, and after great expense and exertion,
employing at one time forty men, and send
ing to Sacramento for thirty crocke1y crates.
the gap was filled, and the water conducted
to the slough. By this means the slough has
been partially filed. These are the facts,
and yet with these facts on record the writer
of the article referred to endeavors to CON
vey the impression chat W. II. Parks made
an effort to swindle the city out of S2S 600;
when the truth is that what the CITY did do
in three years cost about So coo, and at the
same ratio the entire slough, which Mr.
Parks proposed to fill, could not have been
filed for less than 5000
w. II. Parks is quite capable Of defending
himself, although with fire at front and
rear it Is not an easy task to support even
the most meritorious measure Mr.. Parks
was selected for one of the Drainage Com
missioners because his ability, energy and
experience, and his investigations in that sub
iect, pointed to him as the most capable aud
efficient man IN this section of the State for
the position. Captain Eads said of him
"He is the most thoroughly informed and truly
scientific man on that subject that 1 have
met in California"
So much for Mr.. Parks. Now for the work
of the Commission. 1t will be remembered
that the Commission was appointed late in
the season 1t seemed impossible that the
work contemplated could be done in time IN
der these circumstances. Contractors would
not take contracts, and run the great risk at
extreme low prices. Again, extraordinary
crops were being harvested, and there was q
great demand for labor. Notwithstanding all
these obstacles, the contracts were let and the
work pushed with all possible energy to COM
pletion. But it is said the Commission ex-
ceeded its powers, and expended more money
than the law authorized. Would it have been
businesslike to have left the work unfinished,
and exposed to great depreciation and injury,
when few extra thousands of dollars would
complete it
Again, it is said-and l presume truly
that portion of the work has gone out. Is
it astonishing that a new work, having no
time to settle or ELL up with debris, when
subjected to the highest water ever known,
should give way in some of its parts En-
cheering skill of great service in or
binary times, is powerless to prevent
destruction to greater or less extent in such
great exigences. But ON this account shall
the threefourths of the work remaining be
thrown away? Do business men abandon
enterprises DGCutSS VI uIhdstGI OF DdTIIdl Jdli-
ure? Think you that half million would
repair damages to the railroads constructed
by the best engineering talent in the State,
and will they on that account abandon them?
Legislators may endeayor to shirk the respon-
sibility, and may try to convince themselves
that this is local matter. with which they
have nothing to do, but [ mistake the tenn
per of the people of the Sacramento valley if
they much longer submit to this disregard of
their vital interests. The right of self.pres-
ervation is sooner or later sure to assert itself
1t is quite evident that we are to retain the
debris bill, or we are to receive no aid at all,
and we are to be remanded to a condition
worse than when the debris bill was first en-
acted. One other statement in DR.. Stones
somewhat remarkable communication [ wish
to notice. 1.-THE dam put in by the Council
in 1871 is still intact its alignment and crest
are perfect" and yet the writer has fire.
quently stated that the best engineering tai
emit in the State or United States could not
construct dam that would not wash out
The truth is, the whole article, like the Doyle
communication. merely shows the animus of
the writer. He disagrees with and does not
like Mr.. Parks, politically or otherwise. He
has hobby of his own, and if State Engi-
neer Hall, Captain Eads or W. II. Parks
differ from him, there is but one conclusion in
his mind-they must be wrong.
j. H. JEwETT.
Marysville, February l6, 1881.