Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-06-11
LEvEEs AND DRAINAGE.
An Excursion Around the City and a Meet
ing Of Citizens.

II Yesterday afternoon, through tie kinunes
/ of Superintendent Pratt, of the Sacrament
lDiyision of the Central Pacific Railroad,
number OF citizens went over the entire leve
system of the city SO far as it is traversed b.
rail. A train was made up of fat cars AM
one coach. There were in the part,
Mayor Brown, Trustee Davis, ex-Mayo
| Turner, ex-Trustee Knox, Chief of Pc
4 lice Karcher, City Engineer Bassett
County Surveyor and Engineer Pierson. "
lH. Mills, Albert Gallatip, J. T. Carey
fJoseph Steffens, John F. Sheehan, E. K
Alsip, J. II. Carroll, Chas. McCreary, Geo
Bates, David Lubin, James [. Felter, Alder
Leonard, VIM. P. Coleman, Frank Miller
superintendent Pratt, J. Mason Haight, W
is. Mesick, Edward Cadwalader, T. B. Nc
Farland, Sheriff Hebron, Senator johnson
Nudge S. G.. benson, J. r. Watson, Feli2
Piracy, Peter BOIL and others.
The train left the depot at 1:30 p. NJ, ane
Ibid not return until P. NJ. 1t moved out
Y slowly along the north levee, pausing
wherever the engineers and officers desired te
direct especial attention to the levee defenses.
At the railroad bridge the train was switched
off on to the track running on top of the
northeast levee, and continued thereon to
Brighton station. The train was run very
slowly to enable all to examine the slopes OF
the levees.
At the railroad bridge, and just beyond at
Waldron's, Burns slough and Brighton,
pauses were made, and the party lett the cars
to examine the earthwork defenses. At Wal
drons the entire party went down to the
American river, and examined its approaches
to the levee, the sediment deposits and the
1 al. 20 OF
slough. A portion of the party at that place
went down to the flowing wells, and exam
ined the head of the slough and the low spot
wherein that troublesome stream takes its
RISE At Brighton station the train was run
off on to the Sacramento and Placerville line,
and thence TO the main line OF the G. P. r.
| R., and by that route the party returned
along r and Front streets.
| At Brighton meeting was organized in
the coach, and continued its session until the
arrival at the depot, and for over an hour
chair and E. k. Alsip was named as Secre-
tary. By request, Mayor Brown stated
what the propositions are relative to levee
work on which the people will be called to
vote upon on the 10Th. Briefly his remarks
were that, estimating the north and east
levee to be 5000 yards long, it Is proposed
to put on its outer face reef of stone aver
aging yards in hight and II yards in depth.
or in all $4,000 yards. The plan is to ask
the people to vote a tax of 80 cents to
raise $50, 000 OF this the Trustees pro-
pose to expend $4,000 10 earthwork
in raising the levee to uniform hight of four
| feet above the high-water mark of 1851
that is, to align it SO as to bring all low
places to that hight, which shall be the uni
form line of the top the whole distance /;
that S25, 600 shall be expended in protecting
the face of the levee with stone. cobble and
broken granite mixed, or in such quantities
and to be so placed as the Trustees, under
the best engineering advice shall determine
This he said, would procure 5000 carloads
of stone. He was assured that it should not
exceed that cost, and probably not over S22,.
500. 1t was calculated it could be handled
for 81 per carload and put in place. The
5000 carloads would, it was estimated, face
the levee 1 feet thick the entire length. But
it would be placed to the best advantage, as
the engineers should determine, this season
in some spots three feet thick, in others
only a slight thickness would be
aimed at. The proposition was to
continue putting on, say 1000 carloads a
year, until the people say stop, or all the APP
propriated means are exhausted. The cost
would be in all about 81 per yard Dirt fac
ing would cost 3S3 cents, but he considered
Ou6 idIQ Ol 6LOu6 WOTbu Ieu OI 6arGN. ne
Trustees ask for 80 cents on each 800, and
for that can face the whole levee II feet
thick, but probably not all that would be done
this year. The whole plan includes placing
eventually on the s. 900 yards, stone to the
hight of seven yards and the thickness of
one and one-half yards If cutting began
the stone would sink and fill in and be a
silent Waterman and constant protection.
He believed the leyees sufficiently strong, but
wanted confidence in their strength settled
in the minds of all people beyond all ques-
ton, and that was the desire he belle 7ed of
every citizen of Sacramento. He thought it
a matter of congratulation that Sacra-
mento was so situated that she can get
stone for facing on such reasonable
terms. He was assured the cost at the out
side should not exceed 81 80 for every seven
cubic yards delivered at any point on the
CITY defenses.
MIR. Watson stated that he understood
the railroad company had no desire to make
a profit on hauling and delivering the stone,
but only to have the bare cost.
The discussion of the plans then opened.
Mr.. Knox stated his views substantially as
already presented in the RECORD UNION.
He answered many questions also. Both the
engineers addressed the meeting, and re-
sponded to q great number Of questions,
Messrs Miller. benson, Mills; Carroll. Nc
Farland, Sheehan, Leonard, Gallatin, Knox,
johnson Watson and others spoke. There
was a division of sentiment. not as to the
advisability OF doing the work. but
only as to its character and direction. The en-
gineers warmly urged work tending to keep
ing the American river at arms length from
thenortheastle vee. Some desired all the money
expended on earthwork in making the leyees
broader and higher; other preferred stone.
facing, and as TO the character of that facing
there was a division of sentiment. But after
long, earnest and full interchange of views
an examination of profile drawings from
surveys. and thorough cross-examiuation
Of the engineers and officers, conclusion was
arrived at with marked uuanimity, as ex-
pressed in the following resolutions:
Resoired, as tt e sense of the meeting, that the
proposition to expend $4,000 in order to raise the
levees to uniform hight of four feet above the
high-wster mark of 1881, be approved.
Carried unanimously.
Resolved, That the meeting approves OF the prop
ositon to raise and expend 81, COO for stoaework
the evees this year.
Carried unanimously.
ReSolred, That the meeting approve OF the pro-
posed plan to pump cut the city drainage. (:
Carried unanimously.
ResolDed, That the proposition to aid Leyee Dis
trict No. TO repair and improve its levees by
tributinr S27, 500 on its raising like sum- be APP
proved.
Carried, with but three noes.
During the meeting Mr.. Hancock intro
duced a resolution that prevailed, unan-
imously thanking Superintendent Pratt, rep
resenting the Central Pacific Railroad Com
pany, for kindness in enabling the persons
present to pass over the levess by rail for the
purpose of examination.
The meeting was significant and import
ant one, because of its impronptu character
and the deep earnestness manifest for the
welfare, advancement and security of the
city. In the discussion of the propositions
put forward to add to the strength of
the levee defenses at two points where
duicksands occur near the base of the
levee in the discussion Of plans for
completely divorcing the American river
from the levee at all points and the proven
ton Of the INFRINGING of any currents against
the levees in the consideration of the best
means for giving additional security to the
outer slopes beyond Burns slough, where the
red earth composing the leyee is to be rein
| forced by rcck or sediment or both in the
argument concerning the advisability of aid
| ing District No. to repair and make i'm
pregnable its levee defenses to Freeport,
there was manifested the most cordial spirit
of devotion to the city aud her best interests
broad liberality and careful business Jods'
ment.
AUCTION SALss.-Bell Il Co. will sell this
morning, commencing at IL o'clock, in front