Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-28

the dam, and there deposits these heavy ma
terials. At this point, as the groups moved
along, houses were pointed out above the
dam. the roofs inst appearing above the silck'
ems and mud, and MIR. Jasper stated that the
chief house was two stories high and from
that the depth of the sediment might be con-
jectured, while another farmer stated that an
orchard was lying around loose somewhere
beneath the ocean OF mud over which the
company was then gazing. About halt way
over the dam, settle was found so low that
the water was running over it, and plank
alone enabled the Legislators to pass over.
Here the upper logs covering the dam were
clearly visible, partly buried in the mud,
showing that all the dam and foundations
were below This was pointed out as an eVl-
/ dence that there had been no break and that
the settles had taken place exactly as ex-
pected Further or other depresslons were
| found, but none so deep as this. Some were
of considerable extent, but, as Senator Cor.
man and Assemblyman Leach put it, both OF
whom went over the entire length Of the
work, ave found no breaks that we can
positively say are such. There are sinks over
| there, and ore sag is fully fifty feet wide
where the dam has settled clear down" Ex-
| animation proved that there are several set
ties along the lower half of the dam, and one
where the top poles have reached the level,
but the engineers found in these nothing to
shake their faith in the works.
TIE RETURN.
At about the center Of the dam the COM
pany turned about and started back. 1t was
thoroughly convinced that there had been
heavy deposits caused by the dam, and these
were pronounced, by all who went entirely
over the dam, SO great at the upper end as to
be well up toward the top of the dam. y
| On the way back the discussion took GA a
new form. The verdict was general that the
| dam was not broken-was doing good work,
/ and justified the statements of the engineers
concerning its condition; but the financial
! question came il for an airing, when one
| member declared his belief that the hydraulic
mines were "owned by foreign capitalists
anyhow" etc This brought Assemblyman
! Long to bis feet, who said " | presume
my statement will not be questioned
when / say that in my county Ne
yada), one Of the chief mining counties,
| there is Of all these mines only part CT one
owned outside of the State. All are owned
! by Californians, operated by California capt.
tai and the products sent to San Francisco to
aggregate its wealth largely. One small part
of one is owned outside, but all are owned
and operated by Californians resident, or
once SO, and by California money" He
added Son one of these mines alone the
proprietors spent 81 SOC. coo in hard money
! before its owners got It's works completed or
received cent from it.
SO THE DISCUSSION wAGED.
Anti-debris men contending mainly that it
is unfair to tax all the State to help save
! district, aEd debris men claiming it to
| be a State work and one of practical
| economy, because the tax returns to the State
warranted the outlay asked of the State, and
because the district has an additional tax to
pay equal in rate TO that paid in the State at
large These discussions covered the whole
range of the subject, and were deep, sincere
and warm. Thoss who had declared on the
train that they believed the attempt to hold
back the debris by the brush dam, before
they saw it, sill adhered to their ex-
pressions, but with far less fervor than
before. A few men were found still at
work upon the dam, placing brush in settles,
and which brush they are to weight down
with sand bags uniform with the like facing
of the slope of the dam. The party reached
Wheatland at 1880, portion, led by the
Sergeant-at Arms, footingi one third the
way. TIE Wheatlandites greeted the iawmak-
ers with anvil salutes, engineered by boys, and
hung out the starry banner. Dinner was
served at the hotel, and half hour given to
social chat with the people. Many leading
citizens of the SURF unding country came for
ward and made statements about the dam,
uniformly bearing testimony to the excellence
| of its construction and to its doing the work
| expected of it thus far.
AMONG THESE
Messrs. Jasper and Justusewere prominent.
Tue latter gentleman at the close Of state
ment to one group added, &C sntlemen, over
yonder L had land on which L used TO pay
! the State annually SG72 in taxes. To-day it
does not bring the State solitary cent of
| revenue"
"Why?" asked Senator.
Because, said Mr.. Justus, SIT is buried
beneath the sEckens"
At this point man named Ben Big
ford attempted to get up a dam rsputa-
ton by building one with his mouth in
reporters notebook, declaring that The
Bear river dam could have been built for one.
fifth It's cost il rocky canyon far up the
river, and that he alone had seen the spot,
and that the engineers had overlooked it.
This brought the engineers to the front again,
who fatty contradicted the statement and
quoted survey notes Of every foot Of the river
from the highest hydraulic mine to the
mouth. and explained that no reservoir area
could be had at the point named nor could
brush be built in among the rocks and made
to hold. Citizens of Wheatland also came
| forward in groups, and point blank contra
dicted Bigf0rd, and declared that he is what
| is known as "a rabbit hunter" is not prac-
teal man and knows nothing Of dam con-
structIon whatever, the latter fact chat indi-
vidual admitting when asked about it.
In this final debate the fact was again stated,
as first given at the dam, that ike struct-
ure to that on Bear river exists on the San
Joaquin. and has stood now between sixteen
and eighteen years. That it is of brush, that
it sank to bearings, was built up, and now
the whole San Joaquin pours over it. Also,
that brush dams in FL Dorado have been sue
cessfully put in, q fact to which Assembly
man Fraser bore testimony.
HOMEwARD.
Assemblyman Cannon made vigorous can
vass of the company on the up trip to
ascertain whether the excursion should be
continued on to the Yuba dam. 1t was
largely favored, but many withdrew consent
when they learned that it involved eight miles
Of ride over bottom-land roads from Marys
VILE The debris men were willing to go to
the Yuba, but wanted separate day for it
and fair time efforded to give the two miles
of dam there something more than hssty
examination, and hello that at that hour no
examination of its merits could be made.
Finally the SeTgeant-a Arms decided
that the House resolution only au-
thorized him to charter a train
| for Wheatland, and that he had no right to
go on to Marysville, and had the House
wished him to do so it would have so stated
in the resolution of instruction. At 1:30 the
excursionists left Wheatlard, and without
eventful happening reached Sacramento at
| $50 P. NJ. The Sergeant-at-Arms managed
| the details well, and nothing occurred to mar
the pleasure of the trip. 1t was unquestion-
| ably OF value to the legislators, many of
them declaring that they had received new
! light, and looked on the debris question as
| vastly more important than ever. The solitary
| joke of the entire day worthy of record was
unwittingly uttered by one of the excursion
lists, vino, on stepping upon the brushwork
and noticing the water percolating through,
was heard to exclaim, Great heavens, the
| thing leaks"
AGRICULTURAL LAND PATENTS. fol.
lowing patents for agricultural lands have
been received by Ed. F. Taylor, Register, at
the United States Land Office in this city
Antonio Augustine, Gertrude Butterfeld,
David Beta, Alexander Befa, Oliver Ball,
Leavins Botham, Isaac H Burnett, Puma
Clute, John Cello, Isaac j. DOty, Uriah f.
Elledge, VIM. B. Elledge, Henry Erwin ~
Moses H. Emerson, Earl V. Fonda, Maurice
Finn, Adele Frary, Henry r. Creve, Chas.
Grass. heirs of (2) Leonidas B. Ham, Jos,
| Hatcher, Robert X. Love, VIM. II. ii.