Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-04
THE PROMOTION OF RAPID DRAINAGE.

important than they seem TO THINK IL, ana
that an unintelligent and narrow treatment
of it must injure the regulations of those
who are responsible for the opposition to
continuation of remedial measures. The
hydraulic mines are but an insignificant
factor in the situation. Whether they go
on or whether they stop the great problem
OF draining the Sacramento Valley will re.
main to confront the legislator, and if he
fails to appreciate the magnitude and ur-
gency of the duties imposed upon him, the
community whose interests are at stake
will remember and resent his Incidence or
incapacity. If the hydraulic mines were
abandoned tomorrow it would still be
necessary to carry out the works which
have been planned, and for the plain reason
that unless those works are carried out the
Sacramento Valley must eventually be
destroyed, and with it the harbor OF San
Francisco. 1t is alike vain and use
less to spend time at this juncture
in accusations and recriminations. What
is clear is that hydraulic mining has al
ready so choked the river beds that they
cannot carry their food waters, and that
there is material enough dislodged from
the mines, and heaped up in the canyons
of the mountains, to complete the destruc.
ton of the rivers, and to drive every in
habitant out of the Sacramento valley, if
it is not prevented from coming down.
Considering the nature of the case it is
impossible to regard without contemptuous
establishment the pettifogging and puerile
objections to further remedial action which
have been thus far advanced. For ques-
ton of money involving the Insignificant
tax of one-twentieth Of one per cent, men
who claim to be intelligent, and who would
resent the assertion that they were want
ing in public spirit, have determined to
sacrifice the most vital interests OF this
great valley, and turning their backs upon
the representations of Science have even
gone so far as to denounce as dishonest
measure which is in every respect more
statesmanlike, more benefcent, and more
necessary, than ninety.nine out of every
hundred bills advocated and urged.
1t has been demonstrated that the only
way to secure the Sacramento Valley from
disastrous floods is to restore the Sacra-
mento river to its normal carrying capaci-
| ty, and that this can only be done by hold
ing the debris in the mountains, and at the
same time Strengthening and deepening the
channels of the river. There is no serious
controversy as to the merits of the en-
cheering plans proposed. Indeed there
cannot be, unless some engineer of greater
reputation and experience than the en-
inent men who have approved those plans
comes forward to assail them. As for the
amateur criticisms which persons
ignorant of the first principles of hydraulics
venture upon, they are beneath notice.
The propositions which have satisfied
Captain Eads may well be accepted by the
masses who have not the knowledge neces-
sary to intelligent independent judgment.
What is needed, then, is such system OF
dams as has been commenced, and such a
Strengthening and deepening of the river
channels as has been proposed. The CON-
pletion of these measures according to the
original plans will enable the Sacramento
to carry all the water that is ever likely
to be poured into it. The river once re.
stored to its full carrying capacity viii
become an unmixed good to the valley,
instead of being, as at present, alternately
a blessing and curse.
If hereafter it should be said that The
inevitable results of neglect had been placed
clearly before this Legislature, and thai
with all the facts before ii, and even in the
midst of disastrous inundation, brought
about by the very causes it was asked to
remove, it had refused to permit thi;
most necessary undertaking through feat
of tax of one-twentieth of one per cent.
what will posterity think And the al
tentative before the Legislature is unmis-
taxable. If the Drainage Act is repealed,
and the beginning of remedy now made
is suffered to lapse if all the engineering
work thus far done is abandoned, and the
devastating processes in operation are per
mitted to continue without hindrance; il
the plain warnings Of science, and tbs
equally plain teachings of community in,
terest are spurned; the doom of the Sac
ramento Valley will be sealed.
1t matters not whether the hydraulic
mines are thereafter closed or not The
evil cannot be averted now by suspend
ing their operations, Each winter the
enormous cachement area of the valley
four times larger than the valley itself
will send down its floods to raise the al
ready choked river channels, and each year
the ievee defenses of the country will
prove feebler. How can Sacramento hope
to escape the general doom in such case
Let her raise her defenses as high as she
pleases. The elevation of the river bed and
} the shoaling OF the channels below the city
will keep pace with her efforts, and
when human ingenuity has done its best,
a coniuncture will some day arrive, such
as the present, when all the streams will
be full together, and when fresh floods
will pour down upon already filed basins,
and then the end will come. This is what
the anti-debris members are committing
themselves to in their blind opposition tc
a petty and almost intangible tax, and we
ask them seriously to consider whether
they can afford to assume the tremendous
and the sinister responsibility which must
be borne by those who prevent the re-
demption of the Sacramento valley, and
insist upon its abandonment to natural
forces, which must ultimately destroy it il
nothing is done.
THE SAN FRANCISCO CONTRACTORS BILL
It appears to US that the argument OF
Mr.. Baker, of Yolo, in the debate which
preceded the passage of the San Francisco