Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-07
ORIGINAL DEFECTNE
R1yER MOULD nor FLOAT THEM.

We bought steamer San Joaquin NO. L In
1866. Bought steamer San Joaquin No. z IN
1875. We have steamer San Joaquin No. 3
and the Varuna. The latter draws sixteen
inches light and two fest loaded. Between
Sacramento and San Francisco freight can be
carried cheaper on vessels like the Senator
and New World than they can on barges.
Ali of the travel between San Francisco and
Sacramento is done by rail. From the great
amount of competition the freight Is cheaper
by river thsn formerly The depth Of the
channel is considerable less in
sUIsUN BAY
To-day than it was in 1856. I have fire.
quently sounded it. We formerly found four
and five fathoms. Now we find only two or
three fathoms. We have occasion often in
the fog to sound the waters of Suisun Bay.
We also have sounded San Pablo Bay and
find that it, between the headlands, is filed
up to depth of eight and ten feet. I have
seen the charts of Government surveys,
showing the soundings of Suisun and San
Pabip Bays.
At this point Mr.. Belcber asked the wit.
ness in regard TO the filing of the Feather
river by sand. This wss objected to by
counsel for prosecution and provoked lively
discussion between tie Court and counsel on
both sides.
Mr.. Hart stated that his intention from
the first was to get through with this case as
speedily as possible IL the counsel for the
defense were allowed this wide range, it would
perhaps necessitate the summoning of four or
FIVE hundred witnesses to establish facts that
really do not enter into the case.
After considerable discussion the objections
were overruled, exceptions taken, and the
cross-examination proceeded
The witness then described his trip up the
Feather river, located the bars and described
their material formation.
Redirect examination (so Mr.. Hart)-The
leveeiDg ON the banks of the Sacramento,
above the junction with the Feather, was
necessary to keep the river within its banks.
They first commenced constructing levees in
1871 and 1872. Prior to that time all the
lands along the river banks were cultivated
more or less every year. Since the building
of the levees they have not had as much sue
cess in farming as before. The filing up Of
the river
CHANNEL BELOW FREMONT
Backed up the water in the Sacramento sew.
eral feet high. This necessi5ated the build
ing of levees. The leveeing of the river has
not increased the volume of water il the tule
basin. There is no more water running
through the channel of the Sacramento above
Fremont than there was previous to the levee
building. Parks dam has not been in exist.
ence for five or six years. The reason OF the
river becoming deeper il the old channel near
Isleton is on account of It's narrowing on the
point side. This deepening is only for very
short distance. The lower Sycamore slough
is the outlet of the tule basin above Knights
Landing. aud empties into the Sacramento
river. The upper Sycamore empties into
Morrison basin. The water in hight was
more in 1868 than in 1862 in front of Sacra-
mento city. The
GOVERNOR DANA RUN ASHORE
On bar during the high water of 1868. in
the center of the channel of the Sacramento.
just above and opposite the draw in the
bridge between Washington and Sacramento.
Have seen several times when you could not
pass down the Sacramento river opposite the
mouth of the American. The current would
be SO strong that it would carry us ashore on
the Yolo side.
Redirect examination TO w. G. Belcher)-
The filling in of the channel of the Sacra-
mento by sand and debris sets back the water
in the Sacramento to . point at least four
miles above Knights Landing. In some
places the building of levees have assisted in
destroying farm lands. The prime causes of
the overflow of the upper Sacramento is the
filling up of the lower river channels and the
damming up of sloughs. 1 don't know that
the Sacramento contains any debris from
coLUsA TO KNIGHTS LANDING.
The current and channel at Noah's orchard.
on upper Grand Island, is about the same to,
day as it was in 1854. That orchard has been
destroyed by back.water. It overfowed in
1862. The filling in of the channel with
sand from the Feather river sets the water
back for long distance in the Sacramento
and deadens the current for many miles yery
materially. There are no rapids below Noah's
orchard. The desdsnipg OF the current is
perceptible as far sp as Eddy's Landing.
CAPTAIN EAos FoURArT
Sworn Ito Mr. Cadwalader)-I am Captain
OF the steamer Modoc, now plying between
Sacramento and San Francisco. l have beea
engaged on the Sacramento river since April
6. 1850. piloted the propeller McKim the
first trip she MADE to Sacrsmento. Also the
Gold Hunter on the first trip. Then [ went
on the Wilson q. Hunt. Caraanche. Bragdou.
Eclipse, New World, Yosemits and Cap;tal
The Hunt was little boat that came around
the Horn. The Capitals tonnage was about
l,6o0 ton7, and she continued Oh the river
until 1873. The Julia took the place of the
Capital She was steamer Of about 300 tons.
was Captain and pilot of the Julia. 1 am
now Captain and pilot of the Modoc. She
is q steamer of about 200 tons burden, The
first trouble in the river was that at the
Hogs Back. With that exception, until
Haycock Shoals appeared, in 1866, we mad 20
other trouble. Tue boats at that time al.
ways carried 200 or 800 tons. Sacramento
Bend. few years later, began TO bother us.
The bed of the river has baen constantly
filling up, and there is deposit of sand in
the channel below Sacramento to the depth.
on al average, Of seven feet The channel
has been reduced in carrying capacity about
ope-third. The debris nearer Sacramento is
much coarser and heavier than that in the
channel bslow Rio Vista This filing does
not stop
SHORT OF SAN FRANCISCO.
The mouth Of the river is very much filed
up. When l first came 60 California there
was but one channel in Susun Bay. There
is bar or island formed there now eight or
nine miles in length, and forms a north AMI
south channel. The bay Is constantly filing.
The Sacramento river Is filing up with great
rapidity. There are drifting sand bars ali
along the channel. Have known them
20 be from 100 to 500 yards long
and occupying nearly the whole of the chan
mel. Have known them during high waters to
move as far as Il miles il "a hours. I have
seen the sand moving il the river. When we
have been shoaled on the sandbars | have
seen the sand moving along the side of the
vessel.
At 5P N. the Court adjourned to meet at
$3.50 A. NJ. to-day.