Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-06-14
THE ELECTION TOMORROW.

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illustration of the unbusinesslike ways IN
which public affairs are managed. We
have City Surveyor who is civil engl-
neer. This official has made a special
study of our levees. He understands
them thoroughly, and he knows just how
they can be so improved as to be perfectly
secure. Now the judgment of this officer
was emphatically against the stone plan
from the first, and for reasons in which
every other engineer who has spoken on
the subject agrees with him. But the
Trustees, instead of availing themselves of
the practical scientific knowledge placed
especially for that t-purpose at their dispo-
sal, went to work and patched up scheme
of their own, the chief characteristic OF
which is its likeness to Chinese states
manship. The Trustees argued that there
was general demand for such improve
ments as would lay all apprehension about
the strength of the levees at rest; and SO
they concluded that they would adopt a
plan which would give the appearance of
complete security, though it was true that
itsyould not give the security itself. Then
a number of representative citizens went
and examined the levees, and after they
had been told by the engineers that the
stone plan was not necessary, was not best.
was not capable of giving the protection
demanded, and in fact was mockery and
a delusion, they solemnly resolved that it
was the part of wisdom to vote for this
nonsensical plan.
The only apology for this extraordinary
resolution was the fantastical allegation
that if the plans Of the Trustees were re-
jected it would be thought that Sacramento
had not enterprise enough to protect her
self. What will be thought when it is
known that Sacramento voted to squander
500, 600 upon piece of work which no.
toriously fails to fulfill the conditions re-
quired, and which is confessedly adopted
for no better purpose than to deceive the
ignorant? The truth is that the meeting
OF citizens the other day ought to have
condemned the stone plan after what they
had heard. They had no ground whatever
for any other conclusion, and their resolu-
tion on the question was an absurd non
seg,dtur. Il was shown by the engineers
that three yards of earth could be put on
the levees for the price of one yard of
stone, and that the earth was in all respects
preferable to the stone. 1t was also shown
that after all the stone had been put on it
wo lld still be as necessary as before to
build spur-dams to keep the current Of the
river off the weak places, and that where
the euicksands are the stone would be
rather source OF added danger than of
new strength. In short, it was made per-
fectly apparent that the stone plan was
blunder on the part of the Trustees, and
the meeting ought to have SO reported.
Now we do not believe, and this com
munity does not believe, in playing at
levee improvements. We are all willing
to spend ON this work whatever is required
to obtain absolute security, but we are
not willing TO fool away 100000 or any
other sum upon confessed sham and i'm
posture. We don't want make believe
security. We want scientific guarantees
that we are getting the real security for
which we pay. Under the circumstances,
therefore, we must advise the voters to
vote against the second proposition, which
is Are you in favor OF stone improve
''ments as per plan :" unless, indeed, the
Trustees are willing to Withdraw that plan
before the election. The argument that if
it is rejected or withdrawn there will hot
be enough money to put upon the levees
this year, is unsound. In the fret place
there is nothing to prevent the Trustees
from altering their proposal, putting it in
a rational shape, and resubmitting it sepa-
rately fortnight hence. In the second
place we ASSERT that even without the con-
sent OF the people the Trustees have ample
power to expend sufficient money upon the
levees. The law authorizes them to spend
the sum Of $4,000 before going to the
people at all. If, therefore, the first propo
sition for $4,000 for earth-work i is
adopted, this sum, added to the $50, 600
which the Board is entitled to spend in
any case, will give $50, 600 for use on the
levees, and all of this can be laid out in
earth work, according to the suggestions
of the engineers.
1t would be absurd to indorse the stone
plan merely because it has been submitted.
1t is not good or an effective plan, but
the reverse. 1t is indeed calculated only
to create false sense of security which is
very liable to prevent the adoption of
necessary precautions. The Trustees no
doubt desire only the good of the city, and
this being the case the simplest way out of
the difficulty would be for them to with
draw the stone proposition before the cleo
ton. By doing that they would avoid all
misapprehensions arising from its rejection,
and they could then re-submit some better
plan il they thought it necessary. We
believe, however, that they have the
power to do all that is required.
The QUESTION, "Are you in favor of
assisting Levee District No. l, as per
"plan !: - should be answered in the
affirmative Mr.. Knox is all wrong on
that question. Sacramento cannot afford
to let District No. take care OF itself.
She is bound to provide for its safety, be-
cause it IS virtually part of her. The
flooding of that district is practically
equivalent to the flooding of part of the
city, and always must be. The district
contributes largely to the daily needs of
the city. 1t is suburb, in fact /; an out
post OF the citadel and it must be taken
care of. To neglect it would be the most