Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-01-04

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surveying day before yesterday.
John O. Green, sworn. Direct exaDina
tion (by A. P. Catlin n)-During the big hoot
of 1861 and 1862 was engaged in fishing il
the river. also was engaged in boating be
tween this city and the Tule House, on th'
Yolo side. We carried passengers for Davis
vile ard Woodland. The distance on thi
route was about ten miles. We continued
boating until July of that year. The water
that year at the Tule House was up to the
second story. That was public place oil
hotel, about nine miles from Washington
That was before the building of the Califor
MIA Pacific Railroad. The current for dis
tance of three miles west of Washington was
very strong. Beyond Mike Bryte's ridge the
current was not SO strong The width
of the current was about four and
a half miles. The depth varied from
one to fifteen feet. | was engaged in the
same transporting business in 1873. We
commenced just before Christmas and con.
tinued until the 81 or Sd of July. We had
plenty Of water and good boating The
water was very high at the Tule House during
that fl cd. We were wind-bound there one
night and tisd cur boats to the upper story
of that house. / have pulled a whitehall
boat over the tops of the telegraph lines
We ran within about six miles Of Davis
yills. The current Just west of Washington
mel. We carried during the food of 1878
the express and mail. The depth of the
water of 1878 was about the same as that
of 1861 and 1862. We also carried psssen-
gers to the Elk Horn ranch near Woodland.
This same class of boating was done in 1871
Thatyear they boated up to the month of June,
carrying mail and passengers between Sacra-
mento, Davisville and Woodland. A separ-
ate line ran from this city to each of those
IL. T. L. Il.
road embapkment to the depth of two or three
feet. At least four miles of the railroad be-
tween Davisvlle and Sacramento was washed
away. The food of 1878 washed away con-
siderable portion of the railroad. About two
miles and half was washed out near
Swingle's. Last winter we carried on the
same business between Washington and
Swingle's. We ran the steamer Orc on this
end, and connected on the other end with
hand. cara We commenced in February and
ran till May. We have carried forty FIVE pas-
sengers on the Oro, besides the crew. The
| steamer Dover, large stern-wheel steamer,
that will carry 400 or 500 tons, was engaged
for quite awhile in the Yolo Basin, gathering
up foating portions Of the California Pacific
| Railroad. At first the water ran over the
railroad track, and the current was very
strong. We ran the Oro on the lower side of
the railroad track. The Orc was small side
wheel steamer. On this side OF Mike BrJ te's
! ridge the current was very stropg-stronger
than ever knew it before. The length OF
the voyage of the Oro was about eight miles.
There w2s a current of seven miles and a
half in width.
Cross.examination (by G. Cadwalader y
The Sacramento river just above the mouth
of the American river suddenly defects to
the west AT Mike Bryte's place i5 takes a
northwesterly direction to the Elk Horn
ranch. 1 do not know when the Tule House
was first constructed. William Minis built
the first house there. The water there last
winter was fully one foot higher than it was
in 1862. This house is fully one mile above
the railroad, at the end Of the Lewis toll
road. During the boating last year we started
from Bill Green's place, in Washington .
We ran to the Tule House until in
July. The water was on the floor
of that house for about week.
They did business in the house
all the time. When the lower part Of the
house was flooded they carried on their bust
ness in the upper story. The first railroad
on the bed of the tules. We always carried
on our business in whitehall boats until we
bought the Orc. The Orc is a small, open
boat, about twenty y-fve feet in length. l do
not know whether the poles now used by the
telegraph company are higher than those for.
merly used or not. l rever navigated those
tules except during extensive flood seasons
During the f,od of 1867 we could have run
to Sginsle's for one month. This water last
winter was abous q foot higher above the
track than below. The railroad company
had as much to contend with from the wind
in the tuie basin as the current. The north
wind at times is very strong and causes strong
waves that wash the embapkment down rap
idly. The water in the west tule is of a differ
ent color. It is black and muddy l have
seen the water very deep at the Tule House.
II 1862 the water at that point was six feet
deep. and considerable deeper than that ia
1867
Afternoon Session.
ii. T. Knight sworn. Direct examination
10y A. P. Catlin)-From 1866 to 1879 was
Superintendent of the Natoma Water and
Mining Company's canal. was stationed
at the town Of Folsom. In 1866 had ali the
water OF the American river in hume near
Folsom. At that time I measured the water
very carefully, and found there was running
in the river 210 cubic feet second. In 1881
at the Same season l think there was fully
one-third more water running at the same
place My measurement in 1866 was made
at the point they call the water.power dam.
| have observed the river at its various stages
every year, with the exception Of the season
of 1880, for a great many years. There is
usually small rise in the volume of water
in October, or as soon as the nights become
cooler. Where the excavation for the water.
power dam foundation was made we found
the bottom to be composed of sand, gravel
aud cobble. We found at that place depth
of 90 feet cf this character of deposit. A por-
ton of the dam made in 1866 remains there
fan ;p tho Wv ba
dam to Folsom is forty feet. From the juno
tion of the North and South Forks to this
dam, a distance of one mile, the river has a
fall Of fifteen feet. The amount of water in
the American river has gradually increased
since 1866. During the last FIVE or six years
the increase hss been quite perceptible. There
are three or four permanent bars in the South
Fork. They have formed since 1867. The
first is Just above the mouth of Sweetwater.
1t is about a mile long, 200 feet wide and 10
feet deep. 1t commenced forming after the
food of 1867 and has gradually increased
every year. There is another at the mouth
of New York ravine, about two miles below
the mouth of Sweetwster. 1t is 400 feet long,
200 feet wide and IL feet deep. 1t commence
forming in 1867, and increases annually, but
slowly. One short distance below is about
the same size as the one at the mouth of New
York ravine, except that it is twenty feet
| ueep. LII mas iOrLu6u uuIlHS Tue Saul6 llule
and in the same manner as the two bars above.
The next permanent bar is at old Mormon
Island This bar is of considerable extent,
and rises little higher each year. meas.
ured the bar at Folsom in 1867, and again in
1881. and find that between those dates it has
increased in depth twelve feet. This increase
has been gradual and very regular. The
grade of Alder creek from its mouth to
Prairie City will average about twenty feet
to the mile. Quartz in the form of sand,
pebbles and cobbles is found throughout al
the gravel deposits along Alder creek. You
could not select a cubic foot of such material
in that section that would not contain
more or less quartz. The bedrock at
Farmers Diggings is coarse sandstone that
can be cut very rapidly with pick. | don't
know the depth of this bedrock, but 1 do
know that it extends under the bed of the
river. I am well acquainted with Buffalo
creek. The Natoma Company used the up.
per portion of this creek as canal that is,
they ran water into near its head and took ii
out again in their canals further down the
stream. Buffalo creek affects the wells on
Salsbury's and INITIALS places. When there
was no water in the creek their wells went
dry. Water is obtained on w. E. Bryan's
place in large quantities at depth of fifteen
feet. There are also some flowing springs on
that place.