Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-04-15

Co arrest the further progress of this evil,
more dangerous than any other that can
possibly threaten the health of the city.
Eleyenth-The idea that this city Is threat.
eEed with being covered with debris is un-
founded. The idea is the mere debris of
diseased minds. This is obvious to every
eye. Its population has rot been affected.
Il has steadily increased, g. moderate pace,
it is true, but gradually every year. Its
growth in Improvement and wealth has not
been retarded of late years from any cause.
Il is prosperous now, and its future prosperity
is assured iii it directs its energies to its own
improvement instead of interfering with the
business of other communities especially
those who contribute largely to its own pros
perity.
Twelfth-By the best authorities, the
natural wash in the water shed OF the Ameri-
can is now at least ore-third of the amount
of deposit annually brought down. State
Engineer Hall, in 1880, officially reported
the proportion of natural wash and mineral
wash as one to three and half. That this is
an underestimate of the natural wash and
an over-estimate of the mineral wash IN the
American river watersheds now well known.
If the testimony o Mr.. Hooke, and MIR.
Sheath, and Colonel Lewis, and Will Green
is to receive the attention it deserves, it
will be obvious to every mind that if these
mountains were filled with an agricultural
population the wash Of such streams as Pa
checo creek, and Quercus creek, and Putah
creek. and the little streams which discharge
into the tule basins from the coast range,
and which have been described by MIR.
Green, would be very small in comparison
to the effect which will be produced In the
same way by the same processes, by such
rivers as the Feather and the American
and their affiuents. l undertake to
say that SO far as the farmers or
cultivators Of the soil, who are located upon
the narrow cultiyatablerim OF the Sac amento
river on either side, and on the low and
swampy lands at the mouths of the Sacra-
mento and Feather rivers, are concerned, it
is better for them that the day should be
postponed when these mountains should be
filled with people depending entirely upon
agriculture for living. If mining should
cease there suddenly, or within compare.
lively short time, these mountains would still
be largely filed with permanent popula-
ton. The mineral belt has a permanent
population, settled there. much of it, longer
than the people have lived in the valleys.
They have cities there, and towns. They have
schools and churches, and they have everything
that constitutes permanent settlement.
They will not abandon their homes. If they
are debarred from their old pursuits 1t,
from necs ssity. they are thrown exclusively
upon the cultivation of that drainage area,
one. half of which is susceptible to cultivation,
and a large portion of which is already cult
waited, and if they devote the waters of these
mountain streams, which they have now IN
their possession, and which they store in their
reservoirs and conduct through their canals, to
agricultural purposes, venture to say that
it would not be long before the inhabitants
upon the immediate margins OF these rivers
would feel the effects Of debris much more
sensibly than they ever have felt it before. Ii
the surface material should be washed oil to
the extent that it would be by agricultural
operations and by irrigation, and be carried
down by the violence of floods, it would not
come down here upon these lands in its native
state. The fine material in the soil would be
separated and would pass through long dis
tances, while the sand would stay behind
and would accumulate in the beds OF the
rivers
Thirteenth-This is not contest between
the miners and the farmers of California. IL
is, however, contest between the miners and
very uncomfortable number OF farmers set
tied upon the swamp lands bordering on the
Sacramento river and the low lands at the
mouth of the American.
Stop Wilmington it must all be stopped If
unpolluted waters must be had-and the re-
naming lands, to wit, all except one acre in
each 300 acres of Enclosed lands, will be in-
jured by great depreciation of their value,
because it will not be denied that if the min
ing industry Of this State is overthrown. the
agricultural lands will suffer immensely from
the loss of the market for its products which
such an industry as mining affords.