Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-07
Evening SEES sion.


Mr.. Catlin resumed. He pointed out On a
map Of 1854 how Sacramento changed the
course of the American river, tightening it
by two straight cuts, and adding the grade of
long course to the shorter course, thus
changing the river from what Greenlaw, Hoag
and others described as smooth, placid and
even.howing stream, to one OF impetuosity in
food periods. 1t also resulted in the dis
charge of the river against the Yolo shore at
right ANGLES to, and across the Sacramento
river, with disastrous results. These things
would not have happened, he thought, if the
river had been left 10 its integrity. The OBJ
ject was to save the city from the threat of
the American river. It accomplished that
purpose Mr.. Knex tells how the city was
cut up by sloughs that were natural drains
tending from the American river toward
the lower part of the city in the region of
Third street on the west and Seventh or
Eighth street on the east and o street on the
SOUTH The city had no drainage system OF
any kind until after 1862, he says The
banks of Suffer lake, in the north part, was
the highest ground in the north part of the
city. The lowest ground was Fifth street.
Tules grew as far up as M street. a slough
ran where the Courthouse row is, and Others
ran here and there. In 1852 he boated and
carried bricks in boats in these sloughs.
Burns slough ran through the city, and was
the largest of all. Many streams in Califor-
nil are called rivers that carry less water
than Burns slough used to DC. Only one
year ago was the remnant of this slough en-
tirely turned out OF the city. That slough
was one OF the largest contributors to sur
face or soil water in this city. 1t is charged
that as one of the results
OF MODERN MINING,
Sacramento as late as 1873 or 1881. has been
compelled to go to great expense to pump out
water accumulated in it because Of hydraulic
| mining. Yet it developed on the trial that
dumping was an old institution here and
that the city from 1858 in many seasons en-
ployed that means of getting the water out
earlier than it would otherwise 90, and only
| in 1878 did the city first attempt to drain by
means Of canal, and got total fall Of seven
| feet between Il street and Sn0dgrass slough
but the canal has not been completed farther
than Beach's lake. Plaintiff did draw out OF
persons who did not know what they were
| talking about, that mining debris had OBJ.
structed the drainage canal, but Mr.. Knox,
| the b st informed person on that subject the
man VINO was Street Commissioner and SUI
perintended the work OF cutting the canal,
| Tue Gtlldl uu lIlls anu tSllS lusV Nuhl
| did obstruct the canal, and the only things
that had any connection with it and the riv-
els were the Lovedall and Mesick and Fern
| breaks, and except these the only Instructions
| have been the washings of the streets and the
drainage from the livery stables. Prior to
! 1873 the drainage canal, before its enlarge
ment, was an open ditch, and under charge CT
the county. Now, the distractions of the
! canal were assumed,
BY THE PHYSICIANS
Who testified, t, be caused by debris Of mines,
and so they s@ore the health of the city was
! il jured by reason OF mining debris. Their
pretense 10 this line being exposed, attorneys
for plaintiff next say the sipage water OBJ
structed the drainage. Why that ought to
help the canal. There are six sewers from
north to south, and none above Thirteenth
street. They run to II street; the others run
| from east and west along street to Sixth,
and thence to Y street and ou5 to the canal.
The lateral sewers in the alleys are generally
of wood ; few ara earthen pipe. Some OF
the main sewers are OF wood, and some Of the
brick ones ara open work, sides and bottom,
aad thus are made "a il for the very purpose
OF distributing the foul matter, they should
carry, throughout the soil. The fecal matter
is, by city law required 10 be kept in the soil,
and there it is permeating the ground,
paving the way for disease. This is the
system they say the miners are destroy
| ing. Well, such a system ought to be
destroyed There is only one way TO correct
| it to sink e deep, large well below II street,
| into which discharge the sewers with steep
grade, and let the sewers carry all the matter F;
then let il be taken out, deodorized and carted
away. All know in Sacramento that wet
winters are followed by healthy springs and
summers, and that dry winters are succeeded
Invariably by unhealthy seasons. When
there is sipage, it, to q certain extent, purfies
| thesoil and deodorizes, and, has been proven,
/ The nearer the soil water is to the surface the
better the health of the people, and vice
versa. Mr.. Catlin further considered these
and cogna ate subjsc at length, reviewing in
detail the testimony bearing thereon. He said
| That, so far as the drainage cf the American
river watershed is concerned, there is no evil
d snce in the case whatever of any deleterious
! effect of debris except in this city, saving
only as to the Larue ranch. The claim that
the val ey will be depopulated, and is threat
ened, is based on no testimony. The total
amount affected by the overhows of the
American. Sacramento, Feather and Yuba is
| Int 5000 acres of inclossd lands Of the
Sacramento valley.
MIR. Catlin concluded his argument by
reading at length from manuscript his con.
clusions Of the result of all the testimony,
pausing frequently to comment thereon.
This review held that the general allegations
of the complaint have not been sustained,
nor has it been shown that the evils alleged
In the bill are due to the modern system of
mining. He added as final consideration
| that If the mountains are given up to the
| husbsndman, the tilling OF the soil will cause
greater wash of matter into the rivers than
ever. 1t mining is killed off the foothill and
| near plains farmer will lose a large market
| and landed values largely decrease.
Adjourned to ga. NJ to-day.