Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-09-08

the cases still pending.
The REcoRB- UNION has repeatedly de- |
clared, and with emphasis, that the valley
lands must be preserved from damage By
mining debris. It has held steadily that
if remedial measures are feasible, they
should be applied, buG if no such measures
can be devised, then, in natura! justice,
by ydrauEc mining should cease, unless
those directly profted by such operation
shall prevent at thajr own cost, all injury
to private property, and al damage to the
naviga6le waters of the State. On that
question there is no longer room for con.
troversy. We have also over and over
again declared, End recently urged with
pertinacity, that the Sacramento river, as
great highway free to all the people, must
not only be preserved, but it's navigation,
already seriously impaired, should, SO far
as may be dore, be restored and kept IN
tact, and this work is properly that of the
National cvernment-certainly no one
will contend that its burden should fall
upon the people who live slong its banks.
In any event, some one must take care OF
the vast deposits now in the river tributa-
ries, and this wholly irrespective OF the
continuance or non. continuance of hy-
draulic mining.
Itisadmitted that the deposition of mining
or other debris in the tributaries of the Sac
ramento is damage to its navigation, and
a menace to the lowland sections along the
stream, and that, unless checked, it will,
in time, so seriously impair such lands as
to render them practically uninhabitable,
while the possible effects upon the lower
watera and the bays is variously speculated
upon as to the degrees of damage that may
result. In this condition of affairs it is
proposed by Government engineers that
the money, in whole or in part, appro-
priated by Congress shall be expended in
the construction of restraining dams as
stated. At one time the Secretary of War
decided that the money should not be SO
used; but as he has recently sought to
further inform himself, it is proper to
suggest that he should ascertain, prior to
action with view to restraining new and
continuing deposits, certain facts essential
to the formation of correct judgment.
As: If dams are to be built, who is to
guarantee that they shall not break and do
damage, and who is to determine their
adequacy? What is the amount of debris
to be deposited behind them, and who is
to determine it? What is the area of
country which is likely to contribute to
these deposits, and for how long? What
is to be the continuing cos: of these dams !?
If buils 70 retain given quantity of
eoarser material, in what time will the
basins probably fill, and when filed, who is
to provide for the raising of the dams to
the requisite hight to give them new ca
pao;tya
It must be evident to any one, be he ag-
ricplturist or hydraulic miner, that a GER
tainty TO be ascertained, SO far as forecasts
can make anything certain, is the adequacy
of the proposed work. II there is on that
head any considerable doubt, the dams
should not be constructed, for the valley
and the river must be preserved from des-
tructioa, and there should be no preventa
BILE menace to either; and hence either q
remedy should be discovered and applied at
the expense of the hydraulic miners or hy-
draulic mining, just so far as it contributes
to the destruction of river and valley,
should cease. Ii an adequate remedy can
| be devised, and the miners can induce the
Government to aid them in its apphca-
| tion, it is not likely that the people of the
valley will interpose serious opposition, for
all they ask is security from the threat
that now undeniably menaces them. The
conservative citizens of the State have de.
sired, and still do desire, that if within the
range of possibility, both the hydraulic
mining and the agricultural industries shall
continue but there IS no room whatever
for consentirg that the existence OF the
former shall be continued at the expense of
the latter. This brings the inquiry back,
therefore, to tie sole question relative TO
the dams, and that ia their entire adequacy
to protect the river and valley from the
flow of debris. They must not constitute
a menace to the valley they must be equa!
to the call TO be made upon them they
must, if constructed, be guaranteed against
decay, breakagesand abandonment, to the
fullest extent that is possible to human
foresight !; and before construction it must
be ascertained that they will prove de-
tense to river and valley from the threat
that now constitutes the chief drawback to
the river section and prevents its rapid ad.
vancement. Failing this, they should not
be erected, But in any event, whether
dams are constructed or not. the restora.
tion and preservation Of the naviga.
tion of the Sacramento river should COM
mand the attention of the Federal Gov
ernment, which has go long consented TO