Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-07-25
THE NAVIGABILTTY OF THE RIVER
AND GOVERNMENT AID.
The San Francisco Morning Gail says:

The San Francisco Morning Gail says
The sacramento RrcoED-UNIoS is alarmed at
The prospect that the Sacramento river bed VIII
fiji up with debris from hydraulic mines ana the
consequent diversion OF the water into other
courses That " hich the RECORD-CNIuS sees IL
the future has been distinctly visible for some
time past. The filing up Of the river bed
crowds ont the water when there IS any Cohsid-
cradle increase IL its volume Il would not take
much 81 storm now 10 cause an Overflow. i4e
amount of property that would be destroyed by
such q storm a. all old residents 81 the state
have witnessed may be estimated by study OF
the assessors books. fnerc are large ana Tltii
localities that would not De worth paying taxes
on after one Old fashioned ran-sioTIn. II i ldle
to ask Congress 10 construct dams 10 save the
river as long as hydraulic mining IS permitted.
The plsn uuOn which the Parks dams were
built is d snare rather than safety. lhe 10"
brush ll:ls might stop the cO@Iscf part d t4i'.
tai!i1gs but they would let all te 44ici par o'
which the river is filing, pass as freely as II no
1hecl. had been attempted. y, series oil dal!ls
which do not hold water as wei a. earth VIII
do the least good III the way OF saving the IlNtT.
OF course n proposition TO construct Dams 10
mold ali the water which comes down IRON the
mountains even long enough for the caith III IL
TO settle is out of the question lhere Is II
fact hut alternative OF the result 10 " Iiiv1t
orr Sacramento contemporary foTesees, and tnat
is TO stop hydraulic work IN all the mines whose
how enters the river.
The REcoRD-UNI conclrs in the spirit
and iustice'of the foregoing, and agrees
with the CAL that ''it Is idle to ask Con-
ores, 10 construct dams as long As hydraulic
mining is permitted" We have pointed
out that the matter in the lower reaches Of
the river is precisely the fine sand which
would come over a dam, if hydraulic min
ing continues.
Although the REcoRD-UNIoN has been
maliciously, viciously and cowardly mis-
represented and assailed upon this point,
it has not made and will not make 4 par
ticlc of difference in It's position. But the
Cal being an honorable Journal Is incapable
Of willful misrepresentation, or undignifed
or unfair debate. and has no end to serve
that viii lead it into comforting ont Of all
semblance Of truth the expression OF con
temporary upon a grave public question.
The fact that brush dams were some
wear, ago used, and were honestly advo-
Gated as possible remedy for an evil, Is
ayerted to by the Cal, but cuts no figure IN
the present. The scheme then had the
support Of the best engineering talent OF
he world. But it is sufficient TO know
now that no such restraints would save the
river from injury from mining sands,
though they might defer it somewhat.
But no one is contending for new-debris
dams, unless it be hydraulic miners, and
that they should advocate measures TO en-
able them to pursue their old processes is
but natural What the REcoRD-USIoN
contends for is the wisdom and absolute ne
cessity of memorializing the Government to
give some attention to the river immedi-
ately.
Doing that need not and cannot delay
action in restraining the miners from COM
hitting public nuisance by filing up the
river. The machinery Of Government is
slow moving, and it will take years to in
duce it to do any extended work in the
way of needed improvements to the chan
mel and in preventing the vast quantity Of
old mining deposits in the tributaries Of
the river from coming into the stream, a
thing all are urged will happen if neglected;
deposits that must sooner or later be Sc
cured where they now are by some means,
we care not what, rs engineering science
and experience may advise.
Now, then, why not, let Us ask our con
temporary, inaugurate the movement now
which must be begun, to awaken the Gov