Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-09-17
RIVER EXAMINATION
BY OUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
AND OTHERS.
A Terrible Scene of Devastation and
Ruin-IDjunction of Wrong ana
Governmental Aid Required.

governmental Ala tItQulTCu'
The contemplated examination of the
Sacramento river by our Congressman and
others, by invitation of the Sacramento
Board of Trade, took place yesterday. The
object was to afford full and accurate infor-
nation as to the real condition Of the Sac
ramento, in order that our members of
Congress may more efectually urge the ne
cessity for immediate Governmental aid in
retaining the rivers from state OF ruin
through filling with hydraulic mining de-
tritus, and preserve their navigability. I'M
der the courtesies extended by the Board of
Trade and the kindness of the officers hav-
ing charge of the steamer, the trip was
made a most interesting and successful one
In order that the party should not be de-
tanned in crossing the bar just above the
Yolo bridge, Captain Foster kept the paddle
wheel of a steamer revolving over the bar
most of the previous day, and by that
means effected a channel OF sufficient
depth, so that it was passed over without
delay Captain Dwyer, On behalf Of the
San joaquin Company, extended, free, the
use of the Governor Dana for the trip. The
services and courteSies of Captain Dwyer
and Captain Roberts, of the San Joaquin
Company, and Captain Foster, of the
Southern Pacific Company, were also ten
dered and enjoyed, the latter acting as pilot
The steamer left the Nstreet wharf at
$50 in the morning with the party, con
sisting of the following: Senator Leland
Stanford, Governor Stoneman, Congress
nv Nv NT1rrau- TDzcVL NT.I-
Barclay Henley and J. F. Louttit, Hon 5.
T. Gage; Joseph Stetiens, President, and
Albert Gal!atin, a. 5. Hopkins, L. L.
Lewis, ?. E. Plat, c. ii. Hubbard, T. A.
Smith, members of the Board of Trade
Mayor John Q. Brown, II. B. Nielsen and
W r. Jones, City Trustees; L. II. Fassett
J. E. McMullen, B. L. Steinman, George
o. Bates and S. J. Jackson, Supervisors of
Sacramento county; L. l.. Steel and Cap
tain j. n. Knowles, of the San Francisco
Chamber of Commerce; Il. G.. Sheath, of
the San Francisco Board of Trade
Hugh Corcoran, President, and n.
NJ. Orr, Secretary, of the Board
Of Trade of Stockton A Leach, Pres
ident, and VIM. ingalls, and VIM. Eng
lish, of the Board of Supervisors, San Joa-
quin county; C. E. Sexey, President of the
Anti-Debris Association; George Ohlyer,
President of Suffer County Farmers Tn
ion; Gen. John McComb, Folsom Edward
Curtis, DR.. H. Latham, Sheriff J. W. Will
son, r. C. Sargent, Stockton w. f.
Knox, and representatives of the San Fran
cisco Bulletin, Call, Post and Examiner, and
the Bee and RECORD UNION.
Immediately upon leaving the N-street
wharf, measurements as to the depth of the
river were made, and continued at inter
walls during the trip. Opposite the foot of
L and X streets the depth was about four
feet, but nearing the bridge, between five
| and six feet was found. At the bridge and
upon the bar just above-where a channel
had been cut out as before mentioned
from three to four feet of water was found.
Very shallow depths were found as a rule
the entire distance of the Journey Most
valuable and interesting information was
given by the steamboat Captains with the
party, as to the condition of the river in
former days, as also concerning the present
difficulties to continue navigation upon the
river at all, and as to the conduct of the
river during flood times.
1t is not necessary to enter into details as
TO the appearance Of the river, as most of
our readers are already familiar with it,
either from observation or information
heretofore published upon the subject 1t
is difficult however, without more recent
examination to understand the extent
of the injury to navigation-the almost
utter ruin that has been effected. The
simple statement that instead of the once
deep-flowinG, clear river, with high banks,
now is to be seen only a thickened mass of
yellow water making its way over a bed of
slickens, the top of which has an average
altitude, between Sacramento and the
mouth of the Feather river, of eighteen
feet above the natural bed, tells a tale which
costs almost the life of this national high
way. And, unless relief is soon secured,
the river will be forever blotted out from
its present course, and the elevated bed of
sand, pipe-Clay and willows will remain
only as a monument of untold injustice
and wrong, and of incalculable and ire
| trievable loss.
All along the river high sand and slick
ems bars rise perpendicularly out of the
water, at some places in the middle of the
| stream, with barely room for boats TO pass,
and at others on the sides. Changes in the
rivers banks were also constantly pointed
out, where the deposits of debris have
formed new banks, rising from eight to ten
| feet above the water, and which are now
| thickly overgrOwn with willows and cotton
| wood. At the point upon the river known
as Russian Crossing, Captain Dwyer point
| ed to tall sycamore tree some fifty rods
| back from the river, on the Yolo side, and
apparently far into the field, and stated
| that it marked the old crossing, and also
| that it stood Immediately upon the edge of
the river prior TO the invasion of the
mining debris. Now heavy underground
of timber, upon high plateau, covers the
| long stretch between the old landmark and
| the river, and a bold high bank of slickens
| rises out of that side Of the thick. flowing
| stream.
AT the various breaks in the levees it was
observed that upon the debris filling, in the
! back lands at a distance. the inevitable
willows and cottonwood were growing. but
which, though in themselves a mark of
| ruin, were relief upon the scene of desc
| lation presented. On the west side of the
| river, the front lands are still protected
| quite generally by leveeS, and the wealth of
alfalfa product and hop fields were occa-
| sionally to be seen. On the east side, how
ever, ruin and desolation marks every fea-
| ture of observation. Captain DIVER stated
that during his early years of boating upon
the river nearly every quarter section of
| land upon this side was occupied by a
| thrifty farmer. Now there is but one farm
occupied between the American and
| Browns landing, distance of nearly %
miles, while between that point and the
mouth of the Feather river, three small
ranches continue to be occupied, within a
| distance of three miles. These facts re-
quire no comments.
| At Salmon Bend, about nine miles below
! the Feather river, at distance about eighty
rods apart are two breaks or openings from
the river through the high front lands lead
| ing to the east, into which one-fOurth of
the Sacramento pOurs during high water
| The river will have to rise but from three
to four feet before the water will commence
TO run through them This flow keeps
| down the low lands to the east of the river
into Bannon's slough, and pitches over the
| bank into the Sacramento again Just above
| the mouth of the American river. The re-
suit of this diversion of water into the
slough causes formidable bar to form in
the Sacramento just below the point where
it leaves the river, which greatly obstructs
navigation.
| 1t is not so bad, however, as Fremont
| bar, caused by the flooding of sand and
debris out of the Feather river
the mouth of which is from half to
| three-quarters Of mile above. The Gov
eminent constructed wing dam here three
or four years ago, and greatly improved the
channel.
AT the time it was built" said Captain
| Dwyer, " the cap rail upon the structure
was about six feet above the water when at
| the present stage of the river Now the