Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-11-28
OUR LEVEE SYSTEM.
AN INTERVIEW WITH STREET
COMMISSIONER NI.LSEN.
Condition Of all the Levees-What
the Jett, Works have DOne-The
River Channels Etc.

money voted Tor and collected had been used
in raising il, in accordance with the proposition
submitted to and carried by a large majority of
the electors at the special election last year.
We are of the opinion that any other part of the
work voted for at that time would have been
better left undone than this. We found the Y
street levee some seven or eight feet lower than
the Front-street levee. with which 1t connects;
and while 1t is true that the levee in District
No is between it and the river, and the rail
road embankment on street Is between Il and
the larger part OF the CITY, yet we regard 1t as d
great oversight on the part of the City Trustees
TO have left il in its unfinished condition until
this time. The levee in District is no part of
our system, is small. and weak compared to
ours. and over 1t the city has no control. The
trestle openings, rendering it almost useless as
a levee. We are unanimously of the opinion
that at the earliest practical moment the Y
street levee should be raised not less than six
feet and thoroughly planted with Bermuda
grass.
Mr.. Nielsen said he had read the report
carefully. The Grand Jury were taken over
the levees, north and east of the city, with
an engine placed at their disposal by Su-
perintendent Wright 1t seems rather
strange, he added, that some one, if not
all three, of the Levee Commissioners were
not invited to accompany them on that
tour of inspection. If any one of the
Trustees had been allowed to accompany
them, no doubt the wisdom of the formers
policy in constructing and maintaining the
ievees would have been explained, under
stood, fully appreciated and indorsed and
the report as published, would not have
been made. He understood that before
finding indictments it was generally rula-
BILE at least to examine witnesses, take evil
dence, and then come to conclusions. In
this matter that usual routine seems to
have been entirely ignored, and the Board
of Trustees censured and condemned with
out hearing. The Grand Jury-at least
that portion of it who are residents of this
city and especially the Foreman and Sec
rotary of that body-should know more
about.the levees and the work done upon
them by the present Commission than their
report would indicate. They know full
well that the special tax was for the pur-
pose of protecting our city from overflow,
and was to be placed where it was most
needed and would afford the greatest pro-
lection. This was done, and up to the time
of the appearance of the report referred to
it was conceded by all that the work had
been we'll DONE and our citizens were salts
fed, expressed full confidence in the levee
system, and regarded themselves perfectly
secure from flood. 1t was the wish of the
the encroachments of the American river,
and Mr.. Bassett, the City Engineer, who
had the entire confidence of the peo-
pie, directed where and how the money
should be expended. The work was started
on the north levee, and the same made Sc
cure, strong and high to the upland beyond
Brighton. Work was also done on the
front levee, which was made higher and
broadened to such an extent that there is
now no fears of floods from either of the
rivers. While the Y-street levee might be
raised to the hight of those north and west
of the city, the Commissioners never con-
sidered it unsafe, and do not so consider it
now. The front levee on the Sacramento
before the recent additions, was scarcely. if
any, higher than the Y-street levee is at
present. The Y-street leYee in compari-
son with the Front-street levee is not near
ly so high, and leyee of its hight on the
north side of the city would not be con-
sidered of sufficient size or strength but
any person who will take time to inyesti-
gate the matter seriously, and will do so
with mind free from bias and no inclina-
ton to find fault. must confess that the Y
street levee is as able to withstand overflow
or back water, as is the present north levee
to withstand the force of the running and
washing currents of the American The
report admits that the front and north levees
are sufficient to resist the currents of the
rivers they defend US from, but says the Y
street levee should be of equal hight and
strength.
He said it takes strong cable to bind a
giant. but smaller cord will control and
subdue youth. The Grand Jury, or
portion of it at least. cannot have taken
these things into consideration, and hence
signed a report condemnatorv of Com
mission whose every act in this matter has
been to put the greatest strength where it
was the most needed. To him, he said
the work recommended by the Grand Jury
was useless, from the fact that there was no
necessity for it. Admitting that the leyee
in District No. ! should give away, as
stated in their report, the water would not
flow uphill to Sacramento there would be
no current in this direction, but the waters
would press southwark, and have a tend
ency to pull away from the leyee instead of
forcing against it. In the event of strong
wind, as We had it once during an
overflow before the construction of the
Y-street leyee, it would not wash the
latter as it did the R-street levee. The
Y-street levee is covered thickly with
a matted growth of Bermuda grass, and
thick growth of willows, that will with
stand the WAKES, and protect it in its en-
tirety from the beating waters. The CITY
paid Turton x Knox, last year $500 TO
plant Bermuda grass upon the north levee.
but il would take very close observer,
with microscope of powerful lens. to find
blade of il growing. In case of an over
how south OF the city, our citizens would
suffer no inconvenience. from the fact that
we have a pump on I street, between
Seventh and Eighth streets, capable of
throwing over the levee 500, 900 gallons of
on hour That Sc IL b.
start at moments notice. kinding- wood
and fuel are under The boiler, and all we
have to do is to touch a match to the finder
and it is ready for service.
If the Grand Jury had desired 10 know
what had become of the large sum of
money" they speak of it would have been
very easy matter for them to have called
al the Office of the City Auditor. where
strict account is kept of each and every ex-
penditure. They would have had no diff
Guilty in finding all the information they
desired, and no doubt, by such and similar
investigations-for instance, interviewing
the City Engineer upon the subiect-would
have largely added to their stock of knowl-
edge upon levee work, the principles of
hydraulics, and the economical use of pub
lie funds.
Last year the Trustees thought il was in
the interest of the city to make their tax
levy as light as possible. They thought the
levees Were sufficiently strong, and hence
did not burden the already overloaded tax
payer with levy for that purpose; and
their action was commended by all. There
are several hundred dollars remaining in
the levee fund, and if it is required on the
Y-street levee, il shall be placed there
Some years ago the people voted a special
tax to improve the leyees from Brighton to
Y street Ii was generally understood nv
those who voted for the tax that it meant
the enlargement of the levee from Brighton
along the north levee and down the Front
to y street The citizens then were strongly
opposed to any cross levees, and would not
vote for one The Board of Trustees then
in power construed Pit differently, and in
stead of putting the money where the peo-
pie supposed it was going, went to work
and built the Y-street leyee.
The levees are now all that could be de-
sired. They, of course, require constant
atoI,, 4 nd g