Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-07-10
THE DESTRUCTION OF RIVER NAvI
CATION.

An article by a correspondent Of the
Bulletin appeared in the RECoRD-UNIoN
yesterday, charging that hydraulic mines
under injunction are now continued, and
will be continued in operation, by being
placed in the charge of Chinese compa-
MES, that, chameleon-hke, change color as
often as a writ is served, and thus necessi-
tate new processes either for the purposes
of punishment for contempt or for serving
writs of injunction; that by this process
since the number of Chinese bosses is I'M
ending-it will be possible to evade the
law indefinitely and keep hydraulic litiga-
ton at arms length. Whether these
statements and speculations are correct or
not, they should put the friends Of river
preservation upon inquiry. OF one thing
river bears about as much mining matter
now as at any time in the past. 1t runs
ladened to full capacity by our doors. Its
channels are steadily filling up more and
more, and its navigability being more and
more impaired. 1t is due to two causes
the washing of new deposits into the trib-
utaries and the coming down of old de-
posts from and below the canyons.
The attention Of the proper govern
mental department was long since called
by the REcoRD-U UNION to the steady de-
cadence of the navigability Of the Sacra-
mento river. For years this journal has
sounded the note of warning of the inev-
liable result Of the artificial filling Of the
stream. That it is artificial no one now
denies; the chatter about the natural
wash chiefly filing the stream has
ceased. The danger that menaces this city
by the destruction of the channels Of river
navigation has been over and again pointed
out. The consequences Of it, and the
right TO have the stream preserved, was
one of the most powerful reasons for the
Court decisions against hydraulic mining.
Without easy boating upon the river the
advantage this city enjoys as a competitive
point in transportation will be wiped out
Sacramento reduced to the plane of way
station upon the railroad, and her entire
trade area made TO suffer with her 1t has
been steadily maintained that this possibil-
ity was a matter Of immediate vital import
anee to this place and valley. Every year
finds the river at its low stages in a more
deplorable condition. There have, how
ever, been taken no sufficient steps to
stop this filing or to remedy
it. The agencies that constantly
contribute to the dcgeneraey of the stream
have not been so checked in their work as
to materially retard the process Of destruc-
ton, nor have the channels been clearsed
or steps taken 10 prevent further filling.
Fresh supplies OF artificial matter con-
tinue to be poured in, and the aceumuia-
tions OF debris in river canyons Of past
years continue TO come down, end will con-
tinue to descend, unless some measures are
adopted to restrain them Whatever is
done that should be done 10 prevent fresh
deposits of mining debris, some action
must be had to prevent the wash of old de-
posts into the river, and to remove the
present unnatural deposits in the channels.
The one action is precisely as essential as
the other. Whatever the Government
may determine to do in the matter OF
checking the flow of sands, should not be