Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-09

on a former occasion, when your Savior cor
nered. me. devised document for all similar
good everybody takes it." A personal inspec-
ton of the upper portion of the road now viii
suggest 10 practical mind thar when the
company finishes the road, pays reason
able State and county taxes thereon and
that other uncertain levy which eight feet of
annual rainfall on mountain side yielding
road-bed VIII make, they should secure large
benefits from the promised land beyond the
state line; such future and doubtful relief
however, does not justify any Sinking or bad
faith on the part of the Government or the neo-
pie. Seriously, the great importance of inter
state commerce. the benefit that the Govern
ment ana people will get by continuing the
contract, the equities of the situation all de-
mand that we make every effort possible
: through our congressman To have the time ex-
tended TO the company in which to finish the
contract or TO have some other means devised
that will afford relief or assistance TO this great
est OF railroad undertakings By properly treat
ing such an enterprise, other capitalists of the
State may be induced TO extend The Northern
| California Railroad from OroyiIle M the north
| fork OF the Feather river through the Fredonia
pass, where the elevation is some 5000 feet
thence via Goose lake. the southeast corner of
Lake county, oregon across Baker county,
down the Malheur river to near the month
wht re junction could be made with the Oregon
snort line; surveys show that this road would
be about 400 miles long; that it can be built on
maximum grade of sixty feet to the mile and
a maximum of nine degrees It's construction
WOULD open up an immense territory. now with
| out 1all accommodations and would give us
direct communication with Eastern Oregon
Idaho, Montana and Washington Territory
THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE RIVER.
A subject Of the greatest Importance to the
future OF TINS state and especially to this local
lty, Is the river improvement question For n
new state, comparatively this question now
comes early to tue front. Having in view the
wltnholdlhg OF an appropriation already made
by Congress which could be used on the river
and also the fact that Congressman Budd had n
bill introduced into Congress appropriating
SoOO,NO more Tor the improvement of the rivers
near us, year ago said referring to the debris
and river questions There should now he
unity of action, Litigation has settled the dis
puled points, and those successful committees
that have been so long contesting sboald now
demand the judicious expenditure nv the Gov
ernment of the money for the purpose for which
1t was appropriated; and also the sums asked
Tor TO be like expended and thereby secure the
moral support, as well as the protection of the
State and Government, which such an eypend
lture would naturally guarantee" Confirming
this expression then made. now desire m en
large upon the subject just little In the orier
inal contract between the State and the General
Government. the latter reserved the ownership
OF the rivers and guaranteed their free n,,-ifJ
ton TO the people. Whatever ignorance the
proper officials OF the Government may have
been in regarding the damages being done IN
the rivers Of California, or whatever doubt or
complication the new question of debris dam
age 10 water ways may have gotten into nv
reason or this state having been admitted
1llO inc UulOu dS niniUu Stota
and by common consent that interest heinz rec
ognized as the leading one, after a norton of
the people of the State had contested The ones
ton in the Fede raj and State Courts and th0,e
Courts had caused to be made official the nrnnar
information that injury was being done 10 The
rivers and harbors, aud furthermore that such
injury cause should cease, all excuse for irro
rance or inactivity on the part of Government
officials ended. Therefore. after the Judge Tom
pie decision no official of any department oftha
General Government was justif d in further de- |
Or N q % q e. IL
prevent further damage being made or 10 pro |
coed to repair injuries already done All mon |
eys that the citizens of those few communities |
nave been, from self preservation nualled tn
spend since the Temple decision in order 10 |
enforce the benefits of that decision said to be I
about hall million dollars, is a legitimate |
claim against the General Government and |
should be at once presented for adjustment and /
liquidation. have not time to discuss this |
feature of the question further but assert that |
there are many precedentS to warrant Govern
ment officials, where Government Interests sre |
at stake, to protect its interests and prospcuto |
the private citizen in order to maintain aud ex-
ecute Soth congressional enactments and com
mon law. At present we have the remarkable |
situation OF private citizens doing the work of |
their Government, and at the same time they
and their ueighbOrs are being deprived of ranoir |
relief already appropriated, and which thousands |
otcltiZcns situated near other rivers of the land
are constantly receiving. | can readily under |
stand how lnaction on the part of the General |
government could tie construed by the hydrau- |
lie miners as license to continue work but do |
not see how reclamation done on the rivers by |
the Government could be so construed In sep
TENDER this Board invited the congressman |
ON this State and representative men from |
san Francisco, stockton, and other parts of the |
country, numbering about fifty to take steamer |
trip of observation up the Sacramento river
fon this point to the mouth of the Feather !
river. On this trip sOuudings were frequently |
taken, ana many places in the river were found |
there the water was only two and a half three |
aud four feet deep. The river banks were a |
continuous line of water-breaks and damage |
Opposite the mouth of the Feather river the |
channel was two and half feet deep, and in |
the main Feather river channel ut its mouth |
stood q crane not knee-deep in water Ii was
first intended to take the party up the Feather |
river to Marysville i'll u light draft boat but it |
was deemed advisable not TO disturb the crane
so we passed up the Sacramento some three
lengths of the steamer and turned round in |
twenty seven feet of water. where the river
banks were natural, willow and tree-lined lust
one item here to show the importance Of the
river and its value a freight-rate regulator
In the two hours and a half up trip we met the
following steamers and barges | give their
tonnage capacity and their wheat cargoes to
show what the river would then allow them to
carry, and the value of its carving capacity.
even in its crippled condition: