Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-17
a sltckens Investigation that Should In
terest Sacramentans.

a sitckens investigation that Should In
terest Sacramentans.
Copyright, 1885, b. the California associated Pres,
MARYsvILLE, July 16th.-With view tc
ascertain the comparative sediment bear
ing condition of the various rivers. the
appeal caused to be taken on Nav 10Th
last, samples of surface water at eight diff
ferent points, and also water from the pipe
supply ofSacramento City, which is pumped
| from the Sacramento river below the mouth
| of the American. These samples were
placed in the hands of Henry Flint, chem.
| lst OF this city, and by him submitted to an
exact evaporation process. He reports the
amount of solid slickens," by weight in
grains, per gallon of water, as follows
Iuba river, at the mouth, 81: Feather,
| above the mouth of the Yuba, IA; Feather,
below the mouth OF the Yuba, ~; Bear. al
WheatlGnd, 81; American, near its mouth
81; Sacramento river at Meridian, Sutter
county, 0; Sacramento river, Just above the
mouth of the American, IA; Sacramento
city water, from pipe, AZ; Suisun Bay, at
Benicia (ebb tide, slickens IS, salt 16S.
Fiints report says:
All the waters examined held organic matter
IN suspension. That from the Sacramento river
at Meridian the greatest quantity. The only
water CARVING IN solution any appreciable
which was contaminated with sea salt None
OF the waters, as presented to me for examina-
tion could be classed as potable, unless freed
from suspended matter. | find great diminu-
ton i'll the quantity OF sickens carried in suspen-
sion by the Guba river since the Injunction
against hydraulic mining. Only few years
ago the 4uba was carrying 6Ss grains to each
gallon OF water as the daily average, and on one
occasion was delivering the enormous quantity
OF ] 800 grains 10 the gallon.
WHAT THE REPORT SHOWS.
An examination of Flints report shows
some striking condolences The quantity
OF slIckens carried iii suspension at the
time of the taking of the samples was the
same in the Yubs, Bear and American. and
the water from the Sacramento river above
the mouth OF the American held the same
quantity of slickens as that of the Feather
above the mouth of the Yuba The upper
Sacramento river at Meridian was entirely
free from mineral matter in suspension,
and the samples taken from the tributary
streams named show whence came the
slickens found in the main stream at the
Capital and in the waters of Suisun bay at
Benicia.
HOW SACRAMENTO CAN GET PURE WATER
The samples also show that the Sacra-
mento city supply of water would contain
two-thirds less slickens if pumped from the
Sacramento river above the mouth of the
American, instead of below the mouth of
that tributary.
comparison of all the samples clearly dis
proves the theory that agricultural wash is
at all responsible for the mineral matter
carried in suspension by the Sacramento
river, since it was shown that Upper Sac
ramento is entirely free from such material
until it receives the flow from Feather
river, which carries slickens from the
Yuba and Bear. The samples taken were
almost entirely free from sand, the slickens
being yellcwish, clayey substance which
readily mingles and floats along in the
water as far as the current lasts.
Within the past few days it has been re-
ported that Bear river is running clear.
indicating an entire suspension of hy-
draulic mining on that stream at present