Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-09-14
THE DRAINAGE CANAL.
PEOPLE WHO ARE OPPOSED TO PAYING
FOR IT.
Conference Between the Super
yisors and Trustees-Heated Dis
cussion Pro and Con.

scheme purely on principle, not that he was
an obstructionist or opposed to public
improvments. But in this matter he was
decidedly adverse 10 going into his own
pocket to pay for the Improvements of
other peoples lands. He did not believe
it was rignt nor lawful. Aside from this
ne disbelieyed in the whole canal cheme.
He did not think the object in view would
ever be beaccomplished. because there was not
sufficient fall between Sacramento City and
Snodgrass slough to give ii foS 1t had
never been success, and in his
opinion never would be. He
added that all of his neiehbors were pro-
testing as loud as he sgainst being assessed
for the individual benefit of others If the
whole county was to profit they would
willingly pay their share, but in this case
the city and county proposed to pay for re-
claiming the lands OF few owners who
would be the only ones benefited.
ONLY FOR THE ROADS.
Supervisor Tebbets volunteered the in
formation that the Board did not propose
TO expend the county's money for the re-
clamation of oyerhowed land. What the
Board was looking after was the county
roads. As matters are now, he said, the
roads suffer by reason of not being prop
ery drained, and in winter they were aciu-
ally dangerous. One road near the Co
slmnes had been raised several feet last
year in order to escape the high water, but
owing to there heing no drainage it was
under four feet of water during the recent
| winter, and not only that, but man and
his wife were drowned while trying TO
drive over it. He said that unless the
county kept its roads in good condition il
would be constantly liable to damage suits
which would cost more than a dozen
canals.
! Mr. Ruuyon took the floor again, and
said that when be resd in the papers that
the city and county were going to drain
roads, he saw the little joker right
away. The Board was not really going TO
drain roads, but the private property of
others with the peoples money.
Mr.. Tebbets corrected the speaker by ex-
planning that the Board had as vet taken no
action in The matter whatever. The PROPOSE
! tion was only under discussion.
John Miller, the next of the protestants
| 10 take the floor, declared that in his opin-
| ion the canal was a fraud. 1T never did
any good,' he said, "and never will. The
only solution of the drainage question is, in
my opinion, to build big cement vat, and
when it gets full pump its contents into
the river. We have expended fortunes
around Tyler island to improve our lands
and never asked the county for anything,
and never will. We believe that those per-
sons who expect to be benefited by the
canal should do the work themselves-do
as we have done-and not expect the county
at large to pay for the reclamation of their
| individual Ownings. They will be the only
ones benefited. We don't object to the
canal itself, but we do to having to pay for
| il, when we are to derive no benefit what
ever"
Continuing, Mr.. Miller said that person
ally he did not believe the canal would ever
be success. 1t would not carry water and
sewage six miles from Sacramento city,
even in summer. In the winter time more
would come up the canal than would 20
| down.
Mr.. GREEG's CoEUSDRJM.
well" said Supervisor Greer, "if you
think the whole scheme humbug, why
do you advise the people down there to go
ahead and do the work themselvesp
II think it is a humbug in so far as the
city of Sacramento is concerned" replied
Mr.. Miller. "If they want the canal down
| there to drain their lands, say, let them
go ahead. But it will never benefit the
city or county, and therefore | am opposed
TO the peoples money being used +"
Mr.. Greer then announced that he did
not wish TO be misunderstood in the mat
ter. He was not going to vote for one cent
/ of the county's money being expended
| solely to benefit anybody's land. He was
only looking TO the welfare of the roads
They were and have been in wretched con-
dition, and he wanted to see them pro-
tected
| L.. -
Won can build up the roads all YOU want
and we'll never kick. By building them
high enough the high water will never
hurt them"
Yes, but then they will act as dams, and
there will be howl from the man whose
| lands are thus inundated"
"Put culverts through Them
"rhen there would be a row from the
man on the other side" said Mr.. Greer
helplessly.
"Oh, they can't howl when it is the nat
ural course of the water"
Mr.. Greer then made quite a little speech
| in relation to the damage sustained by
/ people holding land along the canal, by
reason of there being no drainage The
greater part of the Freeport and lower
Stockton roads were inundated every
winter, he said. Lands that hourished a
few years ago were now unproductive and
| their owners come to the Supervisors each
! year to have their assessments reduced. a
person took his life in his hands who at
tempted to travel these roads in winter, and
something should be done.
| MY idea" continued Mr. Greer sis for
| the Supervisors and Trustees to get as much
/ expression on this matter ss possible. The
| Boards have not decided yet what to do,
| and are anxious for information. We don't
want the people of the county TO run away
with the ides that we have already de-
clared ourselves in favor of the canal
scheme"
MORE DIRECTIONS.
Ben Bates, of Courtland, thought that
possibly the canal might be a success, but
only while the river was low. But even
! then it would only last few years and
would not pay for Itself II was we'll
| known fact, he said, that the river was con-
stantly filing up, and it would only be
matter of time when il would be on level
with the canal all the year round. He
| thought the cheapest and best scheme was
the one suggested by Mr.. Miller-to run the
sewage into q big vat and then pump into
the river. BE could not see the wisdom or
| justice Of compelling people from ali parts
of the county to pay for an alleged i'm
| provement that would be enjoyed only by
a comparative few.
Il was one OF those" ne continued. who
put up the money to build levees around
and drain Sut,er island. We asked nobody
in other parts of the county to help us.
Senator William Johnston, one of the
projectors of the canal scheme stated that
all the talk about the proposition not being
practical was nonsense. There was q sui
ficient fall, and there would be an easy
flow all the way from Sacramento city TO
SnoGgrass slough.
n. Greene Curtis when called upon for
his opinion. said he could see no advant-
age in talking much about the scheme. He
was satisfied that the Supervisors and
Trustees would not do anything wrong:
that they would inform themselves thor
loughly before taking any action He was
of the opinion, however, that If the scheme
were shown to be feasible, there would not
be so much opposition TO il.
Colonel McNasser aud j w. Stephenson,
who have heretofore given their views on
| this matter, spoke next in favor Of the
scheme. and told why they thought it
| would be a benefit to the entire county.
Messrs. Ruayon, Bates and Miller spoke
again in opposition, but no new points
were developed. and at noon recess was
taken.
SUBMITTED TO THE LAWYERS.
At the afternoon session, Colonel Nc
Nasser spoke al length again in favor of