Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-09
LOWER STOCKTON Rod.
JOSEPH SIMS OBJECTS TO HAVING IT
DRAINED UPON HIS LAND.
Road overseer Chances Proposition
Causes a Warm Debate Before
the Board of supervisors.

There vas quite p delegation of land
owners along the Lower Stockton rosd
present at the Supervisors session yekter.
day, brought thither By the action of Road
Oversesr Slas Chance, who was known to
have in view the cutting of a canal to re
lieve the road south Of Whisky Hill of the
drainage water held there, and to have it
turned of into the Sims lake bottom.
County Surveyor Boyd had, at the re-
quest OF OveTseer CHARGE, made survey of
the loeslity with view to such action,
and submitted his report thereof, which is
as follows:
SACRAMENTO January s. 1890.
To ile Honorable Board OF upeUisors-GENrLE-
MEN: Pursuant to an order from S Chance
Road oyerseer OF Road District No II, have
MADE an examination and survey of the Lower
stockton road from Whisky Hin to Elder creek
Tor the purpose of establishing a general MAN
for The proposed drain ditch to drain the Lower
Stockton Ioadi which, during and after heavy
rains, Is Hooded for q distance of over three
quarters OF a mile to q deptn of from one to two
feet or more, thereby seriously impeding travel
ana causing no moons derable amount of dam
age to the road and the lands adjacent thereto
AS noted IL my preliminary report on this
subject, his proposed drain ditch is the most
practicable end feasible mode which could be
adopted Tor the proper draining of this road.
II constructed in accordance wi. h the pro-
posed plan, this drain win be of material beue
fit to one Of the most important rOeds leading to
TINS city aud the county generally largely ben
Gifted thereby
The proposed ditch is to have regular grad
lent of 2o5 feet fail per mile from the bed Of the
existing ditch at Coyle's corner 10 a point with
IN 800 feet OF Elder creek, then fall OF % feet
to the bed IF Elder creek TO prevent the waters
of said cresk from backing up to the Lower
Stockton road, and to afford better facilities for
draining Hacks and Sheplar's fields
The aggre gate cost of the construction of the
ditch. as per plan herewith submitted, would be
1857 Il.
In turtheIance of the general plan of recla-
nation and drainage, | would respectfully
recommend concentration Of the bridges on
the road at M. Hacks into one bridge over the
main channel Of Elder creek. the raising of
small bank on the west side of the creek in Mr..
SheplerS field, about 500 -eet in length for the
purpose Of eontuing the water into one we'll
defined Channel, and lengthening the bridge
over Elder creek, about coo feet south of the six
Mile House, by converting the two bridges there
located into one.
Furthermore, the channel of Elder creek
should be graded to conform to the general plan
and extended nom Myron Smiths to Sims lake.
This portion of the work, however, and such
of the plan as enters into private fields to be
done By private subscription, which can be
raised on short notice.
From Sims lake it is expedfent to open the
drainage canal to connect with low tide in Snod-
grass slough, but on account of high waters it
is not at the present time advisable TO make eX-
aminatious or surveys of this latter portion of
the work, but which, by order of your honor
able Board Will be prosecuted as soon as the
water in the lakes and soughs recedes to allow
for it. Respectfully submitted,
J. c. BOYD, County Surveyor.
The reading of the report precipitated a
discussion that consumed the remainder of
the days session.
Joseph Sims ssid it was very strange that
whenever 1t was proposed to relieve the
road of drainage water, nearly everyone
wanted the water dumped into Sims lake.
The fact was that the stoppage of the city
drsinage canal was responsible for all the
trouble experienced, by backing up Willow
slough. lie. that canal be opened and i'm
proved IS il should be, and all difficulty
would be removed. Some years ago prop
erty-ownsrs in that vicinity had allowed
the city TO cut the canal through the nat
ural ridge which separates Sims lake from
the Pocket, with the understanding that
the canal should be continued through 10
tide-wSter. Bpt the city simply opened
the way to throw the drainage into Sims
lake. TIE property-owners went into the
Courts, and now have decision that en-
powers them 10 close that cut, and they do
not propose to lie idle and have their lands
made a reservoir for water lying On other
peoples lands.
Supervisor Greer said the county had
helped in extending the drainage canal,
and he himself had q contract for doing
some Of the work-that between the
"Pocket" and the Hs'ch place, near Sims
lake The ridge is this side of Freeport,
and the depth of the cut through il is from
"A to 16 iaet. Beyond that point there was
quite q canal cut through other lands He
did the york and knew all about it. Sims
lake is q receptacle for the drainage of that
section and for the reason that the drain
age canal runs into it. He wanted to see
the canal opened up and the drainage
water carried on out Of that lake into
Snodgrass Slough, and the Supervisors
should help do the work and were willing
to do so. Other work on the drainage canal
had been done near Georgetown. All that
is necessary now is some cutting to let the
water INTO Snodgrass Slough. But here
comes in another obstacle. a threat was
made before the Board on the preceding day
that if thia we're done, or attempted to be
done, resident of that locality would sue
to enioin the Board; and this notwith-
standing The fac that Snodgrass Slough is
a navlgabie waterway. 1t placed the Board
in an embarrassing position. Ii ii seeks to
relieve enc locality g suit IS threatened,
and then when it proposes to Go something
Sias Chance said he had, in the pursuit
of his work as Overseer Of the road district,
brought the water upon the road. He was
directed 10 grade the road. Was he to
leave the water there, or carry it off?
Was he to make ? reservoir of people s
lands along the road and be sued On his
bond?
Supervisor Tebbets said he didn't pro-
pose to drain peoples ranches, but if the
water could be carried oil through bitches
it should be done.
Supervisor Greer said that if the lower
Stockton road was properly graded the
water would 20 10 Alder creek. 1t was the
duty OF the Board TO require the OTerseer
to grade the read.
Mr.. Sims said he didn't propose to object
to any provision that might be made to
carry of the surplus drainage water, but he
did object 10 having all the wafer dumped
upon his properly. He intimated that
Supervisor Greer bad not been consistent
in his position on the question of the
drainage Of that locality.
Supervisor Greer replied that be had adj
vocaied this very system of reclamation
for more than twenty years-to have the
surface drainage Of thst section carried of
toward FIeeport.
Mr.. Chance said the duty of an Overseel
of roads wac to do the greatest good to the
greatest number. TIE wafer should be
conducted from the road TO Sims lake, and
then provision should be MADE to carry il
farther on and relieve the lake.
Supervisor Bates thought that the whole
discussion Was premature. Nothing should
be done until the committee appointed or
the improvement of the city drainage cana
submits It's report. That work should frs
be done, and then no harm could come
from the other.
Mr.. Sims SAID the committee of lane
owners had gone with the County Surveys
to examine the canal, and are ready to g
again and assist in striving az some defnit,
conclusion as to what is necessary to b
done.
Surveyor Boyd said the whole countr.
along the canal was under water snd nj
surveying work of consequence could b.
done at present.
q. W. Foster said that apparently tn
Board did no. understand the question
aud he preceded to explain the LAY Q
the land IN the locality where the water
living. lie said there was q heavy natura
slope down to Sims lake, and If all tn
wafer from the lower Stockton road Iwer
drained directly into it the lake would no
be raised an inch Fully thirty years as
Mr. Greer had talked with him on the sno
ject and advocated then the plan now pro