Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-09-03
THE DRAINAGE CANAL.
A HEATED CONFERENCE BETWEEN THE
SUPERVISORS AND TRUSTEES.
The Mater Finally Dropped
without Any Action.

Wolf and Mclaughlin stubborn as Usua
The MAJ ter Finally Dropped
without Any Action.
The committee which was appolnteo
several months age to investigate ana re-
port upon the mooted drainage canal, In.
formed the Board of Supervisors yesterday
forenoon that they were ready to report.
As the matter was of equal interest to
the City Trustees, it was suggested that the
committee withhold its report until the af-
ternoon, so that the Trustees might be
present and hear it and act with the Super
yisors upon it.
Mayor Comstock and Trustees Wolf and
Mclaughlin and all of the Supervisors
were on hand in the afternoon, as were the
members of the committee and many per-
sons who reside and own land in the vicin-
ity of the canal. Colonel James MeNasser,
Chairman of the committee submitted the
report, which was as follows:
z,
To The Honorable Board Of Supervisors Of Sacrn-
nlento County and Trustees Of the City OF Sdcrd-
71e1ltO-GENTLEMEN: On November S, 1882 your
honorable Board, during your regular session.
met and consulted with delegation of the
landowners of that portion of Sacramento
county which is directly affected by the drain
age canal leading from Sacramento City to
Snodgrass Slough.
The purpose of the meeting was to devise
such remedial measures, as, in the Judgment of
your honorable Board would best subserve the
desired purpose of the rectfcation of the said
drainage canal by further enlargement and
deepening. 49,
Heavy losses at frequent intervals have in the
past, been sustained by every landowner along
the route of the canal by reason of foundations
by the waters therefrom, crops ruined, land very
materially deprecated in value, and the death
rate from the disease-breeding canal largely in
creased.
committee, to act as an Executive Commit
tee, was named, and requested to deliberate and
to agree upon some definite plan of action 10 be
submitted to your honorable Board at some
future date. An examination of the canal was
authorized, by the City Trustees naming Fl. F.
Pierson, City Engineer, and by the Board of
Supervisors naming J. C. Boyd, County Sur
veyor, as their respective engineers TO act
jointly in making the examinations necessary
to determine the existing condition of the canal,
to propose plan and au estimate of the cost of
the proposed work. The engineers also to con-
suit with the Executive Committee, and to as
sist said committee where advisable.
Owing to the continued high stage of the
canal and river walers 1t was inexpedient to at
tempt the necessary examinations and, as a
consequence, no earlier report by the committee
was possible.
Recognizing the fact that much valuable time
is being lost in this regard we arranged with
the City Trustees and your honorable Board to
view the entire length of the canal from Sacra-
mento city to Snodgrass Slough. On August 9th
various members of this committee met with
the Boards OF Supervisors and City Trustees,
and carefully examined the msterial features
g a a Anderson layQ
A close observance of the necessities of the
canal has led this committee to agree unan-
imously upon plan for the proper construction
of the canal, which we herewith submit for
your consideration.
We respectfully and urgently protest against
the further use of this canal in its present con-
dition as means of disposing of the sewage and
drainage of Sacramento city.
Owing to its improper construction, faulty
gradient and insufficient capacity, this canal
has in the past been a constant menace, a direct
injury and cause of the rapid deterioration of
the value of the lands adjacent; thousands of
acres of the finest lands in the county have been
rendered almost useless, bountiful crops re-
peatedly destroyed by inundation therefrom,
and at this time over u 900 acres of rich bottom
land along its entire length under from two TO
five feet of water. And not only do we submit
that the land to the extent above noted is at
this time entirely useless, but we also contend,
and we substantiate our contention by actual
facts, that large portion of this l2,000 acres,
to-day under water, has previous to the con-
struction OF the drainage canal, been in high
state of cultivation, and. Through the medium of
this so-ealled drainage canal has since been
ruined.
Therefore, in view of the above facts, we re-
spectfully and strenuously urge your honorable
Board to, in conjunction with the City Trustees.
set aside an appropriation in sum necessary
for the construction of first-class dTedger, and
the continuous operation of the same until q
canal forty feet wide be constructed from Snod-
grass Slough to Sacramento city.
By this method OF treating the canal the city
would be more easily relieved of its drainage
and sewage, the county roads afforded a means
of drainage, and Underwater brought nearer to
Sacramento city by operating through this
canal.
In its present condition, on account of its ex-
treme shalowness for miles of its length, the
bed of the canal has grown up in mass of tule
and weeds preventing free flow southwark,
and causing more rapid filling in and choking
up of the canal and correspondingly reducing
its efficiency. By means of dredger as above
proposed, & canal could be dug of sufficient
depth to insure an absence to a great extent Of
vegetable matter in the channelway.
The vast volume of water draining water
shed OF about A0 miles, together with the drain
age of Sacramento city, is necessarily carried
through the canal. Therefore, it is obvious tina
to treat this canal in any other way, or on any
smaller scale than by the dredger plan, woulC
be but useless waste of time and money, no
economical, and could not afford the desired
relief
By adopting the plan of constructing and con
tinuously operating q dredger of the most I'M
proved pattern, the canal could be made to sub
serve the purpose for which it was originally in
tended, tidewater brought nearer the city, anC
an additional fall for drainage purposes advan
tageously used in promoting more rapid out
flow OF the drainage and sewage water of thu
city thus saving thousands of dollars annual,
TO the city by the cessation of operating the }
street pump for eight or nine months in eacl
year.
And further. not only as a matter of economy
but in consideration OF the further fact that thu
sewage from Sacramento city is pumped
through the Y-street levee and becomes iader
with most deadly and fever-breeding gases
which as natural sequence is waited by the
more prevailing southeriy breezes, back an(
over the city, people living within mile o
the canal sre compelled on very frequent oc
casions to close their doors and windows Il
keep out the obnoxious odors arising from thu
stagnant sewage matter in the canal. As
sanitary proposition IL becomes an importan
factor in the consideration OF the health OF tn
city and a moral obligation on the part OF tn
city TO so treat its sewage that Others may no
be caused to suffer financially and PHYSICAL,
by reason of the inefficient mode of treating II
sewage system.
The taxable wealth OF the county would b.
materially increased Thousands of acres, nov
entirely useless, and assessed at from 81 so to 5
per acre, would be brought into a state of cult
walton and assessed at valuation OF from $50 I
500 per acre. As consequence, the rate o
taxation on the entire county woul1 be de
creased. People living on the plains and drain
ing eventually into the canal would have re
and overhowed land would be brought up to
higher assessed valuation to make good the de
ficiency. Furthermore, the county roads 10
months during last winter were under water
and. in at least one instance, to this day i'm
passable, drainage prevented, travel impede'
and a serious loss occasloned therefiom.
BY the proper treatment OF this canal read
means is afforded for the drainage of the uppe
and lower Stockton roads, Freeport road Willow
Slough and Elder Creek.
Therefore, in view of the facts as above Sc
forth, we, the undersigned committee. mos
strenuously urge your honorable Board to, il
conjunction with the City Trustees, make
sufficient appropriation to carry on the work a
outlined above, viz: 10 construct and to cor
tinuously operate dredger of the most in
proved class, in making a canal at least fort
feet In width from Snodgrass Slough to Sacrs
mento city. And for which the undersigne
will ever pray.
Signed: James McNasser chairman, williar
Johnston, Joseph Sims, James oNeil, Williar
Curtis K. A. G. Gourlie, George Peters, Georg
Hack.
Upon the conclusion of the reading c
the report Supervisor Greer moved that
be received and placed on file.
William Johnston, one of the committee
wanted to know what that meant. BE sal
if the report was going to be relegated t