The record-union., 1891-05-22
IT MEANS MUCH.
The Project to Reclaim the Great
Yolo TuIe Swamp.
Landowners In Earnest for It's Recla-
national Committee to Ex-
anime and Report.


sacramento, Solano and Colusa Counties,
assembled at Y NJ. I. Hall at 10 o'clock
yesterday morning for the purpose-as
explained by the RECoRD-UNIoN on
Wednesday-of considering the matter Of
devising some feasible plan for reclaim
ing the rich lands of the Yolo tule basin.
The meeting was called to order by DR..
G.. NJ. Dixon, who briefly stated the OBJ
ject for which it was called. He said
that there had been misunderstanding
as to the hour ofmeeting, which had been
originally set for 2 o'clock p. NJ, but
suggested that those present had better
proceed to organize.
DR.. Dixon was then unanimously
chosen to preside, and engineer J. c.
Boyd was elected Secretary.
William Johnston said it was custom
airy for the Chairman of meeting to
make some opening remarks, and called
upon DIR. Dixon to say something.
The Chairman said he was deeply in
terested in the movement, and hoped for
great results. He wondered that the people
had not before this manifested their appre-
citation of the wonderful possibilities of
that vast tract of land lying on the west
side Of the Sacramento River and gen.
orally known as the Yolo tule basin. In
Holland the people had leveed and
DYKED OUT THE VERY SEA ITSELF
In order to reclaim or make land that
could not compare with this in fertility
and productiveness.
There is no better land anywhere"
said DR.. Dixon. cit will raise almost
everything, and / have myself taken
Six different crops a year from por-
ton OF it." He referred to the opera
tons of the Drainage Commission in
found that the estimate of 50 per acre for
reclamation proved too small. He did
not deem it advisable to discuss details at
tins time, but thought the meeting should
decide upon some broad plan Of opera
ton and appoint a committee to inVesti-
gate the matter and report thereon.
TWO PLANS
Were talked of, he said. One was to tap
the river at Gray's Bend and carry the
surplus water down through a canal
along the western rim Of the tule basin.
The other was to construct leYees wide
apart through the tule basin and carry
the water down to the MonteZuma hills
and out to Suisun Bay by cutting through
the hills. 1t was estimated that the land
could be reclaimed at an average ex-
pense OF $40 per acre. This was nothing
compared with the grand results to be
obtained, for every acre reclaimed will
produce i've or SIX crops year.
WHAT IT WOULD DO.
The reclamation of this immense tract
OF now useless land would, said Dr.
Dixon, give ! 900 families 100 acres each
and would add $4,000 population to a sec
ton the trade of which would mostly
come to Sacramento. The latter city
could, he thought, afford to give to the
enterprise the income of its leYee fund
for five years, as the success of the pro-
Ject would forever remove from the city
all danger to be apprehended from the
river.
All down the east side of the river there
is no absolute safety to the landowners
now, and they could well afford to aid
this scheme, as their safety from over
flow would then assured. People in the
lower portion of Colusa County are also
interested in this enterprise, as it would
relieve them of the flood waters in win
ter. This meeting, he said, was the first
real result of fifteen years agitation and
money expenditure by few enterprising
citizens of Colusa.
SENATOR JOHNsToN's VIEWS.
Ex-senator William Johnston ofCourt-
land, being called upon, said he always
took an interest in the reclamation of
swamp lands, and was ready to encour-
age all such good work, but as he was
not familiar with the plan under con
temptation in the present case, he could
make no valuable suggestions except
possibilities of these tule lands are some
thing wonderful, and if he were to tell
those present what such lands would
produce they would hardly believe him
IL was simply marvellous. The cost of
retaining these lands would be a mere
bagatelle compared with the advantages
10 be derived.
Mr.. Johnston said if canal were to be
constructed it should have its outlet in
SuISun Bay, and not at Rio Vista. The
water often backs up at the latter point
and flows up Steamboat Slough, for want
of a rapid outlet. The surplus waters
should be let out below there.
TEN DOLLARS AN ACRE NOT TOO MUCH.
Theodore Deming of this city. who
owns body of land in Yolo, said he
thought the matter under consideration
should be inquired into by competent
engineers, and if the proposed plan be
found feasible he had no doubt the city of
sacramento and individuals who would
De directly benefited would contribute to-
ward the expense. He did not consider
that $40 per acre should stand in the way
of an undertaking of such importance.
Mr. Crump of Yolo Endorsed what Mr..
Johnston had said about the water
backing up from Rio Vista through
Cache Slough. The only safe thing to do
would be TO cut through the Montezuma
nils and let the water out into Suisun
Bay. In his opinion the proposed canal
was the only salvation for the tule lands.
GRAND ISLAND WOULD ASSIST.
General T. w. Sheehan said the land
owners on Grand Island had expended
as high as $50 an acre to have their lands
protected, and it was money we'll ex
pended. The people on the Yolo side
should 90 to work and show that thew
mean business before they can expect
much aid from those ON the islands who
now feel pretty secure from danger. The
olo people can well afford TO pay, if nee
essary, $50 per acre to have their lands
reclaimed.
The first thing to do would be to make
cut through Montezuma hills. and
although not a landowner on the YoIo
side, he for one would be willing to paw
an assessment on his Grand Island prop
'erty equal to that of any landowner on
the \ olo side TO have such cut made.
OTHER VIEWS EXPRESSED.
Colonel Moulton, of Colusa, and sew
eraI other gentlemen expressed their
views on the subject. One said the peo-
pie down the river would not expend
money for reclamation purposes until
Ihe river levees were first made secure.
Mr.. Deming replied that, without drop
OF water from the river, the low land had
peeh and always would be flooded by the
Naters oil Cache and Putah Creeks. These
NatSfs must be cut off and carried away
across the high land to Suisun Bay before
any reiief could be had.
An adjournment was then taken until
o CLOCK, Ia order TO give other expected
ueIesales an opportunity to take part in
the meeting,
WHO WERE THERE
Inc convention reaSsembled at $50
o'clock p. NJ, the following named rer-
sons being present, all of whom are either
owners OF property IN the district sought
to be reclaimed, or are directly Affected
proposed