The record-union., 1891-01-21
RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
The Government Examining Engineers
on Their Tour.
They are Entertained by the Members
of the Board of Trade at the
Sutter Club.

Sutter Club.
The Government Engineers who have
oeen detailed to look into the matter of
improving the Sacramento and Feather
RIVERS arrived at this city on the snag-
Doat SeiZer an hour or SO earlier than
they We're expected yesterday forenoon.
The members of the Board of Trade
Were not taken by surprise, however, and
were on hand at the wharf when the
steamer arrived at the foot of X street.
On board were Major Alexander Nc
Kenzie, Major Heuer and Captain Kings
man.
When the gang-plank was thrown out
the committee Immediately went aboard
and welcomed the visiting engineers to
Sacramento. The Board of Trade COM
mittee consisted of President p L. Platt,
DR.. G. M. Dixon, II. Weinstock, t. B.
Hall, V. S. McClatchy, George NJ. Mott,
l.. L. Lewis, d. A. LindIey, A. S. Hop
kins and E. K. Alsip. George Ohleyer
and Captain Roberts accompanied the
committee.
After engaging in general talk on the
boat, the committee invited the engineers
to lunch at the Sutter Club, and the visit
ors accepted.
AT THE SUFFER- CLUE.
AT the club table the following named
gentlemen We're present: Major Alex.
Mckenzie and Captain Daniel L. King
man, of the River Commission; Major
Heuer, in command of the snagboat
SeiZer; Mayor w. d. Comstock, George
Ohleyer, ex-senator Rose, of Colusa;
Captain A. Foster, Captain }. I'll. Roberts,
DR.. q. NJ. Dixon, p. Il. Platt, ex-senator
VIM. Johnston, Captain It. B. Hall, ID.
McClatchy, l.. l.. Lewis, A. S. Hopkins,
ii. Weinstock.
After the repast had been disposed of
DIR. G. NJ. Dixon, Chairman of the Ex-
ecutive Committee of the River Improve
ment Convention, addressed the Com
lnlssioners on the importance Of action
on the part of the United States Govern
ment to improve the navigation of the
Sacramento and Feather Rivers. He re-
cited briefly what had been done by the
representatives of the River Convention,
and urged the commissioners to make a
full and careful investigation of the river
and its commerce.
p. e. Platt, President of the Board of
Trade, was called upon for facts IN regard
to the commercial Importance of the Sac
ramento River. He gave a general idea
of the amount of tonnage carried on the
river boats, and promised to furnish the
commissioners with back data ON the
subject.
NOW AND THEN.
Captain Foster, of the Southern Pacific
Company's steamer line, made a state
ment of the condition of the Sacramento
and Feather Rivers in 1919 and at the
present time. In early days, he said,
ocean steamers came up to this city, and
the city front was lined with shipping of
all kinds, even by square-rigged vessels
coming up to our wharf. Two years ago
it had been impossible for even the COM
pany's fiat-bottom stern-wheelers to
reach the city with a cargo, it having been
necessary to transfer the freight to barges
in order to bring it TO the wharves.
Ex-senator William Johnston, of Court
land, spoke of the vast amount of fruit
raised along the river and the importance
of preserving its nayigable character
The United States Government was the
proper authority TO deal with the matter.
and since it had taken it up he hoped for
a favorable report from the commission.
EX Senator.lios ofColusa County spoke
generally of the past and present cOndi-
ton of the river, and the vast importance
ofits commerce. The Government ought
to improve the river, not alone for the
present traffic, but for what it would be
IN the future. 1t was not spending money
to assist a small section, but for the de-
yelopment of a vast empire.
EARLY STRUGGLES.
George Oehleyer, of Sutter County. gave
brief history of the condition Of the
river in early days, of its filling up, and
of the struggles of the Anti-Debris Asso-
citation in securing the restraining of hy-
draulic mining. He said he would be
with the commissioners on the Feather
River and would point out to them many
things of interest.
III. Weinstock spoke briefly of the i'm
portance of the Sacramento River as a
highway for commerce and on behalf of
the Board of Trade and Sutter Club
thanked the commissioners for their pres
ence. On his motion they were rendered
a vote of thanks.
Captain Kingman, who is the Recording
Secretary of the commission, in con-
yersation with a RECORD UNION repre-
sentative, said that he wished to impress
upon all who Were interested the i'm
portance of filing with him, in writing.
their views upon the subject, and such
data as they have bearing upon it.
ENCOURAGING, INDEED.
Judging from the occasional remarks
dropped by the engineers during conver-
sation with the committeeman. the latter
feel confident that already the engineers
are alive to the fact that the Sacramento
River can stand an immense amount of
Improvement. They feel sure that fair
statement will be made TO Congress, and
in the end the river will be restored to it's
old-time nayigable condition.
AS regards the ability Of the board Sc
lected by the Government there is not the
least doubt. Major McKe enzie and Cap
tain Kingsnan have both had much ex-
perience i'll river improvements, having
been in charge of the work of leveeing
and dredging the Mississippi River. AS
TO Major Heuer, he has been too long
identified with work in this State to need
comment here.
Captain Kingsman stated that from
what he had seen of the Sacramento
river so far, he was satisfied that the river
needed a thorough system of levees-that
he considered the only remedy that could
be ssttely relied upon. The sand bars
could, he said, be cleaned out by system
OF temporary wing-dams.
OFF FOR THE FEATHER.
All of the engineers appeared anxious
to learn all they could from the committee
men, and requested that they be furnished
with all the data possible, so as to thor
oughly acquaint themselves with the
subject before them.
Shortly after ? the engineers were
escorted back to the Seizer, and the boat
pulled out q few moments later for the
north. Captain Roberts accompanied
them.
They expected to reach the mouth of
the Feather River by this morning, and
will proceed as far up the Sacramento and