The record-union., 1891-03-28
BOTTOM LANDS.
Preliminary Steps Taken to Organize
the New Levee District.
The Land Owners Preparing for the
commencement Of Work on the
East Levee system.

A meeting of the Executive Committee
of Levee District No. l was held yes
terday for the purpose of perfecting the
organization into swamp land reclama-
ton district, to include all those lands
lying between this city and Freeport, and
east of the Sacramento River, comprising
about 5000 acres. Those present were
Chairman James O'Neil, Colonel james
McNasser, Carl Munger, Daniel Flint,
George Peters and William Curtis.
1t will be remembered that these gentle
men were, at q meeting of the land own
ers held at Oak Hall on July 26th last,
empowered to proceed in the matter of
effecting an organization as a swamp
land reclamation district under the gen
eral laws Of the State. On investigation,
however, it was discovered that an OBJ
stacle existed i'll the shape of statutory
law excluding all lands within two miles
of any incorporated city or town from the
operations contemplated by the general
laws governing reclamation districts.
1t then became necessary to amend the
statute above noted, which was accom-
plished during the recent session OF the
Legislature, thus doing away with the OBJ
owners power to connect their levee sys-
tenn with that of the city, and with mu-
tual beneficial results.
At the meeting held yesterday the pre-
liminary details relative to the organiza-
ton were discussed, and eX-Judge J. w.
Armstrong was retained as attorney for
the district, and j. c. Boyd was engaged
as engineer, with power to proceed in
making the necessary examinations and
surveys preliminary to adopting gem
eral plan for reclamation.
After discussing the matter of contem-
plated action relative to the disposal of
the city sewage, the committee adjourned
to meet at the call of the Chairman.
The prospect now is that the low but
fertile lands lying south of the city and
between here and Freeport will soon be
placed beyond all reasonable danger of
being flooded by the Improvement of the
levee. The only thing that saved the
levee from giving way between here and
Sutterville last month was the breaking
Of the Yolo levee in two places. 1t is
understood that the landowners on the
Yolo side intend raising and broadening
their levee this summer, and if the same
be not done on the Sacramento side the
flooding Of the low lands must follow.
Once made safe from inundation, these
lands will command great value, as they
are very productive, being never affected
by drought, and are capable of producing
several valuable crops each year. There
are no better hop nor vegetable lands in
the State, and yet, because of the danger
to which they are yearly subjected, their
market and taxable values have been de-
pressed.
Moreover, the several thousand acres
embraced within what is known as ''The
Pocket" lying between Oak Hall and
Freeport, has for many years been prac-
tically useless, and it is hoped that much
of this will be reclaimed and made pro-
ductive.
The raising of the east levee below the
city, and also the Front-street levee,
which must be done the coming summer,
will result in greatly strengthening prop