The record-union., 1892-02-11
THE NEW RIVER AND MINING
DEBRIS RIIIS.


print them this morning. The first,
''House Resolution 49," calls upon the
Secretary of War for further estimates of
cost of carrying out the scheme of the
Commission of Engineers, of October
1888. It calls for no especial comment.
The second is bill (''House Bill 5l64'')
for the appropriation of S9,l00 for re-
moval of distractions in the Mokelumne
River.
The third calls for the appropriation
yearly of SIS, 900 for snagging in the Sac
ramento River above this city; for a spe-
cific appropriation of S275, 600 for removal
Of Instructions in the lower Sacramento;
of S25, 900 for the closing of Jacob Slough;
for specific appropriation of 100000 for
treatment of the Yuba above Marysvilie,
as recommended by the commission of
October, 1888; tor a yearly appropriation
of $4,000 for improvement of the nav
igable channel of the Feather; to carry
out the suggestions of the commission al
ready referred to, for Feather River min
ing dams, $500, 200; Sacramento River
mining dams, $500, 900; dam on the Yuba
at De Guerre Point, $500, 900; dam on the
Bear at Van Grieson's, S150,0O0.
The bill appears to be merely in line
with the recommendations of engineers
of the Government, as the result of their
inquiry into the mining debris question.
There does not appear any reason why
the work suggested should not be under
taken and carried out. 1t commits the
Government anew to the policy of river
improvement and defense in California.
While these proposed appropriations do
not proceed upon the line of a compre-
hensive system of river treatment, they
do not antagonize it, and the work pro-
posed is understood to be in harmony
with a comprehensive system, if the Gov
ernment is prevailed upon to adopt such
scheme-and il should do So
The fourth bill ("House Bill 5I62'')
calls for new commission of Gov
srnment engineers to survey and exam
inc the Golden Gate with reference to
changes in its channels, and what i'm
provements and Safeguards are needed;
examination of all the navigable water
ways and channels of the State; of the
lakes and sites at beadwaters of the chief
streams, basins and sloughs, and of the
Yosemite watershed and of TuIare Lake.
The purpose is to ascertain the practical
bility and utility of using these sites,
basins and lakes as storage reservoirs to
relieve the rivers in flood seasons, and to
benefit commerce and navigation in sum-
mer.
The commission is also directed to
ascertain the need for relief canals for the
Sacramento and San Joaquin; the advis-
ability of San Joaquin and Fresno
canal, and to examine and report on any
other section or area, with view to the
adoption of permanent and comprehen-
sive system of Improvement of the navi-
gable rivers and waterways, and so as to
protect them from the mining debris now
lodged in them or their tributaries, above
or along the course of navigation, and
with view of restoring the streams to
the navigability of the period prior to
1860
While inclined to think the calls upon
the commission so sweeping as to pre-
vent the speedy action necessary, yet the
last provisions we have referred to, rela-
tive to plan of comprehensive treatment
of the rivers, is of the highest impor-
tance. 1t would, we think, be ample if ii
stood alone, embracing as it does the
need for all the other examinations di-
rected, save only that relating to the
Fresno canal. That provision it would
seem, ought to be treated as a separate
and distinct matter, the proper subject
for an independent bill. It is probable
that it may be deemed essential in a
water storage system, but its main pur-
pose is understood to be for the ends ot
transportation.
The bill then recites that the scheme
of examination in the sweeping author
ity given to examine and survey any Sec
tions or areas necessary to aid the work
of protecting the rivers from mining de-
bris, shall keep in view and be consid-
cred IN eight parts or systems-the delta
or discharge systems of the rivers; the
navigable sections of the San Joaquin
and Sacramento and their tributaries
relating to restrictive works above the
head of navigation and below the foot
hills of the San Joaquin, and the Sacra-
mento; relating to the impounding and
restraint of debris in each case, and the
storage system at headwaters and in the
basins adjacent to the rivers The Secre
tary of War, is, by the bill, to cause esti
mates to be made of the cost of carry
ing out the plans of the bill, and to sub
NIT the figures and plans to Congress by
January /, 1898.
The River and the Mining Convention
delegations now in or en- route to Wash
ington will examine these bills critically
and viii be able TO ascertain fully thei
scope and probable effect, in the estima
tion of Government officials, and mucl
must therefore be left to their judgment
Generally it is TO be said that whateye
enaetments will tend TO speedy adoption
by the Government Of comprehensive
clearly defined system for river restora
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