The record-union., 1892-08-23

merged, and all the surrounding country
Will be under water, and thousands of
acres of the best land in the State will Be
made unfit for use should this opening be
neglected until the river passes through.
Ii VIII take some time for the river to cut
out new channel, unless it is done arti
ticiasly, but it will do it. The result of
this neglect will be deplorable, as all of
the IoWlands north of the city would be
wild waste of sand and water.
THE EFFECT ON THE CITY.
Communication with the city would be
cut OFT and all the trade north of the city
forced into other channels. Sacramento
would be heavy loser by this change.
The next question is: Would Sacra-
mento be safe from overflow should the
river cut out a channel into the American
River east of the city? The writer of this
article thinks that under extreme circum-
stances the city might become an island,
L am informed that the Government has
generously allowed us an amount of
money to repair this break, the cause of
all this trouble, and here would ask
plaln, simple queStion-Why is it not
done? Why do we hesitate, when every
succeeding winter makes it more difficult?
Can sacramento afford such a piece of
Vandallsm-can she throw away her trade
north of the city?
think know her citizens too we'll to
believe that. They are too wide-awake
ana generous to throw away the friend
snip and trade OF their brothers outside
of her limits. The city does not belong
TO the people who live there; she belongs
to us all, for we have helped to build her
up, and she has all our sympathy and
friendship. But we would like to have
her show some sympathy for her brothers
outside.
CONCERNING LEVEES.
Let me say few words about the
levees. l have seen the first mud walls
put up, supposed at that time to be levees,
and have seen them promptly washed
away by the first flood that came down.
Other leVees were put up, stronger and
better, and by adding to these most of
them still remain as a protection from the
Hood. But the river has been filled to
great extent with sand, and something
should be done to relieve the over
crowded stream. This can be done in
various ways, either by opening the
bank OF the river and allowing the sur
Plus water to reach tide water through
the tules where it could do no harm, as
these tules are always full of water i'll the
winter season., or by. to use a mining
phrase, commissioning the bed of the
stream. This is the most rapid method
OF removing any sand or earth, when
water is the principal factor in removing
IL, as 1T Is only necessary to loosen the
material and the water does the rest.
THE SIMPLEST AND CHEAPEST PLAN.
To do this and finally clear out the river
bed Of the sand, would be to build two
boats Of light draft, connected strongly at
both ends, each boat to be furnished with
a powerful engine to drive it up and
down the stream and work the plow. A
large rotary pillow would be the best
This plow could be raised and lowered
through an opening between the boats.
Commencing at the Hogs Back, or lower
down, and working up the river and
opening narrow, deep channel in the
center of the stream. The current would
concentrate in the deepest part, aud the
deeper the channel became the more the
water would concentrate and the greater
the erosure and carrying powers would
be- In an incredibly short time the
lower part of the river would be free from
any obstruction, and
THE CITY RE RELIEVED
From danger by the water, while the
sand would be carried down to tide water
and help to fill in the now useless mud
flats and i'll time make good land of them
1t is into these flats the debris must 60
| in time, and why not do it now and bring
our rivers into their old usefulness
again?
Hoping these lines will lead some