The record-union., 1892-10-08
DOWN THE RIVER.
A Rich Section Almost Without q
Public Road.
Farmers Building Their Levees Close
up to the River-Some Ac-
tion Necessary.

The ranch-owners along the river from
Freeport down to Walnut Grove are
likely soon to be without road leading
to this city-and apparently all because
of the dog-in-the-manger policy that is
being pursued by few of the more
close-fisted and grasping owners of land
down that way.
When they constructed leVee to pre-
vent the encroachment of the river they
placed it within a few yards of the river
bank, rather than lose few feet of ground
in width; and now the river has SO cut
away the bank in places that there is
barely room for a wagon to pass along the
outside base of the levee. These land
owners do not allow a roadway inside
their respective strips of levee, hence
when anyone has to come to town these
days it is almost at the peril OF his life.
Now these well-tO-do farmers are ask
ing the county to drive piles in the worst
places and repair the narrow roadway SO
they can come to town without danger of
being dumped into the river. That is the
most fertile and productive section of the
county, and most Of the residents down
that way are very wealthy. 1t is argued,
therefore, that they should so regulate
their leveeS as to leave a SUFFICIENT road
way on the outside, or else make them
broad enough for double roadway on
top.
One gentleman was before the Super
visors yesterday asking that body TO take
some action. he suggested, as one remedy
for the existing condition of things, that
the county purchase enough land along
the river to insure good roadway.
Nv ell, - asked Supervisor Bates, what
would you charge the county per acre for
a rrxyD1
six hundred dollars per acre." replied
the farmer; but he added that his hand
was better than most of that SO close to
the river.
''Yes," said Mr.. Bates, "thats all very
Well tor you to say, but when the other
landowners are asked the value of their
land they will say 1t IS just as good as
yours. They're not going to let you be
the judge OF it,"
David Osborn addressed the board in
reference TO the alleged bad condition OF
the river road. He said that some land
owners down there are now repairing the
levee, and he suggested that they be re-
quired TO enlarge their levees on the in
side, so as to make a double wagon-way
on the top. At several places the river is
cutting away the bank, and soon there
viii be no road down that way if some
thing be not done.
Mr.. Osborn said that if the Supervisors
have the power they should require the
people down that way to so enlarge their
leveeS on the inside as to enable teams to
pass. He had traveledi that way for
about forty years, and it is in worse con-
dition now than ever before. Earth had
been taken from the road and thrown
upon the top of the levee, raising it, but
not widening it.
Mr.. Osborn's idea was to compel land
owners to give plenty OF road room, and.
If necessary, to pay for the necessary
land. Most Of it is not worth much
where it is desired to widen the road, not
more than $3.50 an acre. Indeed it would
pay the landowners to give the right OF
way. Along his own land he had fine
levee, with wide top and gently sloping
bank, on which he raised a good crop OF
alfalfa. On the inside he had a ditch to
run off the sipage from his land, and
everyone could do the same if he would
Supervisor Black moved that the mat
ter be referred to the Chairman of the
Committee on Roads.
1t was suggested that the members of
the board visit the locality, and Mr.. Os-
born warned them that if they did 90
down that way not to travel at night; if
they valued their lives.
Sllas Chance interposed an objection to
the Supervisors using money collected
from the ranchers on the dry plains to
improve the roads down among the rich
river lands. The owners of these lands
are rich; they send all their produce to
San Francisco, and many of them buy
their groceries there. They have no
right, he claimed, to expect the rest of the
county to make good driving roads for
them.
Supervisor Blacks motion was carried.
and the board adjourned.