The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-06
ttlkrYOaxrA sYDRAU1rc Hzx1xe.
Arrspos.i 70 nexu,ns, ~ ~ Ast o. Coz.
sress m a The eupe ryissoa OF Army Engsneers.

IhtHsl.'tr
NPrspossl to Isxu,ass 10 ~ Act OF Con.
sress saasAs supervissoa or Army Engsseers
WASHINGTON. April 8. "A bill has boon intro
duced Into Congress and referred to the Com
| mittes on Commerce to create the California
Debris Commission. consisting OF three OIL
GERS Of tho Engineer Corps. under the super
| vision Of the Chief OF Engineers and the direc-
ton Of the Secretary OF War.
The Avowed object OF this act lie to restore
and authorize hydraulic mining on the tribu-
tarles Of the Sacramento and San JOAQUIN
| ffvers regulating the practice by constructing
such fmpoundng dams. settling basins. and
| relief canals as may be needed to protect those
| rivers @trom injury Hydraulic mining is de-
fined In the bill as "the process by which
bank Of Cold.bearing earth and rock Is ex-
cavated BY n jct Of water discharged through
| the converging nozzle OF q pipe. under great
| pressure. whereby the earth and debris arc
| carried by means OF water through fumes or
otherwise. and discharged on lower levels into
| the natural streams and water courses below
That this is a matter OF more than local i'm
portance will DO evident on recalling that,
while tho last Congress was in session. much
alarm was caused by great flood In the Sac
ramento and Feather rivers. Gov. Waterman
| urged national aid to check and repair tho
damages, and resolution was passed making
balance which had years before boon appro-
priated to those rivers. The existence Of this
balance. however. was primarily due to the
fact that tho system OF hydraulic mining which
II Is now proposed to revive interfered with
the permanent improvement OF the Sacramento
and Feather rivers.
Tho river system Of California is peculiar
and interesting. The drainage is mainly per-.
formed By two great streams. The sacra;;
q Deer Grsek. Feather River. the YaSa. ne
streams lowing easterly, from the Coast
bsssn the
the southern half Of the valley, and finally joins
the Sacramento near the manufacturing city
oIst 70 Se Pse Is e1dens
once that no operation should 60 on upon the
tsss woSid tend to destroy the Channels OF OF
Il: 81 s sss :ssS
u IF hs Wss sea HsShS5
sssrstary Mneoin informed Congress That TIE
go. 0oQ had been duly allotted: but that the
mainder was one for the erection Of restraining
barriers upon the Yuba, American and Bear
IL hod sas q The The Uw n der ns
caused by hydraulic mining.
81 S s s. as T az "a
q y sh IL s6n.
sioSoSoeS sSs,o y:rS: q H.s:s a. .nsusiy a.sa
Z: Sa ss a ssS. n'
mopsy ds.true.,ve .gieIltur.i .nda both directly
NJ:
and 5 IL 81 ~ss n
n.s or Fen
to cause the Injuries complained Of
The Eaf. cSnc!usion Essshed was that IL could
hydraulic mining enterprises. And this View
r. b dh sSt
tho detritus. raising BY tsxation the Funds for
Of the
individuels connected with = private enter
WI cs gnn hs
and Feather rivers was not expended In the
sss sr isSsiss e
Whether the present project will be RECEIVED
vidss Tor The erection oiimpoundins dams n and and
settling basins at the expense Of the United
eensa Ae on the Gross prooeeds Of amy 5eS n s
SSs: 81 "a q Ssss
tie eensS@nss s5o.o sSs tho caisVssSs and
not e az. isto The detail. Q.
the bill; which Is an Elaborate one oftwenty
pagss. but the general s1 purpose Of It has r.
sions would be empowered to establish dump
ing sites for collecting the debris OF the
take advantage OF the privileges mentioned In
the act The point made by Secretary Lin
fornia.. as to the process Of impoundIng being
essentially one Of private business. would un-
doubtedly be urged AGAINST the measure nov
would De defended on the ground Of national
jurisdiction over navigable streams and tho
purpose to make the mines contribute to the
expense OF maintaining the dams