The record-union., 1892-09-15

TINS question, a bill had been prepared
which provided in its first sections that
the sum appropriated for the improve
ment of the rivers of California should
De expended in correcting the channels,
treating the rivers from the mouths so as
adding to the securing capacity of that
current. The bill, which had been
introduced, known as the Cam
ietti bill, contained, as lead
ing feature, the mandatory provis-
Ion that the money shall be used
IN the Improvement of the rivers
and the correction OF its channels.
the bill contained provision which
had been misunderstood If not misrepre-
scented. The reclamation Of lands among
The banks of the Sacramento and San
Joaquin had been conducted for many
years by the district system. Each dis
trlct had built levees in It's own way and
without reference to the reclamation
works of other districts. These were
oftentimes SO constructed as to be incon-
slstent with each other, uneconomic in
the cost OF construction, and not in ac-
cordance with the general system, which
would promote or preserve the naviga-
bility OF the rivers. 1t was thought and
believed that the State of California might
desire to appropriate some money from
the general Treasury for the preserva-
ton of its rivers, and it was believed that
concensus OF action between all the dis
trIctS proposing to construct reclamation
works could be secured. In view of the
probability of this result the bill con-
tanned provision that a commission
should disappointed for the purpose ofcon-
structing restraining works to retain min
ing detritus from the foothills, and works
Tor the improvement and preservation of
the rivers, which should act in coniunc-
ton with like commission appointed
by the State of California, or by munich
palltles Of the State of California; and to
the extent that the body so composed
should have authority, the bill provided
that the consent of the Government of
the United States should be given to such
joint action, notwithstanding the power
OF the Government over the navigable
streams within the borders of the State.
Statement had been made in the meet
ing of the State Miners Association that
the bill proposed to divest the Govern
ment of the United States of all author
lty over navigable rivers. and confer full
authority over them upon the State of
California. The bill had no such effect
and was not drawn with any such design.
Mr.. Caminetti believed the people max
ing the statement that the authority of
the General Government over the rivers
was to be abdicated and ceded to the State
of California knew the statement to be
untrue
The resumption of hydraulic mining
was touched upon, and the provisions of
the bill passed by the House through the
efforts of MIR. Caminetti were explained.
The provisions of the bill relating to the
rivers, should the bill become law, were
mandatory. The resumption of hydraulic
mining was contingent upon the report
Of the commission having the matter in
charge. Thus the Caminetti bill adj
dressed itself to the conservation of the
IL -
ton of their channels, the sytematic con-
struction of reclamation works so that all
would be constructed with reference to a
common aim and common end, and the
unifcation of all effort TO be made by the
General Government, the State and the
DISTRICTS so that so much of the bill will
go into effect whether or not the bill itself
revives the industry of hydraulic mining.
Mr.. Caminetti believed that the pro-
vision found in the appropriation for the
Improvement of the Mississippi River
could eventually be made applicable to
the improvement of the San Joaquin and
Sacramento Rivers, and that the same
engineering problems involved in the
control of the channels of the streams by
the construction of levees upon their
banks would be applied to the San Joa-
quin and Sacramento. He pointed to the
fact that the city of Memphis was being
Ieveed on its water front by the eX-
penditure of money from the Treasury of
the United States; that while this was
claimed by the engineers to be neces-
sity, at the same time it incidentally con-
structed levee which would otherwise
have been constructed at municipal cost.
Sooner or later the proper treatment of
the San Joaquin and Sacramento would
be clearly perceived to be the control and
correction Of those streams, and sooner or
later the Government would construct
levees upon their banks, which would
confine their waters to the channels and
thus deepen them and conserve their
navigability.
Upon the subject of forestry, Mr.. Cami-
netti said he had received the resolution
of the board directing the attention 6f
Congress to the importance of preserving
the forested condition of the western
flank of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The necessity of preserving the forests
and the effect upon the waterways of the
State Of the denudation Of the mountains.
had been clearly presented and was fully
understood. A joint committee of the
Senate and House of Representative had
been appointed, OF which he was a mem
Der of the House Committee, and which
would meet in this State very soon.
AS to the establishment of a bureau of
agricultural observation, with special
reference to the needs Of agriculture in
the arid regions west of the Tooth merid-
present attitude of affairs he had found il
impossible to secure the establishment of
such bureau, the importance of the
subject had been called to the attention of
the Secretary of Agriculture, and that a
competent agent to conduct agricultural
observations and collect data on the sub
ject for the division of the Pacific would
be appointed at San Francisco.
Recurring to the subject of river pres
ervation, Mr.. Caminetti called the atten-
ton of the board to the Importance of
collecting statistics as to the movement
Of freight upon the rivers. The volume
of commerce carried by them was an inn
portant factor in securing Government
assistance for their improvement The
people of the East were awake to the inn
portance of this, and careful statistics of
the movement OF commerce on the great
waterways Of the country were collected
and presented annually.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Caminetti,s
address the board passed unanimous
resolution of thanks.