The record-union., 1892-08-10

the East levee the high water has been within
I'VE feet ofthe top of the present Ievee at that
point or i feet above the Sacramento River
hlgh.Water mark
Inc balance of the city's Ieyes system as at
present discussed runs north of the railroad
shops and around TO the railroad bridge on
'front.' street, which viii be cared for by the
Southern Pacific Company.
IT IS THE UNANIMOUS AND POSITIVE OPINION
OF your committee that the front levee system
should be raised TO uniform hight Of I've
feet above high-water level; that from street
10 1t should be broadened TO uniform sur
lace width of thirty feet; that the ripraping
OF the face OF this leyee should be completed;
that the 1-street system from the river front
eastward TO Ninth, and from Eleventh onward
10 IhirLy-first, and along Thrty-first to its in
tersection with r, should be raised 10 high
water mark, with surface width of twenty
1eet. Finally, in view OF the
ABSOLUTE NECESSITY
OF prompt and energetic action, in order to
do the work here outlined economically and
TO complete it before the danger of winter
hoods, yourcommittee recommends: That the
ofhceIs OF this association be authorized to pre-
pare petition asking the City Trustees forth
with 10 order an election for the issuance to
the amount OF 100000 in bonds to cover the
cost OF this work, that they be further author
lZed 10 cause the circulation Of copies OF such
petition for the signatures of property -holders
ana 10 appoint committee OF psoperty-hold-
erS, themselves among the number, TO
PRESENT THIS PETITION
To the Board OF Trustees at its next regular
meeting, on Monday. August 10th and to
urge immediate and energetic action in ac-
cordance with the wishes OF the people; that
TINS association maintain its organization, sub
Ject TO the call OF the Chair. until the objects
OF Its existence are fully accom- pliShed and
our fair city, in fact as well ia name, is
elnanclpated from all fear OF inundatlon.
THE LEvEE FROM BRIGHTON
Toward the railroad bridge, for a distance of
one and a half or two miles, is built mostly OF
SAND ana gravel eXcayated from It's inner
base. TO the casual observer, therefore, it
presents an imposing appearance, that van
lSneS on close examination. in places il is
hardly SIX feet in surface width; its sides are
mostly bare OF living vegetation and are worn
and broken by the frequent tramplng OF cattle
and other stock, ana burrOwed by squirrels
gophePs and other yerInin. From personal
ana careful examination, your committee Is
convinced ttlat II Its recommendations in re-
gard to ihirty-first street, from II 10 i, be not
adopted this portion should be Immediately
and materially strengthened.
From q point about a halfmile north Of the
old beet sugar factory the levee
GRADUALLY GROWS STRONGER
As it approaches the railroad bridge and the
city limits and from Thirty-first down to
sixteenth mas a surface breadth OF from 20 to
20 feet and is well protected by growth of
bermuda grass. vines and bushes Here il
certainly seems strong and efficient struct-
ure. From Sixteenth street it gradually
widens TO Fourteenth street, whence onward
TO Seventh street the filling done by the Rail-
road Com pany makes II a broad and preg-
lStDlc BuIWdfR. Inc only question that could
possibly rise being one Of hight.
SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT.
Desiring to present d special recommends
ton embodying views that have not recently
been generally discussed your committee has
thought best TO submit q supplementary re-
port as follows:
The Y-street system of Ievees extending
from the water front along Y to Thirty-hrst
and thence along Thirty.tirst to R, is undouDt-
edly well placed. but from this point your
committee believes that instead OF pursuing
the round about course to Perkins and back
TO Thirty-first and B streets wholly beyond
the jurisdiction of the city and largely for the
benefit of those who have contributed moth
ing IN the past and will contribute nothing in
the future, either to its erection or TO its
maintenance, 1t should continue.
DIRECTLY UP THIRTY-FIRSr STREET
To the intersection of B, thus completing
q system of levees wholly within our
own jurisdiction and under our own sur
VIGILANCE. If the money expended by the
city in building Ievees outside OF its terri
tory had been invested in q system such as
contemplated by your committee, the city
would be absolutely impregnable to-day.
THE POLICY
OF extending our projecting egis over the sur
rounding country has been wisely abandoned
on the south; let it likewise be abandoned on
the north ana east, and the eVee question will
be Invested of its difficulties, both of compre-
hension and of treatment. In brief,
THE ADVANTAGES OFFERED
BY the change under consideration are these /:
l. Being materially reduced in length. the
levee would be far less liable TO break and tar
more easily, cheaply and certainly main
tanned
=. Such a Ievee, in its whole extent. would
at all times be under the immediate control
and supervision OF the city authorities
3. Three-tourths OF such a Ieyee being and
remaining pubic driveway and the other
fourth being tTaversed daily by frequent
moving trains it would be comparatively
free from the inroads of gophers and other
vermin.
4. Being reduced several miles in length in
times of danger it could be comparatively
easily watched and defended.
Moreover, the B-street extension to Perkins
was evidently intended originally as q pro-
lection to the R7street levee, but if the recon-
mendatiOns of your committee be adopted
this Ievee will not only be
THOROUGHLY PROTECTED
But in u measure unnecessary, and the
B-street extension Will be superduous But it
viii not be merely SuperfiuOus. BY cutting Oft
a natural and important easement and CON
timing the American river 10 its channel and
crowding its waters undiminished into the
sacramento, 1t is positive menace not only
to the north IeVee below Ihirty-first but also
to the front leVee in its entirety.
THE ADVANTAGES
OF this proposed change in our leyee system
are so manifest and SO important, and the
time for the complete and perfect solution Of
the levee problem is SO favorable that your
committee IS strong ana unanimous in the
conviction that we should seize this oppor-
tuniJy Of rectifying the errors OF the past and
| assuring the security of the future.
WALLACE a. BRIGGS,
q. l.. SIMMONS,
j. q. COLEMAN,
Y. 5. MCCLATCHY,
f. WEINSroCK
JAMES MCGUIRE
THOS. d, HALL
w. +. PETERSON,