The record-union., 1892-02-02
CALIFORNIA INTERESTS.
BILLS INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE
BY CAMINETTI.
Measures Looking to the Establish
ment of Water Storage Sites-Im-
provement of the River.
Special 10 the REcoRp-UN1ox.


WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-Representative
Caminetti to-day introduced a bill pro-
viding for the assignment of three Off
GERS of the Engineer Corps of the United
States Army in California to examine and
survey, first, Golden Gate, the entrance
to the harbor of San Francisco, to deter
mine what changes, if any, have taken
place since the last survey and what i'm
prOvement and safeguards are required
for security to life and property, and in
the interest Of commerce; second, all nav
igable rivers, waterways and channels in
said State, to such point on each as may
be made navigable; third, lakes and sites
at and near the headwaters of the several
rivers of California, including all streams
that flow into the Yosemite Valley, and
also basins and sloughs adjacent to the
Sacramento, Feather, Yuba, American.
Mokelumne and Calaveras Rivers, and
the San Joaquin River and its tributaries
including Tulare Lake, to determine the
practicability and utility of using the
same for storage reservoirs to relieve riv-
ers in flood time, and supply water
thereto for the benefit of commerce and
navigation in the summer season; fourth.
necessity for the relief canals for the Sac
ramento and San Joaquin Rivers: fifth.
the line of canal, sixty teet wide, ten feet
deep, from some suitable point on the
San joaquin River to the city of Fresno,
and from thence to Tulare Lake or to said
San Joaquin River. as may be more prac-
ticable, using Fresno Slough as part
thereof, if suitable therefor in the iudg-
ment of the Board of Engineers; sixth,
| any other region or section not included
above which. with the surveys already
provided or herein contemplated, will en-
able them to plan permanent and COM
!
each OF said navigable rivers, etc., with
the view of making the same as effective
as against the encroachment of mining
debris, for the purpose of restoring the
navigability of rivers to that existing be-
fore 1860, and appropriating $4,000 there
for.
CaminetG also introduced bill provid-
ing the following appropriations for the
improvement OF the Sacramento and
Feather Rivers of California: First, a
permanent yearly appropriation of S25,-
600 for the improvement and conserva-
ton of channels and banks by the use of
a snag-boat and crew on the Sacramento
River above Sacramento: second specific
appropriation Of SZ79, 600 for the removal
of distractions in the Lower Sacramento
River; third, for the closure of Jacobs
Slough, SIS, 600; fourth, a specific appro-
priation of S300.0G0 for the treatment of
the Yuba River near and above Marys-
Vlilel, as per recommendation OF the Com
missioner appointed under the Act OF Oc-
tober, 1888; fifth, permanent yearly ap-
preparation of s., 600 for the improvements
of the navigable channel of the Feather
River; sixth, in accordance with the
Commissioner, as above stated, the fol-
lowing sums: For Feather River wing
dams, 100000; for Sacramento River
wing-dams, 100000; for dam at Yuba
River, DeGuerre Point. 100000: for dam
at Bear River at Van Gieson's, Sl5O. 600,
Caminetti has introduced bill creating
the Bureau of Mines and Mining. the
general design and duties of which shall
he to acquire by examination. practical
and scientific experiments, geological re-
search. ETC., useful information connected
with mining. There shall be a Secretary
of Mines and Mining appointed by the
President.
He has also introduced a Joint resolu-
ton reciting that the commission ap-
pointed under the Act of Congress of Oc-
tober /, 1888, TO investigate the mining
debris question IN California, reported
the existence Of vast deposits of material
lying in canyons and on plains below
which would be carried down during the
floods and eventually lodged in the
streams, and asking that the Secretary of
War submit an estimate of the amounts
required and which can be profitably ex-
pended for this purpose during the COM
ing year to prevent said debris from
lodgment in the nayigable rivers.