The record-union., 1892-08-10
RAISE THE LEVEES.
The Committees Comprehensive and
Interesting Report.
Property-owners Demand Protection
Petitions to the Trustees-A Rep
resentative Meeting.

courthouse last evening was largely at
tended. 1t was thoroughly representa-
tive, earnest and MOTTO be-denfed'
meeting. There was no heat, temper or
Yituperation. The very calm of the large
assembly testified to the depth of its
feeling. No more representative gather
ing to consider city affairs has been held
IN Sacramento, and none that was in
more deadly earnest.
Among those present were +. r. Dray,
}. 0. Coleman, L. L. Lewis, Y. S. Nc
CATCHY, A. Coolot. James Mcclure, Peter
BOIL, J. H. Henry, Frank Miller, D.
Falconer, a. G. Sweetser, w. f. Knox,
DR.. +. NJ. Shields, Felix Tracy, d. d.
Whitbeck, G. F. Dillman, Joseph Hous-
ton, w. O. Bowers, Wells Drury, A. j.
Senate, Charles H. Cummings, NJ. r.
Beard, C. n. HartwelI, John stevens,
q. o. Hayford, f. II. Whitbeck, A. L.
Frost, A. B. Guthrie, Trustee Green,
+. +. Avery, Carl Strobel, L. Tozer, DR..
w. A. Briggs, DR.. G. L. Simmons, p. E.
Plat, f. c. Hopkins, John Blair, 2.
Newman, G. a. york, City Engineer
Boyd, j. l.. Siller, Q. p. Willis, II. f.
Burns, and others whose names were not
caught by the reporters.
BEGINNING THE WORK.
Senator Z. r. Dray presided, J. 0. Cole
man Secretary. The minutes OF the last
meeting were read and approved. The
Chair stated that the absence from the
State of w. +. Peterson for time neces-
STATED his adding another member to the
Executive Committee and some days ago
ne had appointed V. ). McClatchy. The
appointmet was, by vote, approved.
THE RELIEF WAY.
Franz ATiIlor. FROM, tho TO,,,n,;f{oo ~,
Relief Way for Flood Waters, reported
that engineers advised the committee that
1t was feasible. But his committee had
long and hard task before it, one that
might require two years of time. 1t de-
sired to consult the people of other coun-
ties. 1t would report from time to time,
but asked leave TO report progress now
and have further time. The request was
granted.
REPORT THAT TOLD.
The Executive Committee, through Dr.
w. A. Briggs, then submitted its report.
Accompanying it was profile map as
long as the moral law. 1t stretched out
the whole length Of the bar and fell over
at each end. 1t was the work Of two en-
gineers employed by the committee, and
gave profile Of the levee from Front and
Y, to Thirty-first, to the east levee; from
Thirty-first and to Brighton; from
there out the mile spur up the American;
from Brighton to the old Beet Sugar
Works, and from there to the American
River railroad bridge and thence down
to Seventh street. The map published in
the RECoRD-UNIo fills the gap from
Seventh to Y. The profile was all around,
very much like the profile of the front
levee which the RECORD UNION printed;
as full of ups and downs as loves young
dream, as ragged as a debtors woes, and
as thick and thin and fat and lean as a
Woman'S rights convention.
L5. Ch0hma1l and Gentlemen: Your COM
mIttee respectfully submits the following re-
port: Since the 2Ist day of July it has held
frequent meetings and done its utmost to lc-
compltsh the OBJECTS of its appointment. At
its first meeting the City Trustees We're all
present by special and urgent invitation. The
ideas ana wishes OF this association were
pressed with all possible vigor, but in the
views expressed by a majority of the board
your committee was
PROFOUNDLY DISAPPOINTED.
Mr.. Green, however, frankly ayowed his de-
termination to cooperate with the citizens in
this important matter.
In view of MIR. ConSlins intimation that
the concurrence of the Southern Pacific Conn
pany In raising the levees TO the hight sug-
gested by this association would be an essen
tial preliminary TO any Official action, your
committee next arranged a conference with
the local representative of that company
Colonel j. b. Wright, whom it found essenti-
ally and heartily in accord with your efforts.
Colonel Wright had already procured
WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
profile OF our levee system, from Y street
along the city front TO the railroad bridge
and thence around the shops to Seventh and
Is streets.
This profile which Colonel Wright kindly
placed IN the service Of your committee sub
sequently appeared in the RECoRD-UNIof
and 10 our mutual surprise was a revelation
of the ineXcusable negligence of city officials
IN the past no less than OF the unmistakable
defects OF our leYee system at the present.
AS DEMONSTRATED
~ %
prominent points OF the city front was barely
on level with high-water mark while a few
hundred feet northward it rises two feet, and
southwark 10 the intersection OF 7 street it
undulates ike mimic peaks of the Sierra
averaging from II to y SIX inches rising
gradually from y to two feet nine inches nj
i street, and averaging from Il street to !
about two feet nine inches above high-water
line, and three feet six inches lower than the
When we consider the immense volume of
water that must necessarily flow between
these banks during the flood season, we
WELL MAY WONDER
How any intelligent property holder can fail
to realize that complete renovation of our
levee system is imperative and that nothing
short of a levee with surface breadth Of
thirty feet, and uniform hight OF five feet
above high water level will satisfy the de-
mands ofour people for full protection against
lnundation. Your committee has carefully
inspected the front levee system and has
learned that the franchises OF the Southern
lacihc Company cover that portion extend
ing from street northward to its immense
properties al and beyond the passenger sta
ton. This stretch of
NEARLY SIX BLOCKS
The railroad authorities. Colonel Wright as
sUred your committee viii raise TO the official
grade as soon as ii shall be established by The
City Trustees. The citys work proper there
fore, begins at y street, extending southwark.
10 the intersection of \, thence easterly along
\ 10 fhirty-irSt, and along Thirty-first to 4:
thence along the railroad track to Brighton
with spur continuing to Perkins, and from
brighton returning By the beet sugar factory
entering the city limits at Thirty-first and b
he exception OF Fhirty-first from r. to b. the
surveys and estimates obtained by your com
lnlttee cover these tracts only.
THE ELEVATION
OF the Front-street levee at Y street is three
feet above hlgh-Water mark. The Y-street
l6vee 1T this point is eight feet below the
The Y-street Ievee up to Ninth street has the
same level. The natural ground rises from
TINS point to two feet above high-water mark
81 Tenth street, ana drops again 10 five Ieet
lelow mark Ut Twelfth street It has about
the same general level up to Twentieth street
ana thence rises irregularly TO about two feet
beioW mark az Thirjy-flrst and streets.
FROM THIS POINT
The city, natural protection TO the R-street
!aiilCad embankneEt at Thirty-frst and r
i Tue elnbankment on Ihlrty-first street
formed DN earth thrown out OF the drainage
Sttl<li, 1ne tieNatlon OF this embanGment
varies nom three feet below high-water mark
10 one ana a lalf feel above Is.
Inc Ialtfoaa grade at Thirty-iirst and Il is
about one foot below higb-yy;tter mark and grad
ually rlses rom that point until it reaches
IWehtS- Ia'1 Ieet three inches above Sacra-
Aiento 1siNeh A4sIl-hVater mark at Brighton.
THE EAST L.EVEE
Brighton Junction commences with the
same elevation, p feet 3 Inches above hirh-
water mark, and gradually fails as il GOES
limit at Thirty-hrst and b the level is ! feet
above the sacramento River high-water