The record-union., 1893-07-21
WATER IN THE " POCKET"
The Supervisors and City Trustees
Inspect 1t.
Proposed Relief for the Residents by a
Change in the System
of Drainage.

! The Board of Supervisors and City
Trustees, accompanied by Colonel Me-
Nasser, Carl Munger and representatives
OF the RECoRD-UNIoN and Bee, made
tour of inspection of the lands south of
the city, to investigate the effects of the
drainage of water from the plains lands
and city sewage upon them, the residents
OF the drainage district having petitioned
the Supervisors to devise some system to
relieve them.
The party went first to the point where
the ditch along Seventeenth street inter-
sects the Y-street levee, and lets the
| drainage water of that part of the city
run through it down into 1.-THE pocket"
Although this is dry at present, it could
be readily seen that a great deal Of water
runs down that way.
| The party then proceeded down the
Riverside road to see how affairs were in
that locality. Colonel McNasser, at whose
invitation the ride was taken, pointed out
the effects OF the water for the past few
| years and stated the claims made by the
| residents.
! Briefly stated, they are that Of late years
| the high lands east of the bottom lands
| between this city and Freeport have been
| drained by means of roadside bitches
| dug by landowners and Road Overseers
| for that purpose, the surface drainage of
all the lands west of the Upper Stockton
road running that way.
some years ago the sewage of the city
| was run down that way through drain
age canal made for that purpose. but for
the past year or two it has not done 50.
1t is claimed, and anyone with the sense
OF smell could not well deny its prOba-
/ blllty, that the foul matter thus sent
down into the low lands has caused wide
spread sickness, and has poisoned the
/ ground so as to seriously affect its value,
and also that its volume has aided in
covering the lands with water.
The residents think that the drainage
water which used to run into Burns
Slough, and which now runs down upon
them through the Thirty first and Y-street
| canal, could, by damming up the slough, be
! diverted into the American River near
/ Rooney's and be carried off in that way.
| They state that Mr.. Rooney considers the
plan entirely feasible and advocates it.
Further, they think that the drainage of
the country east of the middle road be-
tween the Lower Stockton and Freeport
roads could be diverted so as to run into
Beach's Lake instead OF Willow Slough.
| With this relief they think they could,
! by establishing pumping plant at the
| lower end of the pocket" close TO the
| river, take care OF the remaining drain
age and sipage water, provided that
the city would restrain it's drainage and
pump it into the river as it now does its
| sewage.
1t was to demonstrate this theory that
yesterdays trip was taken.
Outside the city limits, on the River
side road, were the hopyards, with their
graceful vines hung with testoons of hops
that gave promise of an abundant har-
vest in the future. With very few ex-
ceptions the vines are looking WE'LL and
indicate that the fortunate owners will
have more reliable bank to draw on
this fall than some of the recently col
lapsed ones.
Here were seen lands that rent for from
$50 to $50 per acre readily, and which fur
nish many of the vegetables used in the
city. They were covered with boats last
winter, and are just being plowed and
planted.
At Oak Hall the party inspected the
Yolo break opposite, where, as far back
as the eye of person on this side of the
river can reach, barren expanse of de-
bris has been carried through the break
and deposited over the land.
Passing on they came to Colonel Nc
Nasser's upper place, where dispiriting
sight was to be seen. Here is where
County Assessor Irvine last winter did
the spearing Of carp with fence board
which has rendered his name famous as a
fisherman. Last year the cannery rented
/ IWGulJ -iIIS6 dCI0S lIOiIl TIE owner anu
from 1t they canned 200 tons of tomatoes,
leaving many tons of green ones on the
vines. 1t is now bare of everything but
scattered weeds and ''stickers" and the
water lines on the posts show that nearly
two feet of water covered it for a long
time. Adjoining it is the ColonePs fine
alfalfa pasture and hay ground, the for
mer of which he rented last year for 81. 900
to dairyman.
The alfalfa is among the things of the
past, and he must buy many tons of hay
this year to feed his stock. He speaks
eloquently of the damage he and his
neighbors have sustained and pointed
out the vast expanse of fertile land, up
wards of 600 acres in extent which, if it
were reclaimed, would readily bear an
assessment of 500 per acre and would add
a half million dollars of taxable property
to the county roll, it being now assessed
only for 50 per acre.
"AH we ask, gentlemen" said he, sis
that you will see that the drainage water
| and sewage does not run down on US any
more and we Will put in a pumping plant
| and reclaim this land. 1t is worth your
attention, and if reclaimed, there is no
| finer land on earth.''
At the brickyards, where the party was
| Joined by MIR. O'NeiIl, the traces of the
water, which came over the road, We're
seen; further on, where the upper end of
1.-THE pocket begins, the water still stands
| alongside the road late in the season as it
is, and gives the beholder a faint idea of
what vast sea Of water, four or five
miles wide and twice as many long, con-
fronted the eyes of the residents for weeks
last winter. 1t was observed here that
one careful HORSEPOWER is raising his
house about six feet, in anticipation of
next winters possibilities.
AS the party sped along they found the
road in some places still so soft that brush
was spread on it to render it pass
able, and in one place the party would
have resembled party travelling by
stage in Texas were it not that none of
them were carrying a rail to pry the
coach out of the mud.
This place looked SO dangerous that
Supervisor Morrison, fearing for the
safety of his four-ounce hammerless
sixteen-bore Lefever, took it along with
him, and its weight nearly swamped
him. He shot it Oft, however, and the re-
coil lifted him out of the mud.
Near Costing Slough was found, per-
haps, the most favorable place TO dig
ditch and place pump for draining the
pocket, as the water approaches at the
present time within a short distance of
the river and the land to the river bank
is nearly level.
A system OF cross bitches can be cut to
connect with the main one, and the
project appears feasible.
The party partook of a glorious lunch
provided by Colonel McNasser, and went
on to the Freeport road and thence to the
Lower Stockton, where it is thought will
be found better place to cut drainage
ditch, on the west side of the road, and
run the water into Elder Greek, than the
one proposed on the middle road.
Both Supervisors and Trustees are
strongly impressed with the justice of
granting the relief asked and will con-