The record-union., 1893-04-27
CALIFORNIA INTERESTS.
Resolutions introduced in the Trans
mississippi Congress.
Rivers and Harbors, Hydraulic Min
ing and Irrigation Works
Considered.

The following resolutions were intro
duced in the Transmississippi Congress
at Ogden, after having been agreed on by
the California delegation, and referred to
committees:
CALIFORNIA RIVERS AND HYDRAULIC
MINING.
WHEREAS, The Sacramento and San
Joaquin Rivers and their tributaries COM
prise the almost entire naVigable water
ways of California, a State. the western
border of which forms over 500 miles on
the Pacific Coast limits of the United
States; said rivers being the natural
drains of a vast area of the most product
i've land in the world, the Sacramento
River in its original stale having been
naVlgaole by ocean vessels for 100 miles
from San Francisco Bay, and 80 miles
for river steamers, and, whereas. said
rivers have, owing to the filling of the
channels from mining debris and other
causes, and TO the neglect of their proper
treatment by the Federal Government,
been greatly injured, and in many por-
lions destroyed as navIgable streams, and
rendered wholly inadequate as drains,
resulting in the annual overflow OF
1000, 900 acres of rich river bottom lands,
capable OF producing from two to four
crops per annum OF some agricultural
products. This overflow causes Il gross
loss to the State OF California of from
80, ,0GG, 900 to SOD, 100000 per annum, while
the debris deposited i'll said channels is
gradually encroaohing upon and Shoal-
ing san Francisco Bay, thus threatening
the integrity OF the very gateway to the
commerce of the State; and, whereas,
over $4,000 tons of freight are carried on
the Sacramento River annually, and over
1000, 600 tons shipped annually by rail IN
the Sacramento Valley at rates controlled
by the river competition, and which ton
mage would be increased annually many
fold II the loss by overflow and obstructed
navigation was eliminated by proper
treatment of the river channels. thus add
ing vastly to the commercial prosperity
of San Francisco and the interior of the
State; and, whereas, while repeated
efforts have been made by the people OF
the State of California to attract the at
tention of the National Government to
the needs of our navigable rivers and
harbors, and to secure aid Tor their restora-
ton and preservation, the response has
been feeble indeed, and appropriations so
meager as to he wholly inadequate to the
requirments; and, whereas, by the action
of the State and United States courts in
the State of California in enjoining hy-
draulic mining, the gold product of that
State has been reduced millions of dollars
a year for the last ten years; and, where
as, the output of gold is matter of ma
terial importance, not merely to the State
of California, but to the finance and
treasury of tho United States; and,
whereas, the Congress of the United
States at its last session passed a law
commonly known as the Caminetti bill
which provides for the construction,
under Board of Engineers appointed by
the President of the United States, of
4
means of which dams, when con-
structed, the navigable streams of
the State of California will be pro-
tected from injuries which would other
wise necessarily result to the navigability
of said streams, and which dams would
also enable hydraulic mining to be re-
vived without injury to the navigable
streams, and vastly add to the gold pro-
duct of the United States; and whereas,
the gold mining industry of California is
now in such condition that the owners of
the mines in large number are not finan-
cially able to bear the expense of the
construction of such dams, and the State
of California has appropriated S250,000 to
aid in the construction of such dams
whenever the United States Government
shall have made an appropriation for that
purpose not less than said sum,
ResolUed, By the Transmississippi Con-
gress, in convention assem- bled, that a
great and commanding need of the State
of California is liberal treatment of its
navigable waters and harbors by the
Federal Government, and we earnestly
request our representatives in Congress
to use all honorable means to secure ap-
preparations adequate to the require
mentS.
ReSoIUed, That we urge upon Congress
the Importance of enacting into law the
bill recently introduced into Congress by
Hon. A. Caminetti of California provid-
ing for the placing of the Sacramento and
San joaquin Rivers under the contract
and special commission system.
ResotUed, That we urge upon Congress
the great importance of making an ap-
preparation OF S450,000, to be used in con-
nection with the S250, 900 appropriated by
the State of California, in carrying out the
provisions of the Caminetti hydraulic
mining law in the interest of the naviga-
BILE streams and hydraulic mining re-
Gently passed by Congress, in the i'm
pounding of debris as provided in such
law. is OF vital interest and essential to
the restoration and preservation of said
rivers and harbors, not only as regards
debris resulting from future hydraulic
mining, under the provisions of said law.
but also such debris as now lies in can
yons and streams tributary to, and des-
tined to be carried into their channels if
not SO restrained.
IRRIGATION CONGRESS.
WHEREAS, The greater part of the
Transmississippi section represented in
this congress is actively interested in the
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