The record-union., 1894-12-06
AID FOR THE SACRAMENTO RIVER.
The Government is Asked to Make
Appropriations.
Full Text of the Resolutions Adopted
By the Recent Transmissis-
sippi Congress.

Ex-senator William Johnston returned
yesterday from st. Louis. where he at
tended the Transmississippi Congress as
delegate from California.
Mr.. Johnston said to RECORD UNION
reporter that he looked for good results
from the deliberations of that body. 1t
was hoped and believed that the effect
would be to solidify the sentiments of the
Western people and cause them to work
in harmony for their general good.
The people east of the Mississippi, said
Mr. Johnston, have little in sympathy
with those of the great West. Their in
terests are different. aud they have moth
ing in common with US in an industrial
way. The States lying west of the great
river that flows down to the Gulf of
Mexico must keep in harmony and have
their Representatives in Congress work
and pull together for all measures in
tended for the betterment of conditions
on this side of the continent.
TO IMPROVE THE SACRAMENTO,
Mr.. Johnston labored earnestly to i'm
press upon the Congress the importance
OF having the Government improve the
navigation Of the Sacramento River, and
as the result OF his efforts the following
declaration and resolutions were adopted:
The Sacramento and San Joaquin
Rivers, with their tributaries, give the
people OF California navigable channels
aggregating over one thousand miles III
length. The Sacramento River alone is
navlgable from the Bay of San Francisco
to the town Of Redding, in Shasta County,
distance OF over four hundred and
twenty-five miles, and the San Joaquin
River alone IS naVigable from the harbOr
n Francisco n II
tance of over two hundred and fifty
miles. These two rivers, with their navi-
gable tributaries, traverse the great Sac
| ramento and San Joaquin Valleys. They
are paralleled on either side by railroads
with which they form competing trans
porting avenues, not only enabling the
producer to forward his products to mar
ket, but also by the cheapness Of water
transportation regulating the charges for
transportation by rail.
Before their navigability became i'm
paired they were streams affording easy
passage for many miles to large ocean
vessels drawing nineteen feet of water,
but they have now become so filed up
that vessels drawing four feet Of water
have found 1t difficult 10 proceed far in
land. While the farmer titled virgin soil,
and the price for his products was high,
he could afford to pay the rates demanded
for transportation by rail, but the de-
| GUS cultivation, and the low price of farm
products now prevailing, demand that
| these streams shall be SO improved as TO
expedite and cheaper navigation. Con-
gresS, with the exception of a small ap-
| preparation in 1875, did not begin until
| 1880 10 take any care Of these streams,
and from 1880 up to the year 1892 only
| provided for taking out snags, doing
nothing for the Improvement OF these
naVlgabIe highways, and 1t was only in
the latter year that Congress became con-
vinced of the vast Importance of these
streams, and Of the absolute necessity Of
improving their condition.
While the amounts appropriated at the
last two sessions have been totally in
adequate to effect any material improve
ment III the lower parts of the rivers,
yet by the expenditure of a compara-
lively small sum of money the head of
navigation has been extended many
miles, thereby saving 10 shippers of
wheat on the Sacramento River 81 25 per
ton, and on the San Joaquin River points.
including the MERGED and Tuolumne
| Rivers, saving has been made ranging
| from 90 cents to 81 % per ton. Therefore,
| BcSOtUed, That this Transmissisippi
Congress, knowing the necessity OF the
Improvement of the navigable streams of
| the West, and deploring the lack of at
tentiOn that they have received at the
hands of the United States il the past,
does urgently request the Government to
give to California the full benefit Of
natures provision in her behalf for cheap
transportation afforded by her inl>nd
rivers, and requests our Senators and
Representatives to use all proper means
to obtain their proper improvement as
permanent navigable streams, and to
secure such appropriations and govern
mental action as may be necessary for
that purpose.