The record-union., 1894-04-05
IMPROVEMENT OF THE SACRAMENTO.
The Delegates Who Went to Wash
ington Present Their Report.
What Has Been Gained for Our Valley
by the Earnest Work Done
by Them.

A meeting of the Executive Com
mittee of the River Improvement Con-
vention comprising the delegates who
went to Washington to try to secure
suitable Government aid for the i'm
provement of our rivers was held yester-
day at the office of Commissioner of Pub
lie Works A. II. Rose.
The committee made a report of what
had been done by it at Washington.
The report states that through the ex-
ertions of Congressman Caminetti the
delegation after some delay. secured a
hearing before the House Committee on
Rivers and Harbors, and that in the
meantime interviews were had with Vari-
Gus members of the House.
The committee was addressed by Will
lam Johnston, Chairman of the delega-
ton. j. NJ. Gleaves, E. McGettigan,
George Ohleyer and others, who fully
and ably explained the condition of the
Sacramento River, and the urgent need
of the Government taking hold and inn
proving it.
Mr.. Ohleyer urged that no more debris
be allowed to enter the river. he asked
for nothing new-only the carrying out
OF the recommendations Of the Govern
ment engineers with reference TO the
navigability of the Feather and Sacra-
mento Rivers. The speakers also re-
ferred to the San Joaquin River and the
Oakland and San Francisco harbors.
The delegation also called on the Secre-
tary of War and the Chief of Engineers
of the Army, who listened attentively to
what they had to say.
The rest of the report is made up of the
Associated Press report of the contents of
the river and harbor bill, on which action
has already been taken and which has
appeared in the press.
Mr.. Gleaves stated that while seeking
Information in Washington, he asked
Mr.. Blanchard, the Chairman ofthe Com
mittee on Appropriations, how it hap
pened that some sections were always
ably represented and always secured
about what they asked for. He was told
that those who looked after the interests
of those sections always began at the end
OF the session to prepare the data for use
at the next session and have 1t on hand
SO that the committee could turn to 1t
for information. The plan brought good
results and he thought it would be well
to adopt it here.
When In his arguments he spoke of the
number of tons of freight carried on our
rivers he was told that the number OF
tons carried did not make much differ
ence unless the value of the freight was
stated. Statistics prove that 81. .000,0
mento River and $4,000, 900 on the San
Joaquin. This was nearly the same
amount carried on the Mississippi, and
the fact made a great impression
when stated at Washington. He be-
heved it would be well to systematically
keep the work of the past winter up at
each session.
The Congressman have each of them
the interests of their constituents to work
for and do SO faithfully. They are, how
ever, hampered by office seekers, who
take up their time, and they have many
matters of legislation to forward. They
treated the delegation most cordially and
did everything in their power to forward
the object for which IL came and lent it
every facility in their power to secure
suitable appropriation.
Another thing is, that if the delegation
be a large one, it carries much more
weight with it. The committee before
which they appeared and the Senators
and Representatives with whom they
came in contact showed that the number
in the delegation carried respect with it
it showed plainly that large interests
were involved or such delegation could
not have afforded to 60 there to secure
action.
The question of preparing statistics
upon values Of products transported and
other things necessary was discussed,
and it was decided that the Chairman
and Secretary compose a committee to
collect these statistics.
George Ohleyer said that an encourag
ing feature of the work is that the Gov
ernment is now embarked in it TO stay,
and that with proper efforts an appropri-
alton can be assured in the future.
DIR. q. NJ. Dixon said the entering
wedge has opened the way for more at
tention to be paid to California and for
larger appropriations in the future. when
the importance of the subject is better
understood.
1t was decided that the report should
be printed and sent to the Boards of Su-
pervisors of the different counties.