The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-19
THE COST OF RECLAMATION.
An Outline of General Improve
ments That the Government
Should Provide.

SACRAMENTO. Dec. 1S.-An important
report mas been made to Governor Mark
ham by A. II. Rose, the Commissioner of
Public Works, which Office was created by
the last Legislature. Mr.. Rose has accu-
mulated vast amount of material relative
10 rivers and swamp lands. Among other
things Commissioner Rose says that Of
pie, 600 which has been spent in I'M
proving the navigation of rivers the United
States Government expended only about
S1,000,000 The lack of general uniform
system, he says, is the cause of the failure
of the present levee systems. Levees
should be under Government control, and
cross leyees. says the Commissioner should
be provided with f1odgates, and flooded
channels through TIRE valleys should be
provided. IL is recommended in the re-
port that the Yuba. Bear and American
rivers be turned into the American basin,
q swampy depression, which is declared
10 be undrainable. This plan, it is de-
clared, would enable the hydraulic miners
10 operate along the banks of the streams
mentioned. Mining debris, if this plan
were adopted, would spread over the
swamp, and in the course of time make
new and valua BILE land. This, says Com
n4oSAOhCl IhuSSs HOuiQ pun du 6uU 10 Inc
great question Of disposiug of hydraulic
mining debris.
On the subject of debris the report SAYS ::
The success al execution and operating
Of proper works is dependent upon the
proper restraint of debris now in the beds
of The mountain tributaries of Feather
River ard also of the coarse gravel and
sand in the lower reaches of Yuba, Bear
and American rivers.
The existence of a large area of
swamp and overlooked land IF difficult
drainage, and so situated as to be made
the recipient of the debris carried by the
three rivers draining the greater portion
Of the hydraulic mining field, has suggest
ed a final solution Of the VeXed debris
problem. The solution involves the turn
ing Of the rivers directly into this swamp
and overiowed depression, American
Basin.
This, if coupled with proper measures,
would insure free unlimited hydraulic min
ing on the Yuba, Bear and American
rivers and their tributaries; moreover, it
will afford complete protection to the Sac
ramentO and Feather rIvers, Suisun and
San Francisco bays, and the adjacent
lands from the danger OF injury or de-
structon by the debris now stored in the
channels OF the Yuba, Bear and Ameri-
can rivers and their tributary streams and
canyons. 1t will settle at ones and forever
the veXed question between miners and
farmers of the deposit of mining debris in
the streams of Northern California.
The cost of these works, says the report,
should be borne by the General Go vern-
ment by direct appropriations from the
general treasury. and their construction
should be under the direction and super
vision of the California Debris Commits
sion.
The cost of acquiring the necessary low
lands and constructing the dlvertjng works.
etc, is estimated at S1,689, 749, the ex-
penditCre of which sum would extend over
two years. More than so per cent of the
cost of the project under this estimate
wo1ld be ultimately returned in the lands,
after being warped up to a sufficient eleva-
tion to permit of drainage by gravity.
The Commissioner recommends an ap-
preparation of $4,000 for the purpose of
collecting data, etc, fer the extension of
the work TO the San Joaquin Valley. From
August u. 1898, to December l, 1894, The
expenditures of the Public Works Com
missioner's Office were $25. 156 81, leaving a
balance of $4S43 IL unexpended The re-
mainder oil the report is devoted to the
engineers reports. They are very COM