The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-10
FOR RIVER IMPROVEMENT.

The Senate proposes to cooperate with
the Governor in urging action by the War
Department to improve our rivers. Its
resolution recently adopted was timely and
forcible. 1t is full of reasons for the
prompt initiation OF the work.
The Government has pursued most
niggardly policy toward California in this
respect. For years it has done little more
than to pull up few snags in the Sacra-
mento River. Congress has made in
adequate appropriations, and even of
those a large part remains unex-
pended. Government engineers have
repeatedly reported in favor of ex-
tensive works, and have set forth their
plans. They have even gone somewhat be-
yond their professional functions to show
the commercial value Of the proposed work.
Memorials and representations without
number have been addressed to Congress
and the War Department without any APP
preciable effect.
With what is now available in the hands
of the department good beginning can be
made. The excuse can no longer be made
that improvement is wasting money while
hydra lic debris is being run into the
courts and the Government Immediate
action is needed. In few months the grain
movement will begin. 1t will start on low
water and every sand bank in the Sacra-
mento and Feather rivers will be money
out of the pockets of our farmers and into
the treasury Of the Southern Pacific.
The Senate resolution is aimed merely at
immediate expenditure of the amounts re-
naming in the hands of the Secretary of
War, but that is only little OF the amount
needed. What is required is a general
comprehensive scheme involving the clear
ing of the channels of the rivers, the regu-
lation OF their flow, and the handling of
surplus flood water. The problem is
large and difficult on account of the short
and sharp descent of the mountain tribu-
tar1es OF the main rivers, but engineering
science has prepared plans for its solution,
and only money is needed to carry them
out.
When there was talk of the visit of a
Congressional committee TO examine the
merits of San Pedro and Santa Monica as
deep-water harbors, it was intended to
have the committee go up our rivers and
see for themselves what we needed. The
latest intimation from Washington is that
the committee will not visit the coast as a
body but that several members will come
and look around for themselves. In that
event arrangements should be made
to take them in hand and give
them all possible information on this
subject.
No doubt our own delegation in Con-
gress will do what they can to secure
what is required in this matter, but they
are only few among many. Congress
has been worked so much for minor and
often unworthy schemes of river improve
ment that something of suspicion attaches
TO the efforts of members to secure appro-
priations III the interest of their constitu-
ents. The personal knowledge and in
fuence OF a few Eastern Senators and
Representatives would go far to set our
case right. When a member from New
York or Louisiana gets up TO tell Congress
that the rivers of California drain valley
capable of supporting ten million inhab-
itants, and that they only need improve
ment to transport the bulk OF its products,
the statement will command consideration