The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-28
SEEN AT THEIR BEST.
Low Water Assisted In Con-
vincing the Congressional
Delegation.
PLOTTED BY GOVERNOR BUDD.
The Navigator of the Tules Pointed
Out the Need OF a Better
Waterway.

STOCKTON, CAL, Sept. 27.-The Con-
gressional delegation has come and gone,
and if there are any mud fats or danger
Gus distractions on Stockton channel and
San Joaquin River as far down as Black
Slough that were not pointed out to the
visitors it is no fault of the complaining
Stocktonians. Congressman Johnson, the
district representative. and Senator Per-
kins were not able to accompany the dele
cation here, but Governor Budd, who is
considered daring navigator in the tules
and backwaters. was on hand and detailed
his adventures on the Polliwog in the dam
gerous cuts and curves to the ears of the
visitors.
The party, composed of Senator White,
Congressman S. G. Hilborn and Congress-
man Barham, arrived by the 1910 train.
Governor Budd was with the delegation
that met the party, and was very active in
providing for their entertainment.
After luncheon the visitors, Mayor Baggs,
the City Councilmen and the Supervisors
got aboard the Clara Crow and started
down the stream. Orders were given to
the engineer to make time, as the visitors
desired to take the 10 train to San Fran
cisco. The wheel of the old steamer began
making rapid revolutions, and, as luck
would have it, the paddles would occa-
sionally fling a little Stockton channel
mud over on the deck where the distin-
guished guests were standing.
Governor Budd stood on the deck and
took turns with Mayor Baggs, President of
the Council Lang, Supervisor Henderson
and other old residents in pointing out the
deplorable condition of the channel and
suggesting how it could be dredged and
Strengthened for a very small outlay.
Luckily, too. several of the big steamers
were loading tons of -four and merchan-
disc and this commercial aspect of the
proposition was placed clearly before the
gentlemen.
Down past the big Touring mills and
the shipyards the creaking old raft went,
and on reaching the river continued on
until Black Slough, fourteen miles below
the city, was reached. The water was very
low and the mud flats and crosscuts of the
currents were plainly visible. The party
came prepared with maps and charts, and
Senator White and the Congressman made
careful notes of all the points called to
their attention. 1t was pointed out that
if as much money had been spent
on the channel and river as on
Oakland Creek these waterways would be
in fine condition the year round. AT GER
tain points the water can be deepened by
damming useless cutoffs, and at others
widened by removing mud bars in the
center of the stream. The condition of
these waterways is supposed to be well
known, but the members of the delegation
confessed that the information they re-
ceived on the two hours trip was surpris-
ing, and it impressed them with the press
ing necessity for the improvements asked
for.
On their return to the city they were
driven hastily to the depot, accompanied
by Governor Budd and the city officials.
The Governor wanted to go along, but
Senator White told him to go home and
rest.
An itemized table of the freight handled
on the Stockton docks during the last two
years was placed in the hands of the dele
cation. 1t showed that it would have
taken 278 vessels of 1000 tons each to carry
the freight.