The record-union., 1895-02-12
The Drainage Bill.

The Drainage Bill.
EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN: Some years ago
the State Legislature created the office of
State Engineer and made liberal ap-
preparation for his salary and for the
payment of his numerous assistants and
employees. He proceeded to make extern
sive surveys in our great valleys, to
demonstrate the practicability of irrlgat-
Ing the same. AS the State did not con-
template going into that business 1t
looked like a foolish expenditure OF
money. In order to keep in existence
said officer and to create and control pat
fonage, that department joined forces
with the agents of the hydraulic mines
and procured the passage of the notori-
GUS brush slickens dam bill. The State
Engineers office was abolished some
years ago, but it cost the State probably,
directly or indirectly, Sl,000,0O0. The
passage of the brush slickens dam bill
virtually licensed and authorized hy-
draulic mining to be resumed after the
people of the valleys had been subjected
to much expense in legal proceedings to
have 1t suppressed.
Two years ago the Legislature created
the Office of Commissioner of Public
Works, an Office the State no more re-
quired than it did the State Engineer. 1t
was generally supposed at the time that
tng forward some big drainage scheme,
and many, including myself. who were
interested in swamp lands. hoped the
Governor would veto the bill.
The result is now before us in Senate
bill No 57l.
Some twelve or fifteen years ago a
similar bill was passed, en- bracing about
the same area and with similar bounda-
rles to the present bill. Commissioners
were appointed and liberal appropria-
ton made TO cover expenses of necessary
surveys. A competent engineer was en-
ployed. He made the surveys and his
report, after which the Commissioners
took NO further action, as | remembe
l do not believe the owners of swamp
lands within the boundaries of the pro-
posed district can be so blind to their
own interest as to allow this bill to be-
come law without using all means in
their power 10 defeat it. The estimated
cost of the work is between nine and ten
millions, and 1t is safe to assume that If
the work should ever in the future be
carried out, the cost will vastly exceed
those figures. The estimated cost of the
work per acre far exceeds the price OF
good agricultural high land at this time,
which has been greatly reduced in con-
sequence OF the low price OF grain and
other products.
If the people in the proposed district
allow this scheme to be carried out l am
confident they will find themselves in a
far worse condition than the uniortunates
in Central Irrigation District, Colusa
County. with part of canal built, work
suspended and that done going to ruin,
but worst of ali tbree-Q quarters Of q million
In irrigation bonds lien or mortgage on
their lands.
There has been expended on every
acre OF land within the boundaries of this
city of Sacramento, hundreds of dollars
In works of reclamation as protection
against floods. Under the provisions Of
said bill every property-holder in this
city would be assessed for his lot mot i'm
provements). So would the lots in W ash
ington, Dayisville, Colusa, and all of the
little towns down the river.
Those who have seen Cache and Putah
Greeks in times of great floods can fully
appreciate the difficulties in the way of a
thorough reclamation of the Yolo tule
basin that is so glibly talked of.
The writer, when youth, landed at the
loot OF street in September, 1919. The
masts of the little vessel came Just above
the bank, yet at that time the water was
about twenty feet deep. For twenty
years he was connected with State Sur
yeyor-GeneraPs office, and is very famil-
lar with the history of the various at
tempts at the reclamation of swamp lands
in this valley.
l feel now as If we were in greater
danger from our Commissioner of Public
Works than from floods.
EDWARD TwITCHELL.
Sacramento February l. ISQ5