The record-union., 1895-02-12

for the control of water, channel enlarge
ments, artificial waterways and cuts. and
every other class and kind of work that
Will be necessary to reduce. prevent, or
control the inundation of the land of the
district liable to injury from overflow"
Also: The Commissioners of Public
Works shall also make or cause to be
maze ali surveys and examinations neces-
safy TO devise, plan, locate aud estimate
| the cost OF these works." etc.
Also: The Commissioner of Public
Works and his agents and employees shall
nave the right to enter upon any land
10 make surveys, and may locate the
necessary drainage works, and the line
ior any canal or canals, and the necessary
branches tor the same, on any lands that
may be deemed best for such location. AS
! soon as the plans and estimates of cost OF
the drainage works of the drainage dis
trict are completed by the Commissioner
OF PUBLIC Works he shall transmit a certi-
he'd copy OF the same to the Board of Di-
rectors of the districtD
Section provides: 'The Board of Di-
rectors OF such drainage district shall
| nave the power, and it shall be their duty
TO manage and conduct the business and
aIialrs OF the district, make and execute
all necessary contracts for carrying out
and performing the work required by the
plans certified to them by the Commis-
sloner OF Public Works; provided, how
ever, that said work must be executed
subject to the approval Of the Commits
sloner of Public Works."
section 81 of the Act provides that the
board OF Directors must annually, before
the first Monday in March, make an esti-
mate OF the proposed expenditures for
the district for the ensuing twelve
months, which shall be based on the esti-
mates made by the Commissioners of
Public Works of the amount of money
necessary to be expended by the district
Tor district work and purposes.
| Section A provides: After plans have
| been adopted by the Commissioner Of
Public Works, and transmitted to the
| Board OF Directors, the Board of Di-
rectors shall divide the work into con-
venient sections for construction" etc.;
also that 1.-The work shall be:done subject
70 the approval OF the Commissioner of
Public Works"
Section 46 provides that reclamation
districts now existing may continue in
existence, and new reclamation districts
may be formed inside the drainage dis
trlct, but that all work done by such
reclamation districts shall be done under
the direction and subject to the approval
OF the commissioner of Public Works."
1t will be seen from these quotations
from the proposed Act that, if it becomes
law, Commissioner of Public Works
Will be greater man than the President
OF the United States, and have in this dis
trlct power practically as absolute and
dlctatorial as has the Gar of Russia in
his domains.
Inc question naturally presents itself
assuming that there may be some other
provisions in the bill that have merit:
DO any OF US know of any man to whom
we are thus willing to confide the abso-
lutte power and control of our property?
Certainly, If the bill becomes a law, we
ought to prefer that the Commissioner of
Puoilc Works should not be one inter-
ested (as is the present Commissioner in
the reclamation of lands in Colusa
County, instead of those at the lower end
OF the proposed district. Very respect
1ully, CLINTON l.. WHITE,