The record-union., 1895-02-01
RIVER IMPROVEMENT CONVENTION.
legislators Meet With 1t in Confer
enCe.
An Invitation Extended to the River
and Harbor Committee to
Visit Our Coast.

and districts Interested in the improve
ment of the rivers of the State were in
yited to be present. The object was to
eudeayor to secure united action looking
to the obtaining of adequate appropria-
tions for the improvement of the rivers
of the State, as well as the harbors, and
also to find out what was needed by each
section.
The meeting was called to order by AS
semblyman Dixon, who stated the object
of the meeting and called for nominations
for Chairman.
Senator Gleaves was unanimously
elected Chairman.
DR.. G. NJ. Dixon was elected Secretary.
Senator GIeaves said the meeting mad
been called to secure united action, and it
was important to call it as early as poSsl-
bic. 1t was important to secure, II possl-
BILE, the visit OF committee from Con-
gress to this coast to examine into the
condition OF our rivers and harbOrS. Cal
Iornia has contributed 230,OO0,000 more
toward the eX penseS of the Government
than she has ever received from it.
y letter from Congressman Grove l..
johnson was read, stating that he had
talked with the members of the River
and Harbor Committee, and three of the
Democratic members would probably
come, and he hoped that the live Repub-
lcan members would also come. He
suggested that a cordial invitation be
rendered from the Legislature to the COM
mittee to visit the state and measures
taken to defray the expenses of the MEM
bers. He thought that the cooperation
OF the representatives OF the mining III
dustry could be secured, and the COM
mittee could visit both the mining cOun-
ties and the length of the sea coast.
Fnr lao ax-oS rnFa cd to Z hn s,nlt
ton offered by him in the Senate and
passed by that body, asking for an ap-
preparation Of 81, ,O0O, 900 by Congress for
the Improvement of the rivers, and advo-
Gated the carrying out Of Johnson's idea.
He could not, however, encourage them
with the idea that the Senate would vote
the necessary amount to pay the expenses
of the committees visit.
George b. hatZenStein spoke IN favor
of legislative appropriation.
Hon. Fred Cox also spoke strongly in
favor of it, The Industries OF the State
are not in a satisfactory condition, he
said, and no better thing could Ue done at
this time than to issue such an invitation
and secure legislative appropriation for
the expenses OF the mittee's visit.
Hon. a. II. Rose moved the appoint
ment of committee of five to draft suit
able resolutions inviting the Committee
on Rivers and HRrbors to visit the coast,
preliminary to asking an appropriation
by the Legislature for the expenses OF the
visit.
Senator Ostrom said he did not feel lik e
committing himself on the matter OF an
appropriation tor that purpose. 1t would
be, be thought, an insult 10 propose such
a thing to the members Of Congress. The
expenses ana mileage of such committees
are always paid by Congress, and such a
proposition AS this is unheard of.
The motion OF Rose was carried, and
the Speaker appointed as such committee
a. II. Rose, George Il. katzenstein, r. T.
Devlin, Frederick Cox and q. NJ. Dixon
Mr.. katZenstein moved that the COM
mittee be instructed to ask the Legislature
to make a sufficient appropriation to de-
Tray the expenses of the trip by the COM
Initoee.
Senator OsIrom said that was what he
expected when the motion was made. He
had no particular objection to such an ap-
preparation, but he had been mixed up
with similar affair, and the matter was
not pleasant experience TO him. He felt
it would be humiliating to offer to pay
the expenses of the committee while in
the line of their duty.
Mr.. Rose said we ought to realize that
we are long way from the East, and the
people there and Congressman do not
know our wants and necessities. They
do not realize the great empire that we
have and the necessity of mpTOyement of
1t Is the most important step that could
be taken. Upon the Improvement of our
waterways depends the prosperity and ad-
vanCement of our State. He was aston
ished to hear the sentiments expressed
by the gentlemen. congressman, with
their 5000 salary, cannot afford to come
1900 miles on such an errand at their
own expense. Let US get them here
where they can see for themselves the
necessity for Improvement and then we
Will stand chance OF getting an appro-
pTiatIon.
Senator Ostrom objected to the appro-
priation because the people were not able
10 bear the burden.
DIR. Dixon said that former appropria-
tions tor the rivers have been a mere bag
atelle. Lately, however, a committee
had been sent to Washington to urge an
appropriation upon Congress, and we had
secured a few hundred thousand dollars:
but 1t was not enough, and we would not
have obtained that II we had not put our
hands in our pockets. We want engineers
sent ont and the rivers put under the con-
tract system, as the Columbia River and
humboldt Bay have been. Senator Per-
Rins and Representative johnson know
what we need. but we Will not get it uu-
til the River and Harbor Committee
visits our coast. Is it not better for the
Legislature to appropriate the necessary
$4,000 now and get the work done thor
oughiy than 10 spend a little each year
and get little in return? The matter con-
Germs the whole State, and he had no
doubt the Legislature would do as was
asked.
The motion was carried, Ostrom voting
no.
Mr.. Rose suggested that if a bill such
as 1t was proposed to introduce in the
Legislature was presented, it would be
well for the meeting to appoint a COM
mlttee to urge its DasSaTa
Y. >. McClatchy said that appropria-
tons would be useless as long as thew
were placed in the hands of a man who
would not spend them. The navigabil-
ity of the river would never be restored
10y running a dredger UP and down il.
Any memorial to Congress would be
barren of results unless we could pro-
cure the. removal of Major Heuer, and
get in his place some man not preiu-
diced against the rivers OF the State
Senator GleaveS said that he had been
informed that Major Heuer had asked to
be relieved on this coast. If Major Nc
kenzie and Capt. Kingman could be Sc
cured in his place it would be we'll They
are broad minded, aud would bring with
them their experience on the Mississippi,
Major Heuer had told him he would
never eXpeud dollar above Red Bluff.
lie had recommended $50, 600 to be spent
on the river there, OF which $50, 900 would
be spent for a draw-bridge across the
river. There is resolution now in Con-
gress that will call their attention to Cali
1ornia. Since 1868 it has sent $3.50, 000, 600
to the General Government and received
less than S30,000,O00 in all in return. We
may therefore, 90 TO Congress with a
strong case. Harbor and river improve
ment has been granted elsewhere. and
why not in California? A Congress man
told him not long ago that il the State
waited for Congress to back up and un-