The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-22
NEGLECTED WATERWAYS.

1t is encouraging to learn that the Sena-
tors and Representatives of California
have determined to make in connection
with Government engineers and leading
men interested in the development of
California, careful inspection of Califor-
MAS waterways, with view to ask for an
appropriation at the hands OF Congress for
their improvement. This matter has been
treated with shameful neglect too long.
On the face of things it is an abnormal
state of affairs that permits a railway mo-
nopoly of transportation in rich sections of
the State penetrated by rivers that might
be made navigable to far more efficient
extent than at present.
The construction of competing railroad
into the San Joaquin Valley will make
Stockton the entrepot of the San Joaquin
as Sacramento is of the Sacramento Val
ley. While the Sacramento is nominally
navlgable as far as Marysville, the natural
facilities are so inadequate and uninviting
as to make it an easy problem for the
Southern Pacific to enter into arrange
ments with such steamer lines as exist,
thus destroying the competitive advan-
tage which the river ought to offer. There
should not be made navigable as far north
as Redding, where the stream issues from
the mountains. This would give the bene-
hts OF competitive transportation to the
whole length of this fertile valley.
The new road into the San Joaquin will
make the development of that valley pro-
coed with tremendous energy, for it will
take the place of river competition. 1t
would be much more expensive to make
the San Joaquin navigable than the Sacra-
mento, but that should be 10 reason for
neglecting that valuable stream.
This aside, Stockton stands in urgent
need of relief Within few years the
productions of the valley will have in
creased enormously under the stimulus
which the Valley road will create, and as
tidewater is found at Stockton that city
will be the point at which large transfers
from rail to water will be made under any
circumstances, no matter how many rail-
roads may run thence to San Francisco
At present river navigation to Stockton is
very poor, but it is so much better than
that of the Sacramento to Marysville that
competition which the Southern Pacific
cannot reach is thriving, in spite of the
adverse conditions presented by the water
course.
If the natural facilities should De i'm
proved still greater benefit would result
The river is extremely crooked and at low
tide is shallow, so that navigation is a very
slow process. The steamers are constantly
running aground or into the banks. What
is needed most of all a straight canal cut
through the marshes from Stockton to the
head of San Pablo Bay, where deep water
is encountered. This has been already
preached by Government and other
capable engineers, and it must come in
time. The ground all the way is a marsh,
barely above high water, and the cutting
of such canal would therefore be COM
paratively an inexpensive operation.
The movement for the improvement of
the waterways should be urged to its fur
thest extent. Although it is manifestly
the duty of the General Government to
perform the work at its own expense, it
may be found that Eastern ignorance OF
the National benefits to be secured from
the improvements may deter Eastern
members of Congress from voting as lib
eral appropriations as are required. If so,
the State should take a hand in the cost
That, however, is a matter for future con-
slderation. The great task now is to as
certain what should be done, and then
make hard fight in Congress for the nec-
essary appropriation.