The record-union., 1895-02-11
THE PROPOSED DRAINAGE SCHEME.
How it viii Affect the City of Sacra-
mentO.
Her Citizens Show Little Interest
Another Meeting Tuesday Night
City VS.. Swamp Lands.

There was but small attendance at the
citizens meeting at Pioneer Hall on Sat
urday evening, at which some action was
expected to be taken to determine the
sentiment of the people of the city re-
garding the drainage district bill now be-
fore the Legislature.
The provisions and scope of the bill
were discussed, but definite action was
deferred until Tuesday evening, when
another meeting will be held, this time at
the Courthouse. 1t is very important
matter to Sacramento, and there should
be representative meeting Of property
owners.
DIR. G. M. Dixon, Chairman of the River
Convention, called the meeting to order,
and was subsequently made Chairman,
and County Surveyor j. G. Boyd Secre-
tary.
Among those present were City Trus-
tees Lawton and Tozer, E. NJ. Leitch,
Frank Miller, T. w. Sheshan, Theodore
Deming, r. A. Folger, Joseph Glide, w.
A. Gett, DIR. L. A. Snider, }. l.. Slller, A.
ii. Rose Commissioner of Public w orks),
j. r. Foster, j. l.. Siller and b. A.
Nourse.
In explaining the object of the meeting,
DIR. Dixon said he had heard there was some
opposition to the bill, based on mlsap-
prehension as TO its provisions. Two
years sgo several prominent citizens OF
Sacramento deeming it necessary to have
reclamation for the valley, took action
with those OF other counties, which re-
suited in the holding of the River Con-
vention. This body appointed an EXecu-
tive and Legislative Committee TO carry
on the work, the crownlng result OF
which was due to Sacramento's own
agents-an Act embracing general plan
Tor reclamation and the appointment OF
Commissioner of Public Works.
To carry out the object OF the law there
was an appropriation made OF S2O,OOO. 1t
was the first time general action had
been taken. Marsden Manson and Z.
Il. Grunsky were selected as consulting
engineers, and they made extensive sur
veys and formulated general plan for
drainage. AS the result of these 1nvestl-
cations and the act of the legislative COM
mittee of the river convention, Senate
bill 81 had been mapped out.
PROVISIONS OF THE BILL.
This bill provides for embracing those
lands in the Sacramento Valley that are
subject to overflow into district for the
reclamation of about l, 900, 600 acres. The
estimated cost of the work is So, O00, 900. 1t
is proposed that drainage district shall
be formed by the bill now before the
Legislature.
Alter describing the boundaries of the
district, Dr. Dixon went on TO say that ii
was to embrace five sub-diStrlcts, the di-
rectors TO be selected therefrom by the
Governor. Three Commissioners are pro-
vided for to assess the land in the dis
trct for the expense of reclamation. 1t
had been determined not to have direct
tax, but to issue bonds to run forty years
at D per cent. interest, the land only to be
assesses ed. The question of bonds is to be
left TO the people OF the district to deter
mine. If they should decide against
issuing bonds, then the raising of the
money necessary would have to be by a
direct tax.
For the first ten years it is proposed to
pay only the interest on the bonds sold,
so that until the reclaimed lands had be-
come productive and valuable the
outlay would not be heavy. Any land
not benefited by the reclamation work is
not to be taxed, and lands that are annu-
ally overt1owed are to be assessed lightly
at first, but heavier as tue work pro-
crosses.
The matter of an outlet for the surplus
waters into the bay is left to the Com
missioner of Public Works, but it is pro-
posed to open up and enlarge the outlets
OF Cache and Putah Creeks, increasing
the outflow of the waters that now spread
out over the Yolo Basin. At Collinsville
the river had never been known to rise
more than two feet above the high-water
mark. There had been some objection
urged to the plan on the ground that the
navigability of the river might be i'm
paired, but any danger of that kind had
been amply provided against. Only sur
plus waters would be diverted.
In conclusion, DR.. Dixon said the real
object of the meeting was to give citizens
of oif fU N tn int RI
in the matter, to the end that they might
select a committee TO represent them al
the joint session of the Senate and AS
sembly Swamp Land Committees on
Wednesday evening. A meeting of those
interested in lands outside the city had
already been called for Wednesday after
noon.
THE PROPOSED COMMITTEE.
Z. NJ. Leitch moved that the Chairman
CDR. Dixon, Frank Miller and J. c.
Boyd be selected as the committee tc
represent the city before the Legislative
committees.
Frank Miller said that while the COM
mercial advantage to the city from the
reclamation of a million acres of rich land
would be considerable, still citizens
should know something near what their
liability would be if the bill in its present
shape should become law.
The Chair suggested that the commit.
tee should consist of five persons, and
that they be instructed to favor the pas
sage OF the bill.
OPPOSED TO A CITY COMMITTEE.
This suggestion brought Lawyer w.
A. Gett to his feet. Mr.. Gett is interested
in swamp land matters down the river
and objected to any action that did moi
include that section. He hoped that the
words ''in favor" would be eliminated,
and that the committee would receive nc
instructions in advance to favor the bill.
There were, he said, several large land
owners present, and the matter should be
carefully considered before action was
taken. He claimed it was not a repre-
sentative meeting of the taxpayers oi
Sacramento County. If such a motion
was to be entertained, all the large land
owners should be represented and have q
voice in the matter. Next Wednesday
afternoon there will be a meeting OF the
swamp land owners of the valley, and
they are the ones who should select the
committee.
In conclusion. he moved that the ap.
polntment of the committee be deferred
until that meeting.
COMMISSIONER ROSE EXPLAINS.
A. Ii. Rose, Commissioner of Public
Works, said he understood the present
meeting was called to obtain the senti
ments OF the citizens of Sacramento CITY
as to the wisdom of the bill now before
the Legislature-not the citizens of thu
county generally, nor swamp land men
II Mr.. Getts motion should prevail il
would destroy the purpose of the meet
ing. Next Wednesday evening the Leg
islative committees are to meet to con
slider the bill, and if the matter were de
ferred until alter the meeting of th,
swamp land owners on Wednesday after
noon Sacramento City would be shut ou
from representation before the Legisia
ture.