The record-union., 1896-02-05
VOICE OF THE PRESS.
Expressions of Interior California
Newspapers.
Comments Upon Things Local, Gov
ernmental, Practical, Theoret-
ical and Current.

comments Upon Innings LOcals OON-
ernmental, Practical, Theoret-
ical and Current.
Marysville Appeal: Anything to beat
Huntington is the Sutro idea, ampli-
fed wherever and however possible. c..
p and the railroad of which he is Pres
ident must be downed. That is the
mad Mayors solution of the funding
| bill question Hence the attack upon
the charter through Kentucky's Legis-
lature. The Napa Register" says that
for with view to crippling somebody,
not with the hope of helping California.
A BUSINESS VIEW.
| Oroville Register: When we consider
the matter in all it's bearings, laying
aside all prejudice against corporations,
and make a careful and sober investiga-
tion from a practical business point of
view, we are led to the conclusion that
| it would be to the best interest of the
people to have the debt funded.
| In the matter of the railroad debt due
| the Government, under the present
| financial conditions, it seems to us,
however favorable we might be toward
Government ownership, there is but one
| sensible and business way out of it,
and that is to refund, or, in other words,
] extend the time, renew the mortgage
Biggs Argus.
| Now our morning friend will say the
Argus" has gone wrong too. The in
terror papers from one end of the State
| to the other are almost a unit against
Government ownership, and if no other
settlement can be made they favor an
extension of time.
WHY NOT?
Placer Argus: 1t may be asked, if the
roads could be replaced for the price
of the first mortgage bonds, why do not
the companies let them go as a finan-
cial proposition? That is not our busi-
ness. The companies are ready to un-
dertake to pay their debts. They want
additional time and decreased rates of
interest. If they will pay their debts
why not let them have it?
On the one hand is the promised pay
ment of the entire debt. On the other
the practical forfeiture in values Of the
entire bonded indebtedness of the road.
Does anybody desire to see Uncle Sam
placed in such a pitiable position as
would result from taking the latter al
tentative?
| JOHN HAYS HAMMOND.
Stockton Mail: If John Hays Ham
mond, the American mining engineer,
who is now adorning the inside of a
| Boer prison, were in as precarious a
position as his friends out here have
| been trying to make the State Depart
ment believe, he would not have dared
to send the indiscreet message he did
to a San Francisco paper.
| 1t seems to us as if Mr.. Hammond
were badly scared and somewhat an
cry. He is not afraid that his life will
| be cut short, but that his wealth will
be subjected to that unpleasant pro-
cess. When one is in the tolls of a
hostile and bloodthirsty Government,
one does not send out dispatches term
| ing the people an Enlightened and ret
rogressive community, and the Govern
ment narrow oligarchy, with bad,
| inefficient administration that coun-
| tenances monopolies and corruption.
Let Mr.. Hammond be salts
fed, therefore, with presenting reasons
| for his release and not waste words in
trying to manufacture an anti-Boer
sentiment in the United States. He will
get out of Jail quicker by following this
course.
PLAIN TRUTHS.
Fresno Expositor: There is a valuable
editorial in the Los Angeles Times"
of a recent date on the economy Of good
| roads, which might be studied with
| profit by those who have the matter of
building roads in charge. AS the article
says, a properly built road is practically
indestructible by ordinary use. In fact
| it grows better and more substantial
by age and travel. There are roads
built by the old Romans in the days
of the empires that are in better condi-
tion to-day than they were a thousand
years ago, and they seldom need re-
pairs. Fortunes are spent in California
every year, and yet there is not one
good road in the State, simply because
they were not built on scientific prin-
ciples. 1t would require years with the
money spent that we are in the habit
of spending to even inaugurate a system
of properly constructed roads in this
county, but if the money wasted annu-
ally in the foolish attempts was applied
to ten miles on any one road prop
erly it would be an act of economy. The
cost for a time would be necessarily
greater, but when completed it would
be merely nominal.
WHERE ARE THE DAMS?
Wheatland Four Corners: If possible
to restrain debris by damming, where is
the dam? Where is the engineer that
will not err in specifications and ac-
ceptance of work? Brush dams, earthen
work and even rock and cement walls
are not able to withstand tons of mud
and gravel and torrents of gravel The
last storm has added another exhibit
or argument to the farmers claim that
restraining dams are not practical and
the Yuba River is choked with thou
sands of cubic feet of dirt, gravel and
powders as a result. The following
report was made to the State Anti
Debris Association this week. com
ment on which is not necessary:
One of the dams which broke was
the solid rock dam in New York Flat
in Yuba County. Tons of debris had
gathered behind this wall, thereby
tending to strengthen the structure
but the rushing waters of the Yuba
proved too much for the wall of rock.
and thirty feet of the dam was carried
out clear to the bottom of the stream.
The York Mining Company's dam was
also carried out by the high water, but
the worst disaster was that to the
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