The record-union., 1896-12-30
DREDGING THE RIVER
Is THE ONLY REMEDY
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have been based could only afford par
tial relief. To accomplish desired re-
suits it would have to be made 50 wide
and SO deep that it would practically be
a new river, the cost of eXcavating and
manufacturing which would be enor-
NOUS. We presume that nobody will
deny the proposition that the greater
the volume of water that can be con-
fined to the channel of the river the
greater will be it's securing capacity. All
our reasoning is based upon the theory
that the deepening of the river and the
correction of the channel is the first and
absolute requirement of any successful
scheme for drainage and reclamation.
plans based upon this theory have
not heretofore received the considera
tfon which the Importance of the sub
ject deserves, for the reason that such
work has been considered wholly with
In the province of the national Govern
ment and of no concern to the State,
and for the further reason that until
very recently no machine or appliance
had been invented by which the cost
of moving earth could be reduced to q
figure that would warrant the State in
undertaking to deepen rivers and cor
rect channels as a part of a system of
reclamation.
The Bates hydraulic dredger, re-
ferred to at length in our report, seems
to furnish
THE SOLUTION
OF the drainage and reclamation prob
lem. The tests made are official, hav-
dng been made under the direction of
the Mississippi River Commission. We
have right to assume that they are
reliable. If, as it is claimed, it will
so through a sand bar at a speed of
from five to ten feet a minute, cutting
a channel 40 feet wide and 20 feet deep,
the cost of deepening and Strengthening
the river of making the Sacramento
navigable from Red Bluff to the bay
at all seasons of the year, as we'll as
the construction of a perfect levee sys-
tenn can be calculated with mathemat-
ical precision.
But this dredger viii solve the prob
lem of drainage and reclamation in Cal
ifornia if it viii accomplish one-half of
what is claimed for it.
ESTIMATED COST.
THE contract price of the Beta
dredger was $4,000. and it can be
operated for $4,000 per month. 1t is
not reasonable to presume that the
property affected will have to bear all
this expense. Our representatives in
Congress can make it clear to the War
Department that this work is direct
and material aid TO navigation, and
that the Government should bear a rea-
sonable share Of the expense.
But even should the Government re-
fuse material aid, which is not at all
probable, the plan proposed involves an
expenditure SO much less than that I'M
der the system of reclamation now in
operation, as to seem almost incredible
at first glance.
PAST EXPENDITURES.
Reclamation districts involving
about 150,0 900 acres Of land have been
organized in Butte, Colusa, Suffer,
American and Yolo Basins. A compu-
tation made in 1894 showed that on
the rivers and the land in these districts
the Government had expended 1000
GOO and the State and individuals SIT
100000, and that for the most of this
there had been no adequate return
The expenditures of 1895 and 1896
have probably swelled the total to S19,-
100000. There is one reclamation dis
trict in Yolo County on which the sum
already expended, and without satisfac-
tory results. is sufficient to construct
a hydraulic dredger and opera te it for
ten years. 1t is more than enough to
construct two dredgers, put the Sacra-
mento River in good navigable condi-
f,-Or, I'D Inf ~ icio -,
a great measure solve the problem of
drainage.
But all these questions are discussed
at length in our report, and the plan as
proposed may be briefly summarized as
follows:
''F'irst-The deepening of the river
and correction of channels.
Second-The construction and mainte-
nance of a uniform levee system, with
such easements as may be necessary
for the protection of the same.
In order to cOnsummate this plan
we recommend that the State purchase
and operate one of the dredgers in or
der that its efficiency may be deter
mined"
ENGINEER PRICES VIEWS.
John r. Price Chief Engineer of Pub
lie Works, next appeared before the
meeting and gave a succinct account of
what was to be expected of the Bates
dredger, which the Department of
Public Works recommends for doing
the work proposed.
When indicted into office, Mr.. Price
said he had concluded that something
practical ought to be done towards re