The San Francisco call., 1896-12-30
SEEK To RECLAIM
INUNDATED LANDS
Owners of Swamp Tracts
Draft a Memorial to
the Governor.
Ask for a Large Appropriation
for the Improvement of
Waterways.
Would Make the Capital Seaport
by Dredging the Sacramento
River.

SAChAMENIO,C CAL., Dec. ZS.-OWamp-
land owners of California convened in this
city to-day for the ostensible purpose of
considering the best method of clearing
the river-beds so that the waters could
flow from their source to the sea without
rambling all over the country. The
meeting tended to exemplify to the pub
lie what vast fund of figures and statis-
tics had been gathered by the mem bers
of the Board of Public Works, and how
more than necessary it was deemed to be
that that same commission be kept in
Office
Commissioner of Public Works Leake
reviewed the work done under his super
vision and touched upon the further needs
of his department. He said there was
722, 240 acres of unreclaimed land lying in
the Sacramento Valley, an increase of over
200, 900 acres since 1861. He demonstrated
what an enormous income the State would
derive could this land be brought under
cultivation.
Touching upon the objection raised in
some quarters that the State would be
asked to defray the expenses incurred in
the reclamation OF overfowed lands, Com
missioner Leake stated that while the tax
roll of the State would be greatly in
creased it was for the Legislature to de-
termine upon whom should fall the bur-
den of expense.
The cut through the Montezuma hills.
advocated and proposed two years ago as
the most feasible solution of the problem,
is declared i'm practicable. The cost of
such all enterprise is an insuperable OBJ
lection. Under the most favorable cir
cumstances, this work could not be COM
pleted for less than 81 500, 600 This in
cludes the cost of the construction of the
canal channel from the Yolo basin to the
MoNieZuma hills.
With the prospect of incumbering their
property to such an extent the people
would never consent to putting such a
scheme into operation. The Commis-
sioner declared that the deepening of the
river and the correction of the channel
was the only practicable solution. The
Bates hydraulic dredger made such a
project practicable. BY its use a channel
forty feet wide and twenty feet deep could
be cut, the appliance going through a
sandbar at the rate of ten feet per minute
The river could be made navigable at all
seasons of the year from Red Bluff to the
bay, the cost being calculated with en-
blematical precision. He concluded by
strongly advocating the purchase of this
dredger, an opinion which was backed by
veyor.
J. w. Ferrie, an old dredger man, was
inclined to be more conservative in his de-
mands, and believed that if too large a
sum was asked for 1T might tend to efeat
the whole scheme.
1.-The Bates dredger will not do as much
as you hope for" he added. at was con-
structed for removing shoals and sand
bars, but when roots and hard substances
are to be dealt with a hydraulic dredger
will not be very effective"
After further discussion on the subject it
WAS agreed TO appoint an advisory COM
mittee of twenty-five and an executive
committee of five, and the following were
selected:
Advisory-W. A. Gest, chrirman; E. B. Pond
Dr. George A. Moore. Frederick Zeile, Hugh j
Corcoran, General 7. w. 8heehan, Hon.
Dwight Hollister, ]. II. Glide, Hon. Marion de
Vries, Joseph Desrosier, George L. Clark, R. T.
Deylin. Colonel George Hagar. George E.
Williams. A. II. Wilbur, Thomas W. Dean, r.
D. Robbins. John c. White, Jesse Poundstone,
Thomas j. Mumma, w. E. Gerber, f. T. Dwyer
James ONeil, George r. Veale, James Sui
livan.
Executive committee-A. T. ]. Reynolds of
Courtland, chairman; NJ j. Boggs Colusa; L.
d. Green, Courtiand; A. C. Bingham, Marys-
vile; Sol Bunyon, Courtland.
Mr.. Stevenson was made member of
each committee.
lutions submitted memorial addressed
to Governor Budd, which in brief stated
that the pc etitioners were deeply interested
in the improvements of the navigable
waters of the State. The Capital City, by
reason OF agricultural interests, should be
the common center of commerce, and the
second, if not the first, city in point OF
commercial interest in the State; but
owing to the present condition of naviga-
ton no vessels exceeding three feet
draught could reach Sacramento.
By improving the Sacramento river,
they declared it could be made a COM
mercial highway, and Sacramento city
seaport, and there could be docked at the
city front sea-going vessels of twentv-feet
draught and over. After setting forth the
reasons for this condition of the river,
such as breaks IN the leves, etc., the mem
orial says:
While 1t is the duty of the Federal Govern
ment to take charge OF, preserve and improve
the navigable waters of California, 1t is the
duty also OF the State OF California to protect
itself. 1t will require no argument to show
the vast benefit that will accrue to the State of
California in the way OF increased commerce,
and in adding to the taxable wealth of the
Slate, by inaugurating a system of improve
ment that will enable the navigable rivers OF
California to take care of the waters that
reach them, and to become permanent high
ways of commerce.
Fortunately for the State, plan of river i'm
provement has been recommended by the
honorable Commissioner of Public Works
which in many respects, If not in all, affords
solution of this vexed question. All the fn-
terests of the State of California can unite in
obtaining legislation that will reetify the
rivers and improve them as channels of COM
merce The most pressing necessity at the
present time is the improvement of the
Sacramento River between Fremont and the
mouth of the Sacramento River, one-half mile
below Collinsville, which can be done in ac-
cordance with the views expressed by tine
Commissioner of Public Works, by means of
dredger, in removing the shoals at Newton
and the construction of restraining wall
from the foot OF Grand Island to Wood Island,
about distance oftwo and half miles, which
work. in accordance with the report of the
Hon. Edward Z. Leake, Commissioners of Pub
lie Works of this State. can be accomplished
For the reasons stated we urgently request
you to make an appropriation of a sufficient
sum of money to be ex pended by the Commits
sioner of Public Works or other competent
authority for this purpose. And we also
earnestly request you TO take such measures
as may be necessary to secure the cooperation
of the Federal Government with the State in
this improvement
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Frmtt Shipments to the East
SAN JOSE, CAL, Dec. 29.-The total