The record-union., 1896-01-13
IMPROVEMENT OF THE SACRAMENTO.
Congressman Johnson's Bill for a
Permanent Commission.
Headquarters to be in sacramento
An Appropriation of S5oO,ooO
Asked For.

1t will not be the fault of Congress
man Grove L. Johnson of this district
II the Sacramento River does not re-
ceive from the Government the atten-
ton it deserves. In his campaign he
promised to do all in his power to have
the river restored to its natural condi-
ton, or as nearly so as engineering
skill can accomplish, and judging from
recent dispatches from Washington he
is keeping his promise. A Saturday
night dispatch from there says:
Representative Johnson has intro
duced a bill to create a Sacramento
River Commission. A measure of this
sort has often been suggested by the
valley people, but this is the first move
made in Congress for the creation Of
the commission. Johnson's bin pro-
vides that the board shall consist of
three members to be appointed from
the Corps of Engineers of the United
States army by the President by and
with the consent of the Senate, to hold
office for term of four years, and until
their successors are appointed and
qualified. Any vacancies that may oc-
cur shall be filled in like manner.
The commission shall organize within
thirty days after its appointment by
selecting from its members such officers
as may be required in the performance
OF its duties, and it may adopt rules and
regulations not inconsistent with the
law to govern its deliberations and acts
No compensation shall be allowed to
the members of the commission in ad-
ditiOn to what is now allowed to each
respectively as an officer of the Corps of
Engineers. The commission shall have
its offices in Sacramento.
1t shall be the duty of the commission
to prepare and adopt such plans from
examinations and surveys already
made, and from such additional exam
nations and surveys as it may consider
proper or necessary, as viii improve
the navigability of the Sacramento
River and its tributaries and deepen
their channels. The commission shall
cause the channel of the Sacramento to
be cleared and improved by removing
the sand bars between Sacramento City
and Suisun Bay, and to be deepened
over the shallow cobblestone bars be-
tween Mcintosh Landing and Red Bluff,
50 that there shall be in the dead low
water season a depth of thirty-six
inches of water between Mcintosh
Landing and Red Bluff
They shall remove ali snags and other
Instructions from the Sacramento and
its tributaries, an all trees standing on
the banks of these rivers from the head
of navigation to the mouth that may be
liable to fall into the river channel
The commission shall close up the
breaks or crevasses which allow water
to escape to the injury of the navigabil-
ity Of the river. The commission shall
also build any other structure or use
any other means that will improve the
navigability of the Sacramento, and
prevent its injury from debris from
miners from the head of navigation to
the mouth. For these improvements
the commission shall be authorized to
expend not to exceed $500 900, exclusive
of the amount herein and heretofore ap-
propriated.
The commission shall restore the Sac
ramento and its navigable tributaries
to the condition existing in the year
1860. They may consult with the Gov
ernor and Commissioner of Public
Works of the State, and may use in and
about the works constructed by them
any sum of money appropriated by the
State and placed at their disposal
The Commissioners shall submit to the
Chief Engineer of the United States
army on or before the 1st day of Octo-
Der of each year a detailed report of
their work and transactions, together
with an estimate of what can be profit
ably expended for such purposes each
year The Unexpended balance now in
the treasury of appropriations hereto
fore made for the Improvement of the
Sacramento and Feather Rivers is
placed in charge of and authorized to
he Immediately expended by the com
mission, in addition to the $500,000 ap-
propriated by the bill.