The herald., 1897-12-22
A DREDGER IS DESIRED
TO MAKE SACRAMENTO RIVER
NAVIGABLE
The State Has Proflted by Mining
Operations and Ought to Repair
the Damage

SACRAMENTO, Cal, Dec. 21.-A large
number of delegates from counties bor-
dering along the navigable waters Of the
Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers met
in convention in the Senate Chamber
of the State Capitol at 2 o'clock this af
ternoon. The questions considered by
the convention were how best to present
to Congress evidence of the commercial
Importance of the Sacramento and San
Joaquin Rivers and to make arrange
ments to impress upon Congress the
necessity for increased appropriation
to improve the navigability Of these
streams.
w. M. Cutter of Yuba offered a reso-
luton that in the opinion of the con-
vention the auditing board to the COM
missioner of public works was highly
censurable for failing to try to carry out
the provisions of the law under which it
was created, for the purchase of a
dredger, and demanding that the gov
ernor take such action as will secure q
speedy performance of the provisions OF
the act. He said the law plainly specified
that the appropriation was made for the
construction Of one or more dredgers,
and that the board had no right to set
up it's opinion as to whether or not 1t was
best to build dredgers, but should carry
out the wishes of the people as expressed
by the legislature. If members did not
wish to fulfill the provision of the law
they should resign. He believed In talk
ing plainly, and that the convention
should say what it thought Of the out
rage on tax payers who had put the
money into the treasury.
H. J. Corcoran, chairman Of the audit
ing board, said he would not vote to
build the dredger, as there was no use Of
using up the appropriation in that. way
and having nothing left to do the work
with. He thought the current of the
river could be utilized largely to scour
out the channel by means of wing dams
and jetties.
Forbes Of Yuba thought the resolution
not strong enough, and that the board
should be removed from office.
The resolution was referred to the
committee on resolutions, which reported
a much milder substitute. and a substi-
tute for the whole was offered by r. T.
Delvin, and adopted. to the effect that
it was the duty of the board to buy or
build dredger of the largest capacity
required by the act, and that 1t be ur-
! gently requested to do so.
| The convention adopted the report OF
the committee on memorial, reciting,
among other things, that the whole
country had profited largely by the gold
dug from the soil of California and
could consistently be called on to appro-
pirate money to repair the damage done
to the valley in taking out the gold.
A resolution by Mr.. Delvin was also
adopted requesting our congressional
delegation to urge upon the secretary Of
war that he Immediately call for the re-
port of the commission appointed under
the last river and harbor bill to devise
| plans for the Improvement Of the Sacra-
mento and San Joaquin rivers, and ex-
plain why they have not expended the
sums already appropriated by congress
for river improvement.
After the convention adjourned the
executive committee held meeting and
elected DR.. c. e. Stone Of Yuba presi-
dent and Will s. Green of Colusa treas
urer, and assessed each county repre-.
sented 5000.
1t was also decided to send three die
gates to Washington to aid In securing
an appropriation. Senator Gleaves Of
Shasta and P. A. Buell. Of San Joaquin
were selectd. The delegates from Sac
ramento was not selected, but will be
either VIM. Johnson or r. T. Devlin.