The record-union., 1897-01-21
Weather Forecast.
Northern California - Fair Thursday !;
northerly winds.
THE RTVER-DREDGING PROPOSE
TION.

There is no more important better
ment proposition before the Legislature
at this time than that embodied in the
Assembly bill 304, providing for the
State taking up the work of reclama-
ton Of the channels Of our navigable
rivers. 1t is not intended to treat of
the bill in detail at this time It's main
feature most concerns the public, name
ly, the appropriation of a sum Of mon
ey sufficient to try the experiment Of
river reclamation by application of
newly invented dredging machinery
that has received the approval and has
been adopted by Federal engineers on
rivers of the East.
If, as asserted, and as the Record
Union" some weeks ago said, one half
the claims made for the new appliance
are well grounded, then the problem
Of clearing our river channels choked
by detritus is solved, and the cost will
really cut but a small figure in the
matter, because of the benefits to flow
to all the people of the commonwealth
from the promotion Of the work.
The drainage of the great valley of
the Sacramento and the San Joaquin,
the free and unimpeded navigation of
those two streams, are matters of such
immense Importance to the State that
really the subject rides above every
other one now before the Legislature
relative to public Improvements and
betterments OF course, the Federal
work as will bring these navigable
streams to their highest use, and so
preserve them 1t has taken some steps
In that direction, but whatever it does
or neglects to do should not retard the
State in doing for itself a work that
the Federal Government will not now
undertake, a thing that we believe will
be one OF the best possible and highest
paying investments the State can
make.
Whatever Will bring under speedier
settlement the lands Of the two great
valleys a9d invite to us a large de-
sirable population; clear out the rivers
and restore them to their condition of
passage of large boats; whatever will
conserve the drainage Of the river sec
tions, correct the channels of the
courses Of the rivers and open their
deltas and thus prevent overflow by
affording the waters free way to nat
ura1 discharge, viii add to the wealth
of the State vastly, swell the as
sessable values of the general tax rolls,
and thus reduce taxation by augment
ing State revenues; whatever will rem
der the great valleys and the river sec
tions greatly more desirable for homes
and business-these things should have
our support and countenance. The
influence of such work upon CONNER
ciaI interests will be great for good,
upon trade equally beneficial, and upon
productive industry no less helpful and
stimulating.
The details of the bill for the achieve
ment of what the engineers believe TO
be possible may not be all that are de-
girable: we have not ana1yZed them as
vet with the care 1T is intended to give
to them. It Is of the main feature,
the backbone of the scheme we are
treating, namely, the experiment OF
dredging out the rivers by devices
which, 1t is affirmed, will accomplish
In days that which heretofore it has
been estimated would consume months
and years OF labor and inVoiVe an ex-
pense absolutely prohibitory II this
great achievement can be worked out,
the entire State Of California, every
citizen in it and every interest having
ooncarn in its welfare will be benef-
ciaries in large degree.