The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-17
Legislators Considering a
Bill for a Very Big
Appropriation.
Strong Backing to the Scheme
to Deepen Channels of the
Navlgable Streams.
Three Hundred Thousand Dollars Is
Desired to Carry Out This
G eat Improvement.

SACRAMENTO, CAL, Jan. 16.-The
bill appropriating 100000 to deepen the
| channels of navigab bic streams in Califor-
MIA has a strong backing by landowners
| in the Sacramento and San Joaquin val.
leys. There is every indication of hot
contest over this measure. The PROPOSE
ton is wholly independent, OF the bill
asking $3.50 600 to assist the miners and
protect the mountain tributaries OF the
Sacramento.
To-day the Assembly Committee on
Public Works, Ennis chairman, consid-
cred the bill relating to the main rivers.
Before the bill is reported back to the
Legislature the Senate and Assem bly, COM
mittees may meet in joint session to dis
cuss the question.
The Assem- blymen have listened with
much interest to a description ofthe mud
throwing capacity OF the Bates dredger.
The work performed by dredgers of this
pattern in deepening the Mississippi River
and in dredging Tor the great drainage en-
terprise of Chicago is cited as examples
of the worth OF the machine. The big
dredger can deposit the mud 2O00 yards
distant from the scene of suction. The
material is carried over the water in pom
toon tubes.
The bill proposes that the State shall
own the dredger, and that the boat may
be sent TO the San JOAQUIN, the Sacra-
| men to, Alviso Creek, or Petaluma, as the
Commissioners of Public Works and the
Auditing Board shall direct.
The point is raised that it is the duty OF
the United States Government to remove
all distractions to navigation from navi-
gable streams. Captain Gillette, corps of
engineers, U. S. A, advises the State au-
thoriries that the General Government
assumes only the responsibility of main
tanning low-water navigation and that the
State must take care of the flood waters
and river banks.
The advisory committee OF the Swamp
and Overlooked Land Owners Association
is an influential body and will exert con-
siderable force in favor OF the bill. The
mem bers of the committee are: w. a.
Gett (chairman), Albert Miller. E. B.
Pond, George a. Moore, Fred Zeile,
George E. Williams, T. w. Sheehan, J. II.
Glide, George L. Clark, W. Z. Gerber,
James O'Neil, Dwight HOLSTER, Joseph
Desrosier, Marion de Vri S, Hugh ]. Cor
! COldA IL. IL. hCd' l.. Jun ohy
George Hagar, Jesse Poundstone, Thomas
Mumma, A. H. WIlber, R. T. Devlin, F.
T. Dwyer, w. A. Lovdal, Thomas W.
Dean, R. D. Robbins.
The executive committee consists of A.
T. J. Reynolds, Sol Runyon, NJ. ]. Boggs,
a. c. Bingham and L. D. Greene.
The discussion in committee to-day in
dictates that politics Will be introduced.
1t is proposed that the Governor in ap-
pointing the auditing committee shall APP
point two from the political party which
received the highest vote at the last cleo
ton, two from the party that receiqed the
next highest and one from the party re-
ceiving the third highest.
There will be poiigica patronage about
this mud-slinging craft. At least sixteen
employees will be engaged to man the boat
for active work, and it may be predicted
as sure thing that the force will not be
reduced when the boat is idle.
Late this afternoon, after a PROLONGED
session attended by several advocates of