The record-union., 1897-12-17

much like to have your response by De-
cember 1st, that the matter may be laid
before Congress as soon after it assem-
, bles as possible. We suggest also the
advisability of acquainting your Sena-
tors and the Representative from yo'lr
/ district about the time Congress meets
| or your desire to see prompt action taken
] in this matter.
/ The committee is pleased to state that
at the rate at which Endorsements are
coming in, it will be able to submit the
support of nearly all the business asso-
Citations of the country to Congress.
Yours very truly,
| (Signed) Moses p. Handy, Chairman,
c. F. Quincy, Frank Barry, Elliott Du-
rand. Leonard Tillotson, Secretary.
| Inclosed with the communication was
the following letter from the Secretary,
Mr.. Tillotson:
| Dear Sir. In addition to favorng our
committee with the formal Endorsement
| of the proposed new Department OF
( Commerce and Industries, the joint conl-
( mittee would be pleased if your organl-
| zation will appoint delegate to act as
! a member of the Joint committee, and
| who will cooperate with the committee
| in such way as may be necessA y TO as
sure success to the movement. Yours
respectfully,
LEONARD TILLOTSON,
Secretary Joint Committee
The communication was referred to
the Committee on Commerce with in
| structions to report at the next meet
ing.
Director Schaw called attention to
recent Washington dispatch to the ef-
feet that Congressman De Nries is
making strenuous efforts to get re-
port from the Government engineers
| on the matter of the construction of
/ impounding dams for mining debris,
and submitted that said efforts were
worthy of encouragement from every
| Chamber of Commerce and Board of
Trade in the State. In conclusion, MI
| Schaw offered the following resolution
which was adopted by a unanimous
vote:
From Washington dispatches of the
18th inst. we notice with pleasure and
interest, the good work being done by
our Representative in Congress, Hon.
Marion De Vries, towards drawing at
| tention Of the War Department to the
necessity of having the proper engln-
GERS report to the House of Represen-
tatives a plan for the Improvement OF
! the Sacramento River and system or
! impounding dams on the tributary
! streams, and we hereby indorse these
| well-directed efforts of our Congress
man to bring before the proper author
| tiles the Importance of immediate
steps being taken to get these improve
ments inaugurated, and We desire our
| Secretary TO convey to Mr.. De Nrles
and other members of Congress from
California, our thanks for what they
| have done. and pledge of our sup
port for their future efforts in the same
direction"
Secretary Coleman called attention TO
the offer of the Auditing Board to the
Commissioner of Public Works to con-
struct easements at the Butcher break
near the E,llzhorn ranch, thus regulat-
ing the flow of water into the Yolo
Basin. as soon as the farmers along the
river shall have raised their levees to
a point indicated by the engineers of
the Public Works Department.
Mr. Coleman, speaking for the Aud
iting Board to the Commissioner of
Public Works, explained the matter as
follows:
the Sacramento River flow through the
Butcher break. on the west side, above
Elkhorn Landing, when the official
guage at Sacramento measures nine
feet thus endangering the navigation
of the river. inflicting untold damage
TO the lands overfiowed, and being
constant menace to the levees on the
west side Of Merritt, Suffer and Ryer
Islands, it is very important that the
necessary steps be taken to correct this
condition.
''The Auditing Board to the Commits
sioner of Public Works is ready and
anxious to lend any aid in it's power
under the law creating it, towards cor
recting these conditions.
1.-The board has no legal power to
build levees, but just as soon as the
necessary steps are taken to build the
levees the board is ready to proceed
with constructing easements"
1t was the sense of the meeting that
lack of organized effort among the land
owners was responsible for the failure
to have their levees raised to the point
indicated by the engineers, and it was
decided to appoint a committee to con-
fer with the Woodland Board of Trade
with view to calling a meeting of the
farmers and landowners interested for
the purpose Of inducing them to organ
N Mlss