The San Francisco call., 1897-09-04
SandbarS in the River
Seriously Impede
Navigation.
Steamer ModoC Delayed Ten
Hours on Her Trip to
This City.
Freight Transferred to Barges and
Reloaded In Midstrea m-Work
for the Government.

SACRAMENTO, CAL, Sept. 3--The
river steamer Modoc, which left here
Thursday noon with a heavy cargo Of
freight and many passengers, stuck in the
big sandbar mile south of the city. and
was not able to free herself until dark.
She was cleared finally only by transfer
ring a large portion OF her cargo to the
steamer D. A. knight, which was called
to her assistance early in the afternoon.
This is the second serious delay encoun-
tered by the Southern Pacific boats within
the past two weeks. The Apache was
stuck for ten hours the other day on the
same bar.
While the Modoc was working herself
loose the small gasoline launch Corvalllo,
which plies between this city and San
Francisco, was held for more than an
hour, while her engineer and pilot and a
crew of passengers did every thing in their
power to get her free. At the point where
the Corvallis went aground the water was
so shallow that the engineer was wet only
to his waist while moving about in the
river in his endeayor 10 loosen the craft.
Fortunately there was not great
amount of very perishable material on The
Modoc, otherwise the losses of The occa-
sion might be considerable. Owing to the
fact that the Modoc was south bound. the
news of the grounding was slow in reach
ing this City. In view of the similar acci-
dent 20 the Apache only few days since,
this gives strength to the general opinion
that begins to prevail that the limit OF
summer traffic for boats drawing over
three feet OF ater has been reached, and
that hereafter only the lighter boats will
be able 10 get through from river points
to this City, unless remedial action. Is
taken at once.
The Sacramento has been choking up
more and more at tie bar below the city
for a number of years. and the experiences
of the Modoc and of the Apache have been
expected by the company at this season
every year for the past five years The
channel of deep water is very narrow and
virtually i'm possible TO pass through with
long steamers. In mlostream the wafer
is as shallow as three feet, and averages
less than four feet for almost the entire
width. Their big barge-towing boats
draw less than three feet OF water, and
therefore make the trip to this city sue
cessfully, but the passenger steamers draw
from four TO five feet-the Modoc drawing
four to four and half and the Apache
drawing FIVE feet. The little gasoline
launch which got stuck at the same time
with the Modoc draws nearly four feet.
Acting Superintendent White OF the
river system was on the Modoc at the
time of the grounding. He had Just left a
brief con ference with the engineers OF the
Government party, who are visiting this
section to examine the needs of river
navigation. He considers that the ex-
perience of the boat will illustrate the
needs of improvement in the river course
better than any abstract or statistical
argument that he could present.
Many OF the residents along the river
who do business with the companv's s
steamers feel that the company could
rectiiy the situation by the expenditure OF
a few hundred dollars in dredging, and
accuse the company of taking advantage
of the choking up of the river TO discour-
age com petition.
Manager ]. A. Fillmore, when consulted
with reference to the delay of the Modoc,
stated that the boats had had considera-
long time past, but he was powerless 10
help the matter. The improving of the
river for navigation, he claimed, was be-
yond tae jurisdiction of the company, but
he hoped that the conference now being
held between Superintendent White and
the Government representatives would
result in some early benefits.
mum Der of local commission mer-
chants were more or less discounted by
the DELAY of the Modoc, which arrived in
port ten to twelve hours behind time.
Much fresh fruit and fish is brought down
by these river steamers. and the delays
are consequently disastrous.