The record-union., 1897-01-24
THE RIVER IMPROVEMENT NAT
TER.

The San Francisco Bulletin" con-
cedes that the benefits of the proposed
dredging of the two navigable rivers
Of the State, under the new device re-
ferred to in the recent engineering re-
port, would be simply incalculable. But
from this it proceeds upon mistaken
line of consideration, and concludes
that the proposition should not be car
ried forward unless it can be shown
that the detritus will not be the more
easily carried on into the bays from the
deposits in the river and from escapes
at restraining works
The two things have no relation
whatever The law of gravitation will
have its way. If the river is not
dredged out, the escape of detritus will
not be greater. If it is dredged out the
escape of detritus will not necessarily
be greater. However viewed, therefore.
the question of opening the river del
tas and thereafter clearing out the
courses of the Sacramento and San
Joaquin, restoring the navigable chan
nels to something like their primal con-
ditions, stands alone and independent
OF all other considerations, and has no
relation to any other question, or to
restraint Of river degrading matter
If the Sacramento River is not deep
ened and cleared and it's mouths
opened up, the time is not far distant
when it will strike out across country
and make for itself a new way. with
its new bed far below the level of that
over which it's waters now flow, and the
resulting damage will be incalculable.
Restraint Of detritus then VIII neither
be improved nor decreased by reason of
the proposed work, since matter In the
streams and below restraining works
always viii be moved forward more
rapidly by a swift than a slow flowing
river But the Bulletin" asks where
Will the silt be carried? IT did not
need to pause for a reply. 1t Will go,
under the law Of gravitation, where it
goes ROW.
To open the river deltas, deepen the
channels and deposit the removed mat
ter over the banks, and thereafter to
deepen channels in low stretches of the
river, straighten some bends, and con-
serve natural channel cutting that will
restore navigation to its one time i'm
portance. is practically the proposition,
and If the means proposed will accom-
plish those ends, the resultant benefits
TO agriculture, and trade with incident
al reclamation of millions Of acres Of
now unused land, the conservation Of
home building, the promotion of proper
and natural drainage of catchment
area Of the valleys. the increase Of tax
able values and consequent decrease
of tax Ievying, and the general better
ment of nearly all conditions of civiliza-
ton In the valleys, means beneficence
so great as almost to stagger the imag
inatioR.
The Bulletin" declares that above
the channel to be deepened is range
of mountains and hills sufficient, If
spread over the valley, to bury 1t sew
eral feet deep and fill up San Fran
cisco and Suisun Bays. But, says cur
contemporary, the deepening of the
river channel win be beneficial TO the
valley only if science can plan method
of staying the loosened earth in the
hills from complying with the law Of
gravitation- If this can be done then
the Improvement proposed, and which
will be of vast and general benefit,
should be put through.
Then follows the statement that the
safety of the Sacramento Valley seems
to lie in the nearly level space over
which debris has to be pushed to reach
the bavs.' In that conclusion valley
residents will not be likely to concur.
They have sufficient precedence to name
the rather early date when the river
will refuse to remain upon the nearly
level space referred to. Those closest
"a the question differ SO far from the