The record-union., 1897-05-20

out a channel through the shoals, which
would then deepen itself all the way
down. The narrow channel spoken Of
as above the shoals, and through
which all the water in the river must
pass. would cut itself wider, from levee
to levee, which is 900 feet, and would
then prove ample, with its present
depth, to carry all the water at flood.
THE RETURN
Messrs. Cochrane and Patterson left
the boat at Rio Vista and returned
home by way of Benicia. After short
stay at P;o Vista, where they were well
coined by number of the citizens, the
boat rounded the lower end of Wood
Island and inspected the channel on
the Sacramento side.
After leaving Wood Island, on the
way home, the boat deviated from the
course taken on the way down. Passing
up on the left side of Grand Island, it
entered Steamboat Slough. Leaving
Cache Slough and Ryer Island on the
left, it passed between the latter and
Grand Island on it's way up Steamboat
Slough. This slough was formerly
used by the big boats, making a saving
of six miles and being about as wide
and nearly as deep as Old River. Of
late years it has shoaled, however, the
immense quantity of water coming
from Cache Slough nearly at right an
giles into it near it's mouth and retard-
ing the current SO that the sand and
silt is deposited in the slough, above
the Hogs Back, which is short dis
tance above its mouth. If the New
town shoals are dredged out, as En-
gineer Price advises, the sediment in
this slough, the current below being
thus quickened, will move down into
the deep water below and be carried
on toward the bay. Then the Hogs
Back will be blasted out, still further
increasing the current and helping to
scour out the slough. There are quite
number of pretty little islands in the
slough, which add much to the beauty
of the scene.
The head of the slough is narrow and
the water that comes down the river
shoots by it, taking an abrupt turn into
Old River. Years ago State Engineer
Ham Hall recommended that the head
of the slough be widened, so as to al
low the water of the Sacramento River
to flow into it, when they would have
more nearly straight shoot down to
Rio Vista, but his recommendation
was never acted upon. Engineer Price,
after careful investigation, favors the
same plan and it is probable that the
Commissioner will have it done when
he gets to work on the problem
1t was a very noticeable fact in pass
ing the mouth of Cache Slough, that the
ircr Of .l,<
clear. and the mingling of it's current
with that of Steamboat Slough was
clearly defined by the muddy color of
the latter showing clearly which
stream is carrying down the debris
that is filling up the river and being an
object lesson that cannot be mistaken
On up the slough went the boat, till
it came to Sutter Slough, which en-
ters Steamboat Slough at the lower end
of Sutter Island, just where the steam
er Washoe was wrecked. with the loss
of so many lives. The fertile fully re-
claimed lands of Grand Island stretch
out on the right. while the equally fine
land of Sutter Island lies on the left.
the new levee just finished overlapping
that Of Grand Island, which is one Of
the highest on the river The slough
becomes narrower as the boat pro-
crosses toward the head and more and
inner houses appear on both banks No
richer land is to be found in any Cline
not even in the far-famed delta of the
Nile than is on these river islands, and
when the day comes that they are fully
reclaimed and the river so treated that
they are beyond danger from floods
they will support a very large popula-
tion and add greatly to the taxable
wealth of the State
The Auditing Board gained
very clear idea of the situation from
what they saw and from Mr. Prices
maps and were very favorably i'm
pressed with his ideas and will meet to
consider them in the near future. The
committee viii go to Stockton next
week and take a boat and examine the
San Joaquin River
The party were unanimous in their
praise Of Captain Condreys culinary
department and agreed that the two
meals OF which they partook on the
trip could not well have been surpassed
and they did ample justice to them
They reached this city on their return
at haf-past seven, more than two
hours earlier than they had dared TO
hope for. after so long a trip