The San Francisco call., 1898-02-12

mora or less all the time and the river mas been having it's revenge, as it were, try.
 The question of river improvement has passed to one of river restoration, and that will soon pass to one of general de- vastation unless good shall soon come out or efforts now pending. l. wish to say Tn few words that my position from the Hrst haS been that it was the duty Of all cltlzens to insist that, as the general Government reserved the river as its own ward, 1t should be required to care for It, as 1t was doing with other rivers else- where in the United States, and that all complicated side issues were included ana covered by the proposition that the Government should care for the river.
 However as this State has appropriated s3oO,oOO for river work and the Govern ment officers have recommended that 1t pose. the outlook for substantial relief for the river was never so hopeful as 1t is now.
 Last December this chamber adopted resolutions commenting Congressman de Vries of this district and other members or Congress for their vigilance in the matter of Sacramento River improve ment.
 Government engineers to outline the work to be done and for cooperation with the State.
 The Hon. Ed. E. Leake, commissioner or public works, has associated with his department as consulting aid Major Heuer, Government engineer of recog- nized ability. The auditing board seems to be making good progress in the way of removing many obstacles By request the Attorney General of this State has de- cided to the effect that it will be legal to try to regulate the river overflow of water and conduct it somewhere rather than let it go tearing everywhere. Mr. Muir has offered free of charge to let the State avail itself of his dredger rights, etc.
 It was also In December that this chamber appointed a special committee on river matters and in the progress of its action it developed that one of the ob- strucuons to be remedied, or, rather one Of the most important aids to be invoked was tha textensive repairs had to be made to the levees on the west banks of the before the authorities would place overflow weirs on the river. Those people who have become almost bank rupt by repeated levee repair expendi- lures, have been prevailed on by Secre- tary J. o. Coleman, seconded by the spe- cial committee on river matters, to sign an agreement to again put their levees in good condition on the promise that the authorities will commence work on the river. This agreement has been generally signed, and if the proposed river works follow 1t will be in evidence that your special committee on river matters has
 
 this great river undertaking. That com mittee proposes that from now on it will follow up and help out all it possibly can.
 The large amount of money which is put out monthly in this city for wages and supplies by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, the Sacramento Elec- tric Light and Railway Company, the river transportation lines, the breweries, wineries and like enterprises, has kept this city In solid financial condition dur ing the year and also on the steady march If h xvl~ll In the city do not notice the growth much from day to day, to any one who has been absent from the city a year or two | and then. returns the city's progress is very apparent.
 There were shipped from Sacramento and adjacent points in 1897, from May to | November inclusive. 41,56o tons of decid- June 30, 1897, the following: Dried fruits i593 tons, hops 1858 tons, canned goods, i5o5 tons, vegetables, 193S tons. identify themselves with this chamber, | and thereby aid in doing public work that must be done and which no com should shift to the shoulders of | the few to do. I urge the citizens to join | and aid this association and in return 1t will help them. I bespeak for the Sac- Chamber of Commerce a new growth and an enlarged usefulness in the | near future.
 Following this address came the in- l
  In accepting the position Mr. | spoke of his desire to meet | with a hearty cooperation from all | and hoped that he would receive 1t from the body of the Association.
 MT. Shaw, at this stage of proceed ings, then arose and said that as MT. | Steffens was about to retire from the | some word commenting his | course should be spoken. Continuing, | MT. Shaw paid the retiring president | many compliments, and in conclusion | said that what success had marked the | career of the chamber was certainly | due to the sagacity, loyalty and hard | work of MT. Steffens. He, therefore, | a vote of thanks, which was rendered unanimously.
 Robert T. Delvin, the recently elect | ed delegate to wait upon Congress to | urge river improvement matters, then | addressed the chamber upon that phase | of the presidents address dealing with | the subject.
 Following the business meeting of | the chamber, came the social feature of | the evening. It passed in the shape of | 8 smoker, during which several spe- cialties from the Orpheum were ren- dered upon a stage temporarily con- structed in the reception room of the |