The record-union., 1899-01-03

could be done by Federal permission.
The result is set forth in the report OF
which We are treating.
The Federal engineers favoring slim
ulation of natural securing of the
channels and the construction of an
easement to permit the escape of alb
| normally high waters on the Sacra-
mento, and the making of certain cuts
| upon the San Joaquin, the consent OF
| the War Department was secured with
difficulty to make the United States en-
gineer in charge of the rivers consulting
engineer with the State officials. Thus
for the first time the State and the
Federal Government came harmonious
| ly together concerning river work.
| The plans for an easement well up
on the Sacramento River, for cuts and
deepening upon the San Joaquin and
for jetties at the mouth of the Sac
ramento to narrow the stream and COM
pei it to cut away distractions partially
closing it's delta and for many years
past limiting navigation to seven or
eight feet draught, We're submitted to
That work has been completed, with
the result that already the navigation
of the San Joaquin has been immensely
| improved and its commerce stimulat-
| cd Of J,a
Sacramento are rapidly cutting away
and being carried into reaches where
the matter can be more economically
handled by dredging as originally in
tended. AT the same time the ease
ment is in place against abnormal high
waters to prevent levee destruction and
incalculable injury to property paying
taxes to the State.
The United States engineer in charge
pronounces these works to be ideal
in their excellence; the best of their
order in the nation; to be unequalled
in massiveness, completeness and
promise of effectiveness, and that they
have been constructed at astonishingly
low cost.
But this is merely the beginning. 1t
is unsettled whether jetty treatment is
advisable for more up stream reaches
to clear the channel, or to what extent
the obstructing deposits can be moved
on to points where dredging will be
economic and desirable.
| 1t is not, we understand, contended
by the United States engineers that all
shoals can be removed by wing dam
work, or all channels permanently deep
ened by such devices; nor is it held by
them that dredging is not, in given
cases, more desirable than other treat
ment. But they appear to look upon
| it as a secondary resort, and prefer
movement Of obstructing deposits by
action Of the current to reaches where
hydraulic dredging may be economic
ally conducted by avoiding elevation Of
the discharge pipe. The Record I'm
ion" again asserts it's conviction that
dredging is one of the first essentials
and will prove a necessity, as was
originally contemplated; but it does not
! because of this conviction lose sight of
the completeness, effectiveness and
great benefit of the work thus far done,
nor of the correctness of the position
taken by the engineers concerning jetty
devices.
| 1t is known that the debouchment Of
basin emptying streams at right angles
to the rivers, near their mouths, must
be changed to prevent the formation
of water dams; that bends in the rivers
doubling the streams many miles back
upon themselves, must be cut through
to augment current carrying capacity
and action. W
The question is-aside from all those
issues as to causes and prevention OF
deposits-whether the State will con-
tinue this good work, enlarge the COM
merce of its rivers, invite population to
the lands they drain, vastly increase
assessable values, render reclamation
of low lands by private investment
profitable by controlling the floods of
the water ways, and thus conserve ev-
cry business and development interest
in the State, from San Diego to Shasta.
| Not that We are to cease our appeals
to the Federal Government to do its full
duty to the free river highway, the
heritage of all the people. On the con-
trary, We should be insistent and con-
slant in this direction to secure from
the Government some small measure of
| acknowledgment in the form Of inter-
nal improvements of the vast amount
of treasure California has poured into
the national vaults. But in the mean
time shall we not, in view of such we'll
| doing as has been outlined, help our
selves and by cooperation with the
Federal Government secure the desired
ends?
Eancies in Silver.
| Nav toilet catr in Si1xya,. ora