The San Francisco call., 1904-07-04
of State
Are Fixed by
Decisions.

nation by districts, and substitutes for
it a single reclamation system, embrace
ing all of the lands, reclaimed and un-
reclaimed. in one general system.
Considerations of brevity forbid any
further examination of the propositions
which have been mooted in this paper
The present purpose will have been ac-
complished by calling attention to the
fact that with the revival of the old
abandoned theory of a general reclaim
alton system or none theories long
since relegated to disuse by scientific
inquiry are revived. For instance, the
idea of the multiplicity Of channels as
a relief for maximum flood conditions
is brought forward with all the com
placency that would be manifested if
the utter inutility of that method was
not far within the range of ascertained
knowledge.
ENGINEERS TESTIMONY.
James B. Eads, the distinguished hy-
draulic engineer, who was brought to
this State by the commissioners ap-
pointed under the act of April 23 $780,
in an able and exhaustive report de-
clared that the multiplication of chan
nels reduced the drainage capacity of
a stream. He showed that the division
Of the channel of a stream augmented
the friction which resists a current,
whereas confining the stream to
single adequate channel induced the
formation of a hydraulic prism, which
is the form insuring the maximum of
flow with the minimum of friction
The revival of past theories is ac-
companied by proposition to con-
struct what was known as the Monte
yuma canal. This means a canal from
Greys Bend, above the mouth of Feath-
er River on the Sacramento, through
the Yolo-Solano TuIe Basin and
through canal cut through the Mon
tezuma Hills into Suisun Bay. This
proposition underwent the most rigid
engineering inquiry at the expense of
the State and at the hands of Engineer
Smith, whose experience as a hydraulic
engineer was acquired in the service
of the British Government in India
when the national irrigation systems
of that country were constructed. His
report condemned the scheme as
wholly impracticable. While the rea-
sons for this conclusion were retained
in the popular mind, the Montezuma
canal was deemed an impossibility It's
specter rises as the invaluable litera-
ture relating to it is forgotten.
The propositions now brought for
ward are prompted by the most pub
lic-spirited and patriotic motives
From the standard of motive, they are
worthy of the highest commendation.
They are not amenable to the charge
of having been mooted by individuals
or any class of individuals, or promot-
ed by any special class of property
owners, but they violate the maxim
that the present must be continuation
of the settled principles and ascer-
tanned knowledge of the past if ii is to
have profitable continuity with the flu
ture. In the evolution of the policy of
reclamation there is in existence a
copious literature. In 1874, acting un-
der the instruction of the government
and in pursuance Of joint resolution of
Congress, the government engineers
made photographic survey of the
State of California. This survey was
conducted by Colonel Alexander. under
whose immediate direction the data
was compiled and the invaluable maps
drawn. The report treated the whole
subject of irrigation, reclamation and
drainage Its salient recommendation
was the construction of a canal skirt
ing the foothills between the noun
tains and the level land of the interior
basin and the TRANSMISSION and equali-
zation of the flow of all the affluents
of the San Joaquin and Sacramento
valleys.
The report of Engineer Smith with
accompanying maps on the MonteZu-
ma Hills canal: the report of James
Is. EadS, special consulting engineer,
on the drainage of the Sacramento val
ley; the various reports Of State
Engineer William Hammond Hall and
his assistant c. E. Grunsky-these
with the reports of the State swamp
land commissions at various times,
have cost the State in the aggregate
nearly $500 900. 1t is a sad commentary
on the method in which these costly
instrumentalities of popular education
have been preserved that their irref-