The San Francisco call., 1904-12-07

surveys chart of 1900, and these were
quoted
NAVIGATION IN DANGER.
The area of San Francisco Bay is sol
square miles, and that of San Pablo
Bay 122 square miles. There are but
100 square miles that have depth OF
four feet of water, eighty-three square
miles in San Francisco Bay and sew
enteen square miles in San Pablo Bay.
Deeper draft vessels are built yearly The
bay may be injured for purposes Of deep sea
navigation long before ii is filled up. Mare
Island Navy-yard is Of great Importance to
the Government in time OF war and peace. IL
must not be filled up. by the securing Of the
sacramento River. Great stretches OF bay
are already useless. Our river problem differs
from that of the Mississippi in several i'm
portant points Our rainfall Is concentrated
from one to ten times in the same year. The
carrying of sediment varies from one TO 1000
times Our rivers are fed directly by tOrren-
tlal streams. Unless natural and artificial
sediment are kept from the rivers the levees
VIII simply convey this sediment through the
rivers whose beds Will rise and viii continue
70 rise The levees must be cons stantly built
higher and the sediment will finally hlI the
nay OF San Francisco.
What must be done?" was asked:
ana the answer was given as follows:
!. Equalize the flow by building storage
reservoirs in the mountains as the hydraulic
miners did for water for power mining and
irrigation, and so reduce the foods to a
2 Restrain all gravel. grit etc. by causing
torrential streams TO deposit their burden on
tIlable lands of the waste lands and dis
charge the clear water to the rivers
). Levees may at first be needed to render
the stream navigablc at low water but dood-
gates should be provided to flood the IOwIands
and gradually build up the lowlands with
tresh soil We already hear that valley lands
are becoming exhausted. The same experience
belongs to the Nile. where the system
OF irrigation to clear the water has replaced
the oid noSding system in muddy
flying value Of the ''red Nile mud
The first and most vital measure is to re-
move the sediment from the tOrrential streams
before they enter the navigable streams by
depositing them on waste lands If this is
done hydraulic mining may go on without
injury to other interests If this is not done
even II hydraulic mining is stopped forever,
the building of Ievees is worse than useless
for it only insures the conveyance OF sediment
into the bay of San Francisco. If this is done
little else is necessary.
DUTY OF GOVERNMENT.
George J. Specht was quoted to the
effect that the mountain streams of
Europe, where there is no hydraulic
mining, have wrought the same de-
struction as has been causd at Marys-
vile, only worse, for whole villages
have been destroyed by sand and
gravel. The following was said con-
corning the duty of the Federal Gov
ernment in the premises:
A detailed topographic study Of the foothiH
ana valley region Is necessary The Ameri-
can Union owes its existence to the hydraulic
miner The United States courts abolished
this industry and destroyed the earning power
or the hydraulic miner. Millions lie waiting
his maDacled engines. Does not the Govern
ment owe a debt to him? II all sediment.
natural and artificial, be kept out of the
rivers hydraulic mining can be resumed not
only without injury to the farmer but to his
benefit. This is a geological problem. 1t can
be settled only by able and experienced geol-
oglsts,, not on snap Judgment, but after
Congress has already put at the disposition
OF the director Of the United States Geological
Survey large rotating fund to be used in
the study OF just such questions this
Hence, from these premises, Profess
sOr Christy advised the California
Miners Association to memorialize the
President of the United States to aid.
The convened miners followed Profess
sor Christy's reasoning closely and ap-
plauded him Justify when he concluded
his advice. Last evening the commit
tee on resolutions met and probably a
draft of the memorial to which great
Importance is attached will be sub
mitted to the convention this morning
In addition to the proceedings that
led uD to the adoption of the plan of
memorializing President Roosevelt, the
miners listened yesterday to instruc-
tive addresses by L. J. Hohl concern
ing gold dredging and Thomas W. Leg
gett relative to the diamond and gold
mines of South Africa. Yesterday aft
ernoon the miners went about the bay
and visited the Union Iron Works.