STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 291 



vast bulk of overland travel skirts by her doors. Through her extensive 

 system of railroad and river communication, this city taps all of Northern 

 and Central California. The city, then, is thoroughly known all over this 

 section of the State, and knowledge makes the market. 



Salubrity. — Statistics prove that Sacramento is the second healthiest city 

 in the United States — Auburn, New York, being given the first place. 

 When men desire to locate anywhere, either for business or for pleasure, 

 the above of itself is a sterling recommendation. 



Motive Power. — It would be possible to enumerate a dozen other advan- 

 tages possessed by this city as a site for manufactories, but space forbids. 

 The one great and overshadowing merit she has in this matter is the won- 

 derful water power right at«her very gates, which can be had and utilized for 

 a song. The limpid Sacramento comes caressingly down past the very 

 breast, while the impetuous American dashes over her shoulders. There is 

 latent power enough in the latter river to run all the manufactories of 

 Massachusetts. Figures have proven that there is frequently a fall of 

 twenty feet in that river at Folsom in twenty-four hours. What a tremen- 

 dous power that is, if properly applied! Why, it could make the banks of 

 the American and Sacramento Rivers echo to the sound of hammer and 

 forge, of tongs and anvils, while the music of the bellows whistled to the 

 rushing stream. There are really no such advantages for manufactories 

 presented on the Pacific Slope as are offered in Sacramento. 



THE SANITARY ASPECT OF SACRAMENTO. 



By James H. Parkinson, City Physician. 



Sacramento, the capital of the State, is situated at the junction of the 

 Sacramento and American Rivers, in latitude 38° 35', longitude 121° 30'; 

 height above sea level, 30 feet. The site is comparatively level, there being 

 a slight fall of four inches to the block from north to south. The natural 

 level has been raised by the official grade two to three feet in all parts of 

 the city, while I, J, and K Streets have been raised ten to twelve feet for 

 thirteen blocks, and L Street for a portion of that distance. The soil is 

 alluvial deposit, the site having been periodically overflowed at high water 

 for ages. The city is now amply protected by levees, so excellently con- 

 structed that but little seepage occurs during the highest water. The por- 

 ous condition of the soil facilitates the rapid removal of surface water, 

 except during the brief period when the river level is above that of the city. 

 The alternate rise and fall of the river produces a flushing or suction action, 

 whereby the subsoil is alternately filled with water and drained, thus largely 

 purifying it. The level of the ground water varies with the character of the 

 season and the time of year, being roughly from one to six feet, according to 

 locality. The more densely populated parts of the city are well sewered, 

 the matter passing by gravity flow through a canal outside the city limits 

 into a chain of lakes some miles to the southward. During the season 

 when the water level no longer admits of a flow by gravity, the sewage is 

 discharged into a reservoir, and thence pumped into the river. The water 

 supply of the city is derived from the Sacramento, and is pumped directly 

 into the supply pipes without previous treatment. This water is of uni- 

 formly excellent quality; its appearance at certain seasons is characteristic 

 of streams flowing through alluvial soil between soft banks, periodically 

 submerged. By proper filtration, it can be perfectly cleared, and then 



