State Agricultural Society. 347 



these islands but to protect the lives and property of its citizens who 

 may live upon them. 



ADDITIONAL OUTLET. 



Those who have made the reclamation of the swamp lands of this 

 State a study, and who understand the question, have long since come 

 to the conclusion that some additional outlet, through which the waters 

 that accumulate, on the occasions of great and long continued floods, at 

 the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, above Rio 

 Vista, may escape more rapidly into Suisun Bay, is a matter of very 

 great if not absolute necessity. 



A number of plans for the accomplishment of this object have been 

 suggested by engineers and others, some of which are doubtless prac- 

 ticable and feasible. One which seems to have the approval of many 

 largely interested, and in which every owner of swamp land on the 

 Sacramento and San Joaquin is interested, is to tap Linda Slough, which 

 is a southern branch of Cache Slough, by a canal running back of the 

 Montezuma hills directly into a tributary of Suisun Bay. The distance 

 across is but about seven mdes, and the fall from point to point is said to 

 be fourteen feet, or two feet to the mile. The highest point of elevation 

 is some thirty feet, but the distance at this elevation is very narrow — 

 most of the way being but little above the water level. This or some 

 other outlet should be constructed without delay. The interests at stake 

 are too great to be longer sacrificed. 



Such an outlet would materially enhance the value of every acre of 

 land lying within the swamp land districts of the Sacramento and San 

 Joaquin Valleys, and these lands should be assessed to construct it. This 

 subject should be brought before the next Legislature early in the session, 

 so that provision for its accomplishment may be made before the close of 

 the session. 



