OCR Text |
Show 493 of water at a number of points. " I found that there was a very considerable deposit of sand of a character that would settle through still water at the rate of one foot per minute, or greater. " Comparing that with my experience on the lower Mississippi river, the charge of sand was extremely heavy. " I might say that sand of that size is approximately one- four- hundredth of an inch in diameter, or greater. " In addition to the sand which settled at this rate of a foot or more, and which in my experience is ordinarilly quite troublesome, there was apparently about one equal quantity of sand that settled at the rate of about one- fourth that speed. " Now, this solid settling sand could be quite readily carried in suspension, and would not make as much trouble as the coarser sand first mentioned. " As to the quantity of this sand, the only indications I have are official records of the lower Colorado river in the vicinity of Yuma, if those are desired. " R. 1244 The gradient of the river, " as shown by the maps, is over one foot per mile, with steeper sections that considerably exceed one foot per mile. " Q. Now, colonel, basing your answer on the matters which you have detailed, do you know of any other river in the United States of the character of the Colorado as you saw it there which is commercially navigated? " R. 1244- 1245. THE SPECIAL MASTER: I think the witness is qualified |