The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-03-08
The Particulars OF the Great Flood at
Sacramento CRY.

From the Alta California, Jan ril
IL is with me utmost pain that we are compelled
TO announce the distressing Intelligence that the
city OF Sacramento is completely overlooked, aud
that N the streets Of the city, where the active
business operations were conducted but brief
tlD.e since. the splashng waters nov sweeping
WIN resistiess fury. The distress end devastatIon
which this Unowsrd event will cause, is truly de-
plorabie TO conts mplste. We had hoped that the
wartrs, which were not materially rising when our
last accounts were dated, would abafe, but their
ccurse was Z" "onwsId, onward" Inch by iach
they Insdcusly rose, until the streetssran rivers
and The whole banks of the river were covered
with the rushInR flood. Those who were camping
IN tents gathered up what they could lay their
n-pos upon, and fled to higher ground. Alarm and
panic spttad upon every side, and no met aus to
cheek the dire aud dread calamity could be devised
On swept the ude-mef fchsndIse Of all description
WIS borne away in the mighty rush, and still II
poured on. The terror Of an a unavertable flood was
apparent to the minds Of oil, and every exrrton
Vas made 20 reach Place Of safety with what ne
cessarlrs of lite were obianable. The excitement
aud confusion ~ represented TO US as almost inde
scIihablr and heartrending IN the extreme.
We are without adylces direct from our cores
pendent. but have converted with pa sseaRer who
came down On the senator last evening, TO whom
We are md, bted for the PARTICULARS OF this cszrnl-
toUs and unexpected event When the Senator
lett. the enure cry was under weter, boats were
navigating the streets, and carrying passengers
from the second stories OF houses. The oay
means ~ getiing about was by boats, and every
imseInsble cnsft was engaged in naviG 4ting the
streets. The ridge ef high land about two niiles
IN the rear Of the city was literally studded with
tnts, and human beings were mingled with at
fiighied animals, who had also taken refuge upon
tore NINA.
SuIerv,lle Yves overflowed, but the fort was still
cIy. Numbers ~ small tenements had been washed
away, and the front Of q large BRICK building.
the new steamboat landing. had fallen IN. Dewy's
Hotel and TIE City Hotel were peoped like bee
HIVES, and passengers wer- taken from the second
stouss IN boat. Many of the inhabitants had taken
- H.. N
l,vmg in the upper stories u buildings but these
hshtatops we're insecure. The fees demanded by
thosr having boats wrre very exofbtan illustrating
the pTov.fb that "What u one mans meat is an
other man = polson.' But the extent OF the calam-
~ does not end here, according to our informast,
fof the rapches back Of the river are also under
water The cattle, horses and mules were lining
the rivers banks, deep in water. browsing upon
the sisre herbsRe yet visible above, presenting a
meet wsiul picture Of misery. We dread to bear
oi the less Of many lIves, and much distress and
svferng.
Already, we are informed, lives have been lost,
two men having been drowned IN the streets of
Sacramento by falling from boats We also un-
dsrstsnd that Vernon and most Of the little towns
afove are 4, oded. We shEcder AZ the contempla.
ton of the utter dIssster which must be caused by
th uniimey catastrophe There is no knowing
when the food will stop, and what further ravsges
may succ. eu those which the relentless ru sh OF
wsiers has already occasioned. Hundreds OF per-
sons who were prospe rous, comfortable and happy,
HfN NtbfiFtu W ht0ttf Wth uho 'uftot
fevfh ~ = moments warning from their homes
We learn that the Placer Tunes newspaper was
not uublshed, and that the building was partially
under water We have penned thIs account hastily,
end fcm the beet Information we could gather IN
the sbsence of our correspondence, but II is con-
hrnrd by several sources We uust by our next
issu. to Place a mere minute account Of the Hood
befcfe our readers
rFrom the Alta Caiifornis, Extra, Jan. IL
Tb. oenloreble catastrophe which has brtallen
the thriving and Pcpulous city of Sacramento,
now completely submerged BY the waters ei the
river 81 that name, but excite our llveest
slnpsihiss, and we hasten to place the fullest
particulars before the public. in the shspe Of an
tx'rs We have been Kindly furnished BY a
irFnd wiih = most graphic account OF tne Hood,
cuhiau ina ihe most interesting particulars. We
ar coniltil,d ~ take many hbeities with the
,sfly puItcn ~ hts Description, in order 10 place
he more important parts before the public at the
,silest possinle moment.
SsokAwsrro Ofrr, Jan. 10. 1850
! THIS vii be a day never ~ be iorgottea by the