Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-05-05
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
SACRAMENTO CRY, }
March 9, 1852. {


write YOU the news This city is at present
under water never saw or heard
of such a flood. We have leyee around the
west side of the city for 9 miles along the banks
ofthe Sacramento and American rivers; on Sat-
urday 9th, the levee on the American river
broke away, and the water came rushing into the
upper end Of the town in torrents. Mr. H. u.
Winsor and myself are keeping hay yard for
the purpose of selling hay and keeping animals.
On Sunday morning the water came rushing
down through our yard and the street in front
and rear and kept increasing until Monday NOR
ming, when we had to get boat to take us Oft
from our bed, the water being feet deep on
our floor, and our bed, or n kind Of shelf that
we had built to sleep on, was only one inch
above the water, so that we had to sit on top of
the bed for hours, waiting for boat to come
to take us off to the public ground, that being
the only dry land in town. The levee on the
Sacramento river, in the lower part of the town,
broke away Monday about 3 o'clock a. m, and
the water came rushing into the business part
of the town, and drove the merchants, goods
and all into the upper stories of the houses
There is only or buildings in the town which
have not water in the first story to the depth OF
from to feet. Boats are running through
the streets (small boats) carrying passengers
from one house to another, for prices varying
from to dollars. A great many animals have
been drowned, of all sorts and descriptions, and
much property destroyed, the amount of which
| can not estimate. A great deal of suffering in
consequence Of people being driven from their
homes, is felt by all Of the inhabitants of this
drowned city. There is only about II acres of
ground in the city which is not covered with wa
ter, and this is the public ground. On this
ground are collected horses, mules and men,
how many cannot tell, but thousands of them
are collected on this spot of ground 1t is re-
ported that there has been several lives lost, but
as no one has been able to give names, think
the report unfounded. The wind, for the great
er part of the time, has been blowing gale, and
that with the water has turned over large
number of buildings. 1t is now Tuesday after
noon, o'clock, the waters are decreasing in the
upper part of the town, so that we have got
back in our house. The water is now about
one foot deep in this part of the town. The back
part of the town is prairie, and very much re-
sembles Chicago. The prairie is covered with
water for hundreds of acres, and boats are seen
sailing around in all directions The water on
the prairie is from to feet deep, and looks
like a great lake, rs far as the eye can reach
The water in the business part of the town has
been at stand since day light, and probably
will rise higher tonight with the tide, Gas the
tide from the great Pacific effects the river here
a great deal) To-days' boat from Marysvie
brings news that they are as unfortunate as our
selves, or nearly so, the waters of the Yuba hav-
ing completely inundated the city The water
in many cases came into the second story win
dows, and it is stated that hundreds of cattle
have been drowned and great many thousand
dollars worth of property destroyed.
AS the mail for the States does not close here
until Saturday noon, will not close this letter
until then so that can write you what more
transpires by that time. Mr.. Combs husband
of Geraldin HinsdilD arrived here with several
others, this morning, all well. They had long
and tedious passage on sail vessel from Pana-
ma. Miners in this country do not make over
800 per month, and that is the average wages
for miners and mechanics. Farmers get about
$75 per month, very few get more than these
prices, as general thing Thursday noon the
llth-The water is about the same depth as it
was on Tuesday; no business is doing. The
capitol Of California is at present at this place.
The waters around the State House are so that
the members of the Legislature could not get
to the State House without boats; consequent
ly the Legislature has adjourned for one week,
in hopes that by that time the waters will sub
side so that they can meet with more ease. Be-
fore they adjourned, they voted themselves one
hundred and fifty dollars apiece in cash instead
of scrip, which they were entitled to, and have
gone in body to San Francisco. The waters
appear to be at stand at present, no rise nor
fall and nothing of interest has transpired since
Tuesday, the time commenced this letter.
Friday noon, March l2th.-As l think of 60
ing to Benecia this afternoon, and shall not be
here tomorrow must close this letter to-day.
The water in the city has fallen about inches
during the last "a hours, but still th0streets are
impassable, and there can be no business done
of any kind until the waters leave, and when
that will be no one can tell In the great flood
of January 1850, the waters remained in the city
over three weeks and there is not much hope
Of its leaving sooner this year. A great many
will lose their all, and the damage is estimated
by the knowing ones at many Millions; that is
to the whole country, as great deal of proper
ty has been destroyed out of Sacramento Now
for the men here from the Rapids-it may be of
interest to some to know of their whereabouts:
Ed. Smith, George Jones, John Trip, Harrison
Hunter, Mr.. Cornell and John Rice are at Hang
town, E. Turner is in Sparta, Amos Rathbone
is at Sonora, and C.. G. Gilbert is at Weberville
most of them are doing well. AT least 5000
people arrive here every month from the States,
besides great many from Chill, and large num-
bers from China, France, England and many 9TH
er countries. If YOU think this letter of suffi-