The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-04-08
The Flood i'm California.
~- The following extract from

hc ElOOu III CALIFORNIA;.
g- The following extract from let
ter from our old friend, f. NJ. LEWIS,
formerly of Quasqueton, now living at
Marysville, California, will be read with
much interest:
Since | wrote you last we have had
still another flood which makes the fourth
one that we have had this winter. We
began TO think that the Lord had forgot
ten the promise which he made in the
days of Noah and was determined to pun.
ish California for her sins by a second
flood. For days, weeks. and months, it
rained and poured until it seemed as if
the very windows of heaven were indeed
opened upon us. Millions of dollars
worth of property was destroyed hun
dreds of thousands of cattle were drown
ed hundreds of human lives were lost
1t Is estimated that fifty millions Of dol
lars will not cover the loses by the flood
The country is set back five years at the
least calculation. A ride into the coun
try in any direction presents a scene OF
waste and desoation painful to behold.
In many instances there is nothing to
mark the site of the once happy valley
homes-fences, houses, barns, stacks, Or
cbards, stock, all swept away by the ter
rible rush or waters, and worse even than
all else, many ranches of hundreds O!
acres in extent have not an acre of tila
BILE land left upon them. but are covered
with a sediment of sand and clay to the
depth Of from one to six feet A great
many families who were moderately well
off have suddenly found themselves beg
CARS. have no doubt but that the coun
try will recover from this shock in the
course of time, but it will be many years
first. The mountains have suffered alike
with the valleys. The immense quaint
ties of rain which fell, soaked the earth
so thoroughly that whole sides of noun
tains became loosened, and slid from
their foundations, carrying everything
before them. Houses, trees, bitches,
fumes, nothing could stay its progress.
Rayines We're filled up, creeks turned from
their courses, some disappeared entirely,
in other places new ones appeared. Al
last, when hope had well nigh given out
the rains ceased and the waters disap.
peared from offthe face of the earth. With
the commencement, of this month com.
menced pleasant weather, and now the
sun smiles upon us as pleasantly as if il
did not look down upon the most com
pete scene of waste and desolation ever
witnessed by mortal men. But the stran.
gest freak Of all, for this remarkable win.
ter, was snow storm which came in the
last days of January. Snow to the depth
of three inches, and in some places re
manned two or three days. This was a
great novelty here, and people seemed
bound to enjoy it. Several jumpers
were soon made, and Marysvillians saw
sight which they never saw before ant
perhaps never will again-people sleigh
riding in the streets of Marysville. Sucl
snow balling you never saw before. Old
and young, rich and poor, male and fe
male, all hands turned out snow ball
ing Mr.. Reyes, Of Independence, who
lett there last spling, called on me yes
terday. He is living at Red Bluff. He is
talking Of going to the Salmon River
mines, Oregon. There will be great rush
to these mines in the spring, and many
will come back poorer than they went
However that is always the case with al
new mines. There are undoubtedly gooC
diggins there. but gold is not TO be scra
ned mn by the shovel full as ranrasanfe1
by some.