The Placer herald., 1862-06-14
NUMBER Al.
The Dreariness Of Sacramento.

The Dreariness Of Sacramento.
The San Joaquin Republican of May 2Sth,
in describing trip by water from Stockton
to Sacramento, giver dismal account Of the
appearance Of the latter city. The writer
says:
The farmers on the Sacramento are equall
ly busy with those on Georgiana Slough.
Persons whose ground extend inland any
distance are in bad luck, especially those
whose houses were not near the bank. Fem
ces may be seen partially submerged for
miles, and houses are yet surrounded by
water a quarter of mile or more from the
dry land on the banks, in the vast inland
sea which extends for a score of miles along
the river and inside of the halt strip Of land
upon it.
We endeavored, in vain, as we approached
Sacramento to discover the levee which
formerly existed between that city andSutter.
vile but it seemed to have almost entirely
disappeared, and many fine ranches which
were inside of it were partially destroyed.
The river just below the city connects with
the large sheet Of water in the rear. Judg-
ing from the loss in this quarter, that in the
city proper must have been incalculable.
We have seen it estimated at % 900, 900.
The first sign that we meet with on the levee,
is the very suggestive one of High and Dry
Hotel" which IS close to the railroad track.
Upon landing no peculiar feature can at first
be observed but sn unwonted dullness. Sac.
ramento does not look natural. We pass
up into the southern portion of the city and
find it still overhowed much to our surprise
We had but time during our stay to glance
at an area of about the size of onethird of
the city of Stockton, lying between L and R
and 2d SITS. 1t was under water to the depth
Of from one to six feet. The area referred
to is in the portion Of the town most thickIy
retted by families. In that space there are
or rather were more inhabitants than in our
whole city. How much more of Sacramen.
to is still covered we cannot say. Doubtless
more than half Of the city is still inundated.
A boat can be sailed from Agrcu tural Hall
six or ei ght blocks south or west. Boating
is still quite brisk, and we should suppose
they would still be required for funerals.
This part of the city looks gloomy enough,
and one in wandering about it feels in some
streets as might Thalaba among the ruins Of
Babylon. Houses are lying overturned and
lodged about the streets heller skelter, fences
are a scarcity, and such desoation and ruin
is rarely to be met with.
With some difficulty we recognized one
residence which was less than a year ago, a
happy, pleasant home, where the Young and
gay were often assembled. The fence was
gone, the house all awry, and the portico in
ruins. There was foot or so of bad smell
ing green water about the lot-a LIQUID, bv
the way, Of which there is enough about
Sacramento to breed fifty choleras. This is
only one case Of q thousand-the late occu-
pants, we presume, having abandoned their
property and left town. Even in portions Of
the city where the water has left, and where
there is now a very respectful quantity of
dust, there seems to have been but little am.
btion to restore the sidewalks and fences,
etc, TO good condition. While in our city
a stranger would never know that flood
had ever visited us, in Sacramento the effects
of ruin and disaster, both public and private,
stare one in the face.
The people are cheerful and do not ap-
pear to worry themselves, but few seem to
see their way out Of the woods. The lead.
ers Of the city are pulling against each other
in matters of city defenses and finances, and
no definite plan seems to be yet fixed upon
to bring order and hope out of chaos and
despair. The citizens claim that large
number of residents, who fled to San Fran
cisco, are returning, and say that they can
do better in Sacramento than in that crowd.
ed city
TABLE OF DIsrANoEs.-Taking Richmond