The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-18


bled FROM summit TO base. Large trees and
immense bOulderS, for ages secure in their
mountain retreat, were rooted up and swept Oh
with tremendous velocity, sweeping in their
resistless course every thing before them. Mr.
J. II. Goss, Superintendent Of the Road, gives
US fearful picture Of its ravages. The first land
slide occurred at Dicks station on Saturday
morning about seven O'Clock. A large body of
water had gathered on the top of the hill above
his house and formed a lake. Under the i'm
mense pressure the ground sunk and suddenly
displaced several large bOulders, which opened
gap for the water to escape. The opening
widened, aud the water, increasing in volume
and gathering strength IN its COURSE rushed
vita fearful rapidty down the mountain
sweeping away at Dicks a butchers shop.
stable and twelve horses. The noise resembled
thunder and the noun tains shook, Mr.. GOss in
forms us, as if disturbed BY On earthquake
The crashing Of large trees, and the breaking
and crushing Of rocks, the opening Of large
gaps in the nlontains and the leveling of large
bills, almost instantaneOusly, was frightfuIly
appalling to those who witnessed the grand
spectacle. Steep, rugged aud apparently solid
aud enduring hills disappeared as il BY en-
chantment The largest and most dangerous
slide was a. Dick's Three slides occurred be-
tween Webster and Leon S, and several above !;
and very heavy one about mile this side of
Strawberry. About half a mile this side Of the
Thirty five mile house large bill slid from its
base, filling the road, for hundred aud fifty
| yards with trees, rocks and brush, and tearing
} part Of it awav. On the Thirty FIVE mile GjlI
! the slide came down with fearful violence, and
the noise echoed through the mountains for
miles. Trees Uf Immense size and rocks weigh
ing a ton, were carried away and crushed IN II
moment. The slide at Icons occurred about .
o'clock Saturday morning. Anticipating the
disaSter he had removed his family to a secure
place. Suddenly low, rambling noise was
heard, which quickly swelled aud roared, and
down rushed the water, trees and bouGders,
sweeping away everything in their path The
lower story Of Icons house, his bar-roOm and
kitchen, with kitchen furniture and provisions,
were carried off. The floor of the house cavet
in. Rocks weighing hundred pounds and up
| NhTuS pasStu ubuSe1
I everything in which they came in contact.
Three feet Of mud and stones lodged and settled
10 the house. His loss is estimated at 81 300 I;
it may probably exceed that amount. 1t was
supposed that the house Of Todd 4 Barron,
built near the river, at the foot Of large Can
on, betw cen two high bills, out Of which the
water was gushing in innumerable places, was
in the greatest danger, but it escaped uninjured.
The ravnes, canons, creeks and river were full
Of wafer, in the immediate vicinity vi their
house. At DR.. Morse's upper station, at the
junction of the county and Ogi;by's roads, "A
tremendous slide occurred, threatening the
destruction Of his house and family. Not an
ticipating any thing Of the kind, he had neg
lected 10 remove bis family. AbOve his house
be had collected, for building purposes, num-
Der cf heavy logs, some Of them embedded in The
ground and resting against large boulders.
These fortunately arrested and broke the force
of the slide, and turned it in different drec-
iions. Mr.. Goss says it was split in two and
3 hattened out, and the heaviest portion passed
round the house. while u little Of il washed
against 1t but without damaging it. With
! irelings Of horror. dread and despair D.. Nurse
and family watched its approach, expecting
every moment to be buried beneath it. When
! the logs arrested and resisted and scattered it,
with emotions ofjoy and gratitude they iervent-
/ ~ thanked Him " Who doeIh all things we'll
! for their deliverance from fearful danger
IL will take weeks before the road can be placed
! in ,r,,,.l lin L. "a
trees, filled with large rocks from the slides.
aud washed into deep guIes at many places.
Six bridges. between the Thirty five mile house
and Brockliss' bridge, have been swept Oft
The wall TN the road, this side of BrocklisS
bridge, built to keep the road frnm cAving and
washing, gave way, distance Of loo feet. 1t
wifi soon be repaired. Men are at work on il,
and others will he employed as soon as the
weather settles. On the new road, recently
built by Mr.. Batrram, the wall also gave way,
and The break is about seventy feet long. 1t
can be fixed without much trouble Or expense,
and " i'll be in few days. Mr. Henry's read
Immediately below Todd 4 BdrroD's, was en-
tirely swept away. Mr.. Goss is authorized t."
commence working the road at the earliest pos
slble moment. He estimates the cost Of re-
pairing il at q. 900, provided 20 more slides
injure it. He says the proprietors Of public
houses along the road and persons living IN
the mountains have expressed their willing
ness TO assist At any time. 1t will take large
number Of hands TO remove the trees and rocks
from some parts Of the road. Wide and deep
assures have been made by the storm at several
places near the road, which he fears, il the
rain continues, may fill up with water and
prove destructive TO the road. At several
places, for some unknown cause, the road has
sank down about foot, but this does not in
terfere with travelling. There is a pack trail
open over the entire route. which is travelled
daily: The water at Bruckliss' was twelve feet
higher than ever known before. Although the
land slides were numerous, and many persons
were living near them and travellers were on
the road, yet it is singular that no lives were
lost The only accident heard of vas that of
young man who, while cutting down tree
on Monday afternoon, had his lett shoulder
broken by limb Of the tree falling upon it,
1t is rep0I led that he died from the effects of
1t on Wednesday.
EUREKA CAXAL.-From different parts of our
county We learn that the freshet materially
damaged most if not all the canals and bitches.
Fumes were blown down, and bitches, in many
places, were filled with Dirt brush, stones and
their banks washed away. The Eureka Canal,
one of the longest, largest most valuable and
indispensable in our county, supplying a vast
extent of mining country with water and run
ming through heavily timbered and rocky re-
gon, was in imminent danger of destruction,
but escaped with but little damage, owing to
the foresight and prompt action aud indomita.
BILE energy Of Its Superintendent, Mr.. WV. ?.
ScorT, Esq. Early and late, amidst the pitess
peltings OF the rain and hail and snow, he aud
the ditch agents watched it and worked on it,
sometimes in water three feet Deep then again
in mud and snow. The whole Of Tuesday night
a.