Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-01-20
- Great OaIlfsrnia -.

Ehe Great California Fleoe, 81
"a A correspondent Of ths N. Y. Tribune
writes Of The grsst food OF Sacramento, as
follows:
90 A raiirosd connects Sacramento and Fol.
con, both on the southern bank Of the
American River, sRd 20 miles apart The
rallrsad enters tie Gepital City about two
miles north Of the American River, on q
high embankuent The oFdinsnee suthor-
ising The company to bring their rails And
eefe Into the city, provided that vide
s. bridge should be kept open under the track
aehort distance 0ast Of the lsvee, and the
bridge vas msde; but years passed without
- a15 use for Il, and when il came to need
Espeirs, the Railroad Company made an
- embankment which was higher and wider
thaa she leTes. And now on the mCrnlng
of The Ssh Of November here came al6ng
American River, with food that covered
the whale country. The water ran sgAinss
the leveo, and then down 10 the railrpad1
embankmont, and unable % 20 further, il
hsaPsa itself up against these two barriers
until L rose above the leYes and began 70
pour in. Soon the soft earth gave way,
and tbs vast body Of Water poured into the
city and hoo,led every part Of it except
small portion Of Front street. The lsVee,
N~N~-
nov WGs the cause Of great injury, for iR-
stead of keeping the water ont, il kept it
IN. The Hood entered at the east, where
g. lakhe land is high, and if the levee had not
been in the Way the water would have run
oG without touching the business part Of
% The city. The Sacramento River vas much
lover; its Hood had not had time to come
down, 20 there Was abundant room for the
= wafer Of The American to spread cut when
- it should reach the Sacramento River
But The leVoe damned the WsteF in, and
il soon, on the southern levee, was ten feet
higher inside than the level Of the Saers-
.u msnt0 River on the outside In some pla-
Lees The water was fifteen feet deep in 9TH
sIs Ten, in others three. The greater part
Of the most fashionsbls houses had from
i, three to ak feet Of water in the parlor-
- "a many Of the houses the line Of the food
a visible on the plaEteriHg in the second
60, BtsEF. D0Eens Of wooden houses, some Of
SAP thsm two stories high, were lifted up and
a-zseaCTied Of =
azi The destruction Of property was terrible.
The water came so rapidly that most peo-
pie hsd not more than an hours warning,
- ef The danger. Most persons living in
two story houses carried their furniture
s and eoeking utensils and provisions up
81 stairs those Who lived in oRe-stOry houses
=
Alled the city, there were no boats Aen,
women, and children had stayed in houses
thinking there was no danger; and when
6 Z the fo0d ross they could not get away,
Some Of these houses were carried of, and
boats we're sent after them TO rescue The
huioan freight All the 6reWood, most Of
- t1s fences and sheda, eli the ponltEg. sa taT
ils1s1s. and naany OF the horses and COWS
were swept away.
Tke Hood at nine O'Clock in the morning
- had Allsd the eity--tWo hours later the
chain gang we're ct work on the southern
leFee, 70 cut il and let the water out.
8 When the cut Was made. the rush Of water
- NassB fierce 70 get cut, IS it had been to get
- In; and soon the water fell i've or Blk
% feet, but still remained several feet deep
81 over the greater part Of tAe city during all
that day. The water then fell gradually
until Il resched its present stage, which is
81 shout on level with the lower part Of the
city, and ct that level it has stood for the
h1alast Weeh-semetimes rising little, some.
tines falling. As the American River fell,
the Sacramento rose, and there was great
-g1sar that the place would again be sub
g merged; hut the danger for the present is
s past. fhe departure ef the water showed
terrible devastation. The rich men had
lost q large portion Of their propsrty-the
poor had lost all.