The Placer herald., 1862-01-25
SACRAMENTO CORR RESPONCENCE.
SACRAMENTO, Jan. l6, 1862.

Gus floods sink into utter insigniicance compared
with this, which was universal-none escaping
within the limits Of the city. At those occurring
enough to escape-but on the 10th inst, there
was not a tenement which was not under water
from few inches to or ten feet The floors of
a new brick on the corner of l and Tenth, own
cd by Mr. Robertson, were barely wet.
VERY UNEXPECTED.
This last avalanche came upon us very unex-
pectedly. so much so that very few were well
prepared for it. Although we were aware that
heavy SHOWS and rains had fallen the week pre-
ceding, still from the fact that the railroad levee
was open, giving a fair opportunity for the wa
ters to run off, we apprehended only the flooding
of the lower part of the city.
GREAT DESTRUCTION OF GOODS.
Notwithstanding goods in all parts of the city
had been raised on timbers, platforms. boxes, etc.
still before the middle of Friday afternoon last.
it WAS too evident that these precautions would
prove of little avail from the fact that these
tenn orary structures had not been put up high
enough A raise Of one foot and Il half above
the previous high water mark rendered all these
abors fruitless. The water rose above all OF
them, and platforms and goods were all adritt in
one common heap Of obstruction.
THE SIGHT BEGGERs DESCRIPTION.
On Tuesday made an excursion about the
city for the purpose of seeing the work of des-
truction. passed from street to street and store
to store. The watery elements, together with
the Shiny mud, had done its work well. Every
species of goods, save hardware had been afoat
about breast high in a majority of the stores on
J and X streets Clothing, hats, boots, Shoes cal
icoes. silks, fancy millinery goods drugs. gro
ceries books, and fixtures of all kinds, has been
all adritt. Most of these articles were such rs
would be entirely ruinel or partially damaged.
There were few instances where men were hired
at exhorbitant prices to remain in stores in water
breast high, for the purpose Of raising goods
higher. But this mode Of procedure was i'm
practicable in most cases. as the goods were so
piled that no removal could be made without
commencing at the foundation.
THE RAIN UNIVERSAL.
The effect of this last food will be to place us
all on one common level. Those who had most
have lost most-those who had little have lost
but little because they had no more to part with.
But if the floods will cease, and let up, all will
take new hold, and with united and undated
energy renew our losses and regain our wonted
prosperity.
DECEMBER AND JANUARY FLOODS COMPARED.
1t has been published that the losses by the
last overflow were less than that of the 9th ult.
This cannot be so, because by the flood Of the
9th, very few goods were INJURED. Now, every
store containing from $4,000 to $4,000, has suf-
iered very largely. The losses previous to the
10th inst, were confined to buildings fences
household furniture, side and crOsswalks, etc.
In this latter enumeration of articles the loss
on the 10th was fully great as on the 9th.
What were left on the former flood, were taken
in the latter Fences again suffered severely,
and buildings were also badly damaged.
STORES OPENED ON TUESDAY.
Many OF the stores were cleaned out and open
ed on Tuesday and Wednesday. In several ca
ses the wet goods were displayed outside and
offered for sale at almost any price And they
sell. too. One lady made investment of
Sl25 90 ut Crocker's dry goods store on Wednes-
day People bite sharp at anything which is
considered cheap. Wet calicoes. if taken care
Of. though selling al "a few cents Il yard. are
none the coarser Coffee tea sugar and -four.
damaged only by being little wet. are sought
after The coffee can be dried. and the sugar
makes very fine syrup Many kinds of wet
goods have been sent TO the Bay, whore better
opportunities for drying are offered. Hoses Of
all description and value have been put on the
steamers and either sent to San Francisco or to
Bcnica.
PRETTY SCENE.
it not surprising how personal interest will
reconcile disgusting sights and filthy acts: Many
of our beautiful little cottages have been CON
vertcd into Il pig sy. or IL stable for the family
COW. These animals do not occupy the parlor,
but the next door tc it. Those neat lattce-work
fronts. which in the Spring and summer are so
beautifully and thickly cntwincd with roses as
almost to hide the light oil day. have given
place and safety to the pig and the COW. In sew
eral of these homestead pens" l have seen Il
promiscuous assortment-sheep, COWS and pigs.
BOATS OF ALL KINDS AND SHAPE.
Family carriages are now obsolete. and boats
are all the fashion. AS the necessity of such
articles become more and more apparent, the
number increases, and the taste and skill in the
manufacture improves. We have, therefore,
some very neat, light and elegant boats nav ga
ting these waters about these latter days? The
lightest one have seen yet was made of strong
duck braced with light elbows and ribs. This
boat. some l5 feet long, weighed when wet, only
rs pounds. But we have some of the most grot-
esque institutions man ever dreamed of since
Noah's time. Wagon boxes, corked up-water-
ing troughs-dry- goods boxes with oar-locks on
the ends, to he navigated the broad way The
fact is, that no family feels safe here without a
boat or float. Rats will not do, because the
currents through the streets are too powerful at
times to render their cohesion probable. The
next most common article are gum boots, the
longlegged kind The demand for them at the
first food completely exhausted the market, but
large importations from San Francisco soon sup
piled the deficiency. They sell at 50 per pair
fear the miners will feel the effects of the food
here through the advanced price Of this article SC
common to them. suppose there was not doz-
en- pair in use last winter-nOw there are thous-
ands Gum boots and boats are all the rage, and
a man without both is considered of little i'm
portance horse and buggy no count nova
days. Its too much trouble to keep the animal
from starving or drowning and the buggy from
being washed down stream. But a boat is a boat
AN institution.
THE CITY FINANCES.
The city Treasury, and the credit Of the city
are running out very fast-faster than the water
from the city. The Board OF Supervisors have
no money to act with, and if they had they
would spend it all before next week in some ex
travagant an doubtful experiment, in which the
members ght be more or less interested in by
outside partners. When the people, at the pub
lie meetings held soon after the 9th ult.. resolved