The Placer herald., 1862-01-18
AUBURN, JANUARY 1S, 1862.
The Flood and its Effects.

ond great freshet Of the season, we could
only speak of its effect within limited ex!
tent of country. BY newspaper and verbal
accounts received through the week, we are
more fully informed, and while but too glad
to- know that our worst fears are not
realized. vet the destruction is all too great.
The great valleys OF the State have all been
inundated, and property in houses, fences,
grain and cattle, have been damaged and
destroyed to an amount, computed in val
ue. at millions of dollars. A number Of per-
sons have been drowned, but so far as known
the loss of life has been small in proper.
ton to the fears that were entertained
Sacramento, Marysville, Stockton, and other
places in tie valleys were inundated, and
even San Francisco suffered severely by the
storm.
In Sacramento the water lose twenty in
ches higher than on the 9th of December
the water flowing over portions of the
Front and street !evees, and flooding ! and
K streets 20 the depth Of four and five feet
The rush of water from the American car
ried off number Of frame buildings north
of 18th street; some being swept below the
r street levee, and others overturned, or ia.
ken into the streets or upon lots where they
did not belong. The r street ltvee was al
most destroyed, and the American river and
east levees badly injured, as well as the Sac,
ramenlo river levee below street Great
damage was done to stocks of goods, grain
etc, but not as much as would have The ease,
had not the citizens removed mauy of iheir
valuables in anticipation of the food.
1t would he difficult TO recount all the in
cidents OF he food that have reached us,
but suffice it lhat Sacramento still lives not
withsiandng she has again been under WA
ieI; and the Legislature having faith that
the city has "bottom," have determined to
remain during the winter, and have made an
adjournment until Tuesday, that necessary
repairs Of side walks and house cleaning
may e done.
The freshets have upset all mail and ex
press arrangements, and news is very diff
cult Of acquisition. We did not receive mail
matter from any direction from the lth to
the 18th, and at present have been two days
without papers by mail from Sacr; mento.
but have II anaged to get glimrse at one
brought by an adventurous traveller.
The roads between here and Folsom are in
the worst condition possible and although
the stage men are doing all in their power
to make trips, it is wholly impractcabe to
make time, and they get along as they
can. Some eaming is attempted to be done
to Ashland (RussvilIe,) butit is heart break
ing and horse'kiling business The Iocomo,
tion of six horse or mule team is some
thing we do not Iecollect to have seen in
four or five weeks, and from the appearai ce
of the weather are not likely to in as long
time to come. This state of things is
having its effect upon the necessaries of life
provisions becoming scarce and high, and
flour selling at the moderate price, in Au-
burn, of ten dollars per hundred pounds, and
not much to be obtained at that.
The whole business Of the country is al
most at stand still. Miners do not work
half time. Teamsters are nearly all idle,
and the same may he said of other
er occupations. All are anxously waiting,
and hoping for favorable change; but the
skies continue torbiddng, the storn.king
relentless. and even while we write, the
rain, with dreary sound, is beating against
the window easements, with dogged per
severance that has known little diminulon
for several days