The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1862-01-31
The Great Freshet in California,

most disastrous food that has tccnrred
since its settle,nen, By white men From
Sacramento nor,hward to The Coiumbia
River. in California. Nevada Territory and
Oregon. all The ST, cams have risen 10
great height, flooded the valleys. inunda-
ted towns, swept AWAY mills, dams fumes,
houses, fences. domestic animals. ruined
fields and effected damage, estimated at
fl0,00O,000. All Sacramento CITY. save
small part Of one street., part of Marys
vile, part of Santa Rosa, part of Auburn.
part Of Sonora. part Of Nevada. part Of
Na?a, not 10 speak of less important towns.
were under water
The RAINY season commenced on the S.h
Of November, aud for four week., with
scarcely any inermission. the rain contin
ued to fail very gently in Sar Francisco
but in heavy showers in the interior. On
the 9th, The flood reached lie low land Of
! the Sacramento valley.
Sacramento City was the chief sufferer
The city stands at the junction of the Sac
ramento and American Rivers, on the aas
tern bank Of the former and southern bank
Of the latter, The valley there is wide
| and fiat. On the morning Of the 9th of
November. the American Rive came with
flood that covered the whole country -
The water ran against the levee and then
down 10 tie railroad emhankment. and
unable TO co further, it heaped itself ag'
these two barriers until it rose above the
levee and began to pour in. Soon the
soft earth gave way and the vast body of
water poured into the city and flooded eve
ry part of it, except small portion of
Front street.
The destruction of property was terri
bic. The water came so rapidly that most
people had not more than an hours warn
ing Of the danger. Most persons lining in
two story houses carried their furniture
and cooking utensils aud provisions up
stains. those who lived in one story hou-
SEES ran for their lives. And when the va
ter fil!ei the CITY there were no boats
Men, women and children had stayed in
houses thinking there WAS no danger, and
when The feed rose thew could not ret
away. Some sf these house, were carried
Oft. and boats We're sent after item To res
cue The human freight. All the tirewood,
most Of the fences and sheds. all the poul
try. eats. rats, and many of the cows and
horses. were swept aaav.
When the water recedel from tho city.
the scene presented was one If confusion
and dr>oia ion. Sorne of the hons4- " ere
turned partially around some ere bro
ken sud shattered, and all were covered
inside and outside mp to the high wat.i
mark with mud mud 81 ;he worst kind
or 1t. slippery, greasy character,
which will require great deal Of labor 10
get rid Of Tie streets were strewG with
fences, doors. shutters lur Der, cord wood.
broken furniture. dead horses. and if,-!e-S
COWS and hogs. Fruit Trees and skubhery
are greatly Injured if moi utterly destroy
ed. i<na's of varrons size. we're actively
engaged in the wafer picking up wharev.
er va worth taking pos,es>ion of Fen.
cn- were gone. th- gardens were ruined.
he houses were uGfr for hahiiarion thon-
sands "i persons w-le without rInihirc or
provisions all business and labor was iio
ken up. there WAS no at.ctS> ~ the iiterio'
the railroad VAS broken. tie stages were
t;,et"ned np IL the mnanains
No les ihan tur,v five Cinnamon We're
carrie! ava, in their cabins a, Oregon Ear
| III Placer rountv. The Chinese hunns in
San Fran, Sc" have sin, e received terter.
from the i. erior OF The State. to The effect
that curing The late fresIet near one thou
sand Cinnamon were washe IF from Long
Bar and vicinity on the YuhA, and drown.
ed II appears that the poor fellows re
manned III their cabins on the bar, as tnev
had done during the previous floods. until
the ragi q waters rose ahout them and
rendered their escape impossible. The Am.
erican River rose So feet