Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-03
THE GREAT FLOOD.

THE GREAT FLOOD.
Continuation of the High water-sacra-
mento safe-More Broken Levees.
There was an increased hight of the river
yesterday, as anticipated at the time of writ
ing the last report. After marking 20 feet
during the previous afternoon and night, 1t
rose yesterday, until between and 10 O'Clock
a. N. it reached on the gauge at the foot OF X
street 26 feet l inch, the same as the highest
point marked on the day previous. There
were various reports. and statements IN clrcu'
lation during the day that it had reached
much higher point, but the above is the cor
rect register made at the place named. AT
the gauge in the center of the river above the
bridge, which is not upon the same level
with that at K street, several inches higher
were shown, but the previous records of high
water are all based upon the one here given.
From about 10 A. NJ. yesterday the river soon
fell to 26 feet. where it remained during the
day and last evening without change. There
was still greater interest manifested yester-
day in the condition of the river than on any
| previous day, and not a little anxiety was
also displayed on the part OF many who Wis
tied the city front and railroad bridge to wit
ness the unusual scene. Nothing, however,
transpired in connection with
THE CITY DEFENsEs
To give cause for apprehension. Trustee
! Davis states that between and Y streets q
careful inspection was made yesterday and
men kept on the watch to guard against any
! oil lavral~y, In no
/ neighborhood of P and @ streets sipage water
was found on the inside of the leyee, which
| was stopped by the use of bags filed with
! earth and also some other little places were
| thus strengthened. Mr.. Davis says the leyee
/ along the city front and to the Y street levee
is in good condition. Some gopher holes
were found and stopped just beyond Y street,
| in front Of Drainage District No. l.
| On the south side of the city the water
is Running freely from Burns slough through
| the Y street levee at Sixteenth street,
| The water backing up from the south of the
| city has not yet inteIfered at this point, and
| it is thought will not for some days to come.
Arrangements have been made, however,
with the italian gardeners at that place.
| which occupy the property of Mrs. Gregory,
/ to watch closely the situation, and as soon as
| the back water reaches Y street to fill the
opening. They have go sacks filed with
earth lying at the levee ready to do this
work as soon as found necessary.
THE SIXTH STREET TUNNEL
! Through Y.street levee, which was closed
| few days since to shut out the water from be-
low, as also the discharge opening at Eighth
street, was found yesterday TO be leaking,
and the Trustees had ten teams hauling
dirt and filing in these openings so as
to make them entirely secure. earle &
Croly were yesterday engaged in making a
heavy platform for the location of the ma
chinery, engine and pumps for pumping the
water over the levee in accordance with their
contract just entered into with the Board of
Trustees. The engine has been taken
as far as Ninth and Y streets, and will be
placed in position to-day and pumping com
menced. This, it is expected will draw off
all the accumulated water west of Ninth
street. The Trustees have notified the con-
tractors that they will be expected to pump
over the levee continuously an amount of wa
ter not less than that which would fill pipe
of four feet in diameter.
THE NORTH LEvEE.
An examination of the north levee yester.
day, as far up as the beet sugar works,
showed it to be, with one exception, in good
condition. That exception is a point just be-
yond Mr.. Hopping's place, where the water
has made cut into the face of the levee for
distance of thirty feet, leaving an abrupt
bluff. In case q strong north wind should
spring up and drive the water against this
bluff, it would be liable to create still greater
cave. The place should be filed in with sand
bags, and on the waters receding, should be
rebuilt and the slope restored.
From Burns place (which is about two
thirds the way from the American river rail-
road-bridge trestle to the beet sugar works.,
up to the old sugar factory, no water was yes
terday, at P. NJ, found along the base of the
levee at all. In other words, the river did
not reach to the foundations of the levee.
Mr.. Burns stated that at his place the
highest water was experienced Tuesday, and
he added that the levee would then have
stood fully seven feet more of water. At the
railroad trestle-work the water was found TO
have fallen four feet from the highest mark
attained this season. The water is running
through the trestle slowly, the current being
very weak, and little or no drift-wood APP
pearing. Just where the north levee turns
from the line of the railroad and makes east
there is a road crossing over and leading to
Smiths gardens, near the base of the outer
slope of the levee On this road is
bridge oyer slough running into the
American. At the high water of 1873
the indications were that the roadway near
and beyond the bridge would wash away, and
a gully be formed by enlargement of the
slough In the spring of 1880 the water for
a long time was so high beyond the bridge as
to prevent passage. Now the waters have
left large deposits of sand where it was feared
q gully would be worn out, and there has
been no cutting away at all, while the bridge
has not been swept away. So, too, above the
railroad trestleWork sand bars are already
appearing above the water. These facts are
considered significant, and to indicate build
ing up by the river on this side against itself.
FROM THE TREsTLE
Down to Riders place the levee would have
stood from seven TO eight feet more of water,
in the opinion of Daniel Flint, who has had
much levee experience. At Riders place
Yesterday the river had fallen thirty inches,
and slow currents prevailed. From Riders
down to the railroad shops the levee would
have stood, according to Mr.. Flint's measure
msnt, from four to five feet more water than
has yet been upon it. This corresponds with
the measurements of the RECORD UNIONS
representative, made at the time the water
was highest during the storm. At the pres
ent time the leyee between the points named
would standesix feet more of water on the
average. Daniel Flint, whose interests are
Immediately connected with the levees of
District No. l, below this city, yesterday ex
amined the north levee, and pronounced it in
fine condition. He saw no yellow sipage
water, but all the slpage was black, de-
noting alkah soil below. He saw no
sipage to occasion alarm or indicate soften
ing Of the levees. He saw no gopher holes
or evidences of weakness on the contrary,
it is such massive and substantial super
structure as TO excite his warm admiration.
Mr. Flint, speaking from long experience
in levee protection, comedies with the sug-
gestions already made in these columns that
the levee should be well patrolled, and the
men should be provided with means at hand
to close gopher holes as they develop. Some.
times these are suddenly made manifest, and
if time is lost in sending for tools, sand
bags and workmen, the situation may be-
come hazardous. As an example, Mr.. Flint
relates that yesterday on the levee of Dis
trict No. 1. about midway between the old
Lovdall break and Y street, where the levee
had been thoroughly searched for gopher
burrows and it was agreed there were none,
q large section of the levee suddenly gave
way and slid out on the inside, leaving a
dangerously thin wall of earth alone to resist
the pressure of the river. Had it given way
the section along and below Y street must
have been
ALMOST INSTANTLY FLOODED.
Indeed, the levee remaining was so thin that
the workmen feared to enter the place to re-
pair it. This cave was the result of a gopher
burrow, where the rascally rodent had gone
into the levee from the inside about half
WON ~, +ba, b,-rorpad dourn wa ri and riyar