Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-02
THE GREAT FLOOD.
HIGHER WATERS COMING SUGGESTIONS
TO The TRUSTEES.

| TO IHE TRUSTEES.
The situation in regard to the food re
manned last night without material chang
from what it was twenty-four hours previous
At the writing of last report the river marke'
25 feet and II inches. which was two inche
below the highest point reached, and appeare'
to be slowly falling, but yesterday morning
again rose &c fact, which was indicated durini
the day, and last night exceeded that. Th,
throng of people visiting the city front ana
railroad bridge to witness the highest waite
ever known in the Sacramento continued
throughout the day, and with no apparen
diminution of interest. There was much les
Lockwood and floating wrecks to be seer
Yesterday, as these had no doubt been largely
carried down before. Parties were out, how
| ever, with their boats catching floating wood
/ and others upon the half.submerged wharf
beyond the old Water Works buildings, anc
at other points. with spike-poles in hand, an6
thus appropriating to their use and benefit
the materials abandoned or lost by others al
points further up the river.
Within the city the surface water, which
had collected in many places, has mostly dis.
appeared and no sipage or intrusion from the
river has at any place occurred.
Arrangements were perfected yesterday by
the Board Of City Trustees for pumping the
water over the levee at Sixth and Y streets.
The contract was let to Carrie & Croly to do
the work, by which they are to keep the
water clear from the inside of the levee, and
for which 81, 500 compensation is to be given
for the first thirty days, So, 500 for the next
81 cbc,,ll Tba H-orlr still No paprieH and
So. 600 for the third month. The pumping
will be commenced Immediately. The
leyee below the city remains the
same as on Tuesday, with the excep-
ton that the break has somewhat
increased in size. No further breaks have
occurred. The culvert about one.fourth of a
mile this side Of Dole's, on the Riverside. has
been washed away. The residents of District
No. are to meet at Dole's, on Thursday, at
10 A. n, to consider the situation.
The Yolo situation is about the same. The
American river has slightly fallen, but rain
on its upper waters are reported.
The weather yesterday was what may be
called "muggy." 1t was dull and cloudy,
with some drizzle of rain and few sprinkles
Of a heavier order.
Captain CunniI CHAM of the steamer Dana
came down from Colusa yesterday. He says
he has been thirty years on the river, and
never saw so much water out before-1S62 Is
nothing to it. The whole country between
here and Colusa is under water. The levees
of District No. are gone, among others.
The damage is very heavy much stock is
perishing. Jacinto is. overflowed. At CO.
lusa they are paying men 81 an hour to work
on the levees and fight the flood. The water
at knights Landing is higher than ever
known. He believes that there is much
higher water to be looked for here, judging
from the condition of the river above. All
the basins are already full to overfowing.
Water is flowing over from the Suffer into
the American basin. State Engineer Hall
thinks we may have two feet higher water
here. Dispatches in answer to inquiry re-
ceived late last evening give information to
the effect that steady, warm rain prevailed
on the mountains nearly all day yesterday
along the whole line from Truckee on the
and that the rainfall still continues at
this writing-midnight At midnight the
gauge at the foot of K street stood 26
feet plus, with occasional steady markings
at % feet one-half inch. 1t was 26 feet dur
ing all the afternoon of yesterday, aud at
this writing the water shows a rising ten
dency. Railroad watchmen expressed the
belief at the gauge last night that II inches
more would send the water over the leyee at
several places south Of \ street, and walk
down Front street did not develop the pres
ence Of levee patrols along that line at
;. NJ, but number of stragglers and night
walkers were to be seen in the vicinity.
In view of these facts, and the present stage
of the rivers here, and of the constant devel
opmen5 of weak places in the levees Of near
neighbors to Sacramento, it is but ordinary
prudence to suggest to the Trustees to take
immediate precautionary measures. There is
no intention to cIeate alarm, nor is there i'm
mediate cause for it, but there may be within
few hours, and little alarm is much prefer
able to the presence of real danger. Hereto
fore on occasions Of much less Importance
the authorities have had car loads of sacked
earth, cobbles and brush, with tools in plenty
ready for application Immediately, as well as
arrangements made for calling together a
large body of wOrkmen upon understood sig
nails The city is now safe, but the present
situation would seem to justify every possible
and even extraordinary precaution being
taken. These expressions reflect the public
sentiment, which further demands that
very strong patrols, fitted out with materials,
be placed and kept on the levees, especially
on the north and east, and the section imme-
diately below Y street. which is of the same
character as that which but half mile below
was found perforated with gopher holes on
y
to the public and give renewed con-
hdence to know that the Front street
levee is closely watched and that the
arrangements are such that the levee can be
raised two or three feet in as many hours
along the outer line of the street, especially
from NJ street south. There are places, it is
held by many, on that line, where, with q
little higher rise, malicious person, or one
of the criminal element desiring opportunity
for pilfering, might easily set q stream run
ming across the street. There is q general
demand that the slopes of the levees along
the whole line be Eearched by those skilled in
the work for evidences of the burrows Of
rodents. The affirmation that such search
discloses none will be very gratifying to the
people. It is to be assumed that the Trustees
are doing all these things if necessary but
announcement of the steps taken would set at
rest any possible doubts, and answer the
rumor that the force patroling the levees is
insufficient for such an emergency as may
happen upon such long lines OF defense,
where a single gopher hole or a depression
may create a creYasse while notice is being
sent to the city of the discovery.
SERVED HIN RIGHT-During the large
attendance of sight seers on the railroad
bridge yesterday, two coIored women came
also to see the flood. One of them had
large apple in her hand which she had just
bit and commenced to eat, when, as they
passed company of young bloods, the latter
began making fun of them, and one of the
fellows remarked, 81 thought it was going to
clear off, but see the thunder-clouds coming"
This was too much for good nature, and the
woman with tire big apple threw it with all
her force and struck the hoOdlum squarely in
~ y. l.
ance, and a subsequent silence among his
associates.
Police CoURT.-In the Police Court yes
terday C. H. Spear and S. W. Smith were
examined nnnn the charge Of libel. resultine