Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-04


Continue, and More Coming.
at never rains but it pours I" was never
more applicable than at this time and the
present situation When the waters in the
river had reached and passed the highest
previous food line, and had commenced to
again recsda, without damage or serious in
convenience to the residents Of Sacramento,
there was very naturally spirit of satisfac-
ton prevailing that the higher food line had
been reached in safety. Day before yester-
day the river again rose to still higher point,
and receded sothat yesterday morning it stood
ats feet and Il inches. Since that time how
ever. it has rained almost necessarily, and
much of the time not only rained, but water
has fallen almost in solid sheets, making the
streets MI afoat, and the conductors from the
caves Of building being insufficient to carry
down the torrents that came from the roofs.
The rain which fell yesterday and last night
would Of itself cause high water without pre-
vious full banks Of the river, and will now, il
is quite probable, serve to give higher food
line upon the X street gauge than has yet
been reached, unless the numerous breaks in
the levees on the opposite side Of the river and
at other points above and below the city shall
have the effect to temporarily prevent it.
THE CITY DEFENsEs
Remain in the same condition as night before
last There Is no appearance Of the leYees
being any less secure or firm. No places
ware found which required repairs, and the
expression Of the Trustees last night was that
the levees are in perfect condition. Greater
watchfulness and caution was exercised than
previously, TO avoid all possible danger from
further rise Of the river or any unforeseen
circumstances. The water in the south part
of the city considerably increased yesterday,
largely from the great amount of surface
water which gathered from the heavy rains
during the day. The pumps and en-
CINE at Sixth and Y streets were
being put into position, but were
not put into operation; but it is
thought they will be by noon to-day. The
water on the outside Of the levee at this
point raised about is inches yesterday and on
the inside about inches. The water was at
one time during the day thought to have got
30 high on the outside of the Y-street levee
at the Burus'slough outlet, at Sixteenth street,
that the opening was closed, to prevent back
water coming into the city, but it was subse-
quently reopened and remained so at last re-
port last evening. Considerable surface water
accumulated in the eastern part of the city,
and efforts were being made to drain it off to
the south. This will be rendered more diff
cult if the Burns slough outlet has to be
closed, as it will then have to find its way to
the basin at Sixth and Y streets, where the
pumps are located.
BELOW THE CITY,
There is bat little change in the condition
of affairs below the city. The breaks at Me-
sick's ranch have been canVassed at the sides,
and the openings do not enlarge. The levee
between there and the city, Mr. Mesick re-
ports is as good as ever, except that it is softer
than at the commencement of the flood. The
only danger, he says, is from gopher holes,
and less Of these are now developing than a
few days ago. Only one or TWO were found
yesterday, and these places were repaired.
1t is more difficult now, however, to make re-
pairs OF holes caused by these, as tie leVee
has become so soft that it is not safe to dig
down in the center of the ievee to find
taem, as is usually done, but small
Golfer dam If bags of sand has to
to be built around a small section on the river
side, and then the cut made on that side of
the embaukrneEt, and bags of earth filed in.
This makes it much slower to overcome
breakages which occur. and renders greater
care necessary IN doing the work. The meet
ing which was appointed to be held at Oak
Hall yesterday by the residents of Drainage
District No. / did not take place, as it was
deemed more important for the men to be
watching the levees than to attend such meet
ing while the present danger remains.
AN ALMOST FATAL ACCIDENT
Occurred at the break st Mesick's ranch yes.
terday. Two young men, Frank Slack and
,Jamas Terril. endeayored TO pass il q boat
over the water running through the break,
when the torrent carried them against tree,
which at once broke in one side of the boat
and capsizad it, throwing them into the cur
rent, which was running at wild rate of
speed, and which was about waist deep. For
tunately the boat lodged against the tree and
they chung to the boat and tree. For some
time no method could be devised to rescue
them, as the current was so strong no boat
could reach them in safety, and they could
not stand against the current to walk out.
Finally Frank Slack took two horses, and
riding one, led the other into the water about
q quarter Of a mile below, and walked thence
up stream so as TO get the horses used to the
water before reaching the strong current. In
this way, after time, he managed to reach
the place where the men were imprisoned
by the waters, and took one of them off on
the horse in safety, and then returned and
got the other. 1t was an exceedingly mar
row escape aud terminated more favorably
than was expected for q time, when the boat
went to pieces.
THE WATER Is INCREASING
In depth between Sutterville and the city, but
does not vet overflow the lands to any very
general extent MIR. MeFkley went to Free.
port Yesterday to see how much the water
was damned up there, and had not returned
lss5 evening He viii examine to ascertain
whether ANYTHING can be done in that locality
to relieve the depth of water now backing up
in Drainage District No. l, below the city.
THE APPEARANCE AT WASHINGTON
Has been changed but very little during the
past twenty.fou hours. The breaks at Con-
RAIDS ranch, below the town, do not enlarge
to any considerable extent, as the ground
from which the levee was constructed Is OF
very firm nature aud resists very strongly the
cutting action of the water. The water
backed from these breaks toward Washington
is now from one To three feet deep upon the
first ranch Immediately above, but Mr.. Reed
states that no damage will be caused to his
fruit crop, if the water subsidies and leaves
the surface of the ground within month
During the afternoon considerable wind
vas blowing from the southeast. which
caused quite heavy waves on that side of the
river, and made the water 20 over the top
of the levee at many places between the
Conrad breaks and the railroad bridge
Strenuous efforts were being made to prevent
new breaks. Dirt was being wheeled and
packed on the crown of the embankment, and
the face Of the levee was being lined with
boards TO resist the action of the waves.
Above the bridge the water was also cutting
away badly at places, and large amount of
sand bags, boards, brush and logs have been
placed along the edge to prevent it. At the
Point, where the new levee was constructed
last fall, the water has cut part way through
the embankment, and the face has been
deeply covered with bags of sand, and tenn
porary spurs constructed to slow the current
along the edge.
THE HoAGLAND BREAK
Is widening, but not so rapidly as was ex-
pected from the slender nature of the levee
where it occurred. The torrent rushing
through it is fearful, and has filed the coun-
try south of there so that it looks like an in
land sea. The current has not yet reached
the new levee on the upper side of the break
into probably three or four hundred feet, but
as soon as it does the new embankment viii
melt before it ike frost before the sun. The
levee from the break to Washington Is still
standing, but is so weak as to be regarded
very unsafe to 60 upon, and is liable at any
extra pressure to go at any moment. No
efforts are at present being made to protect
it. The water on the upper side of Wash
ington, st Hoagland's residence, and in
the southern part of the town, is
from four to six feet deep, but along the
front, and where the greater part of
the houses are located, it is very much
less, but boats are the present medium of
travel. There are no other breaks this side
of that at Mike Bryte's. The one there is