Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-04-19
BROKEN LEyEE.
Another Break at the Fern Ranch-its
Closing.

At an early hour yestercs, iiui nm vi
report reached the city that the Fern leFef
about FIVE miles below the city, haa agar
given way. and quite stir was created. Sh
levee. where the former break was recent,
closed. has been visited daily By people il
that vicinity, and has shown no signs o
weakness, neither the main works nor wher
Joined at the ends About o'clock yester
day morning II. J. Merkley, being in tn
neighborhood, started to visit the levse, sc
companied by E. r. Dole. Upon nearin!
the point OF the former break they heard
roaring, and at first supposed it was the wine
| in the trees. but coming in sight of the new
works recently put in, saw the water rushing
through the levee just at the further end O
the former break. 1t was not wide. not more
than twelve to twenty feet, probably, at first
but was cutting on the further side quits
strongly, and they saw that immediate ac
ton was necessary to prevent another seriou;
overflow, which would cause immense dam
| age, as large acreage has been put in grain
AMI crops since the water subsidized from the
late humiliation. Word was at once brought
to the city by Mr.. Merkley, and arrange
ments made looking TO an immediate effort TO
close the gap. Mayor Brown and Trustees
johnson and Davis went down and examined
the premises.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR CLOSING IT.
Mr.. Merkley and Mr. Mesick soon had ar
rangements made with Captain Foster for the
use CT pile-driyer and piles, which were
here, and these, with the barge Farmer, were
taken down to the break by the steamer
Dover. There was no cutting whatever into
the new work the levee recently constructed
to close the former break. but the widening
was being caused by cutting away the end Of
the levee on the other, or lower side. This
was cauvased, so that the crevasse is not in
creasing at all in width, and Is only about
thirty feet wide. 1t is not to exceed that,
Mr.. Mesicll and MIR. Merkley stated last
evening. The pile-driver was put to work,
but after driving two piles there was break
age in the steam-gauge, aud work had to be
suspended in this line until repairs were
made When the fact Of the new break be-
come known nearly every man in the district
turned ont to aid in its closing, and worked
with will. Last night the brush had been all
cut and taken to position for making mat
tresSes for
sUBMERGING ON THE cREvAssB,
And the sacks were also filled with sand, and
the bags brought into place for loading this
morning. The repairs to the pile-drive
engine were to be made last night, and the
engine started again this morning at o'clock
Mr.. MerkleY telegraphed yesterday to Messrs
Burrell & McMullin at San Francisco, the
former contractors for closing the Fern break,
to send MIR. Kirk, their Superintendent here
at once TO take charge of the present work
A dispatch, in reply, was received in the
afternoon, stating that he would arrive here
on last evenings train. He is probably now
at the break directing its close. There are
ten more piles to be driven. 1t is expected
to have this done by noon to-day. The
mattresses, it is expected, will be constructed
and ready for placing, and the bags Of sand
on the ground to sink them with by the time
the piles are driven, and Messrs. Mesick
and Merkley stated last evening that they
confidently expected to have the water shut
out again by shutdown this evening. If they
are able to do this, or even if it was not
closed for day or two, they say
NO GREAT DAMAGE WILL RESULT
From this break, as the water simply runs
in stream to the drainage canal, and flows
in it down to the pocket. They think the
canal would not overflow for a day or two
but expect without any question to see the
break closed this evening. The cause of the
break is matter of considerable comment,
and some of the most prominent members of
the district do lot hesitate to say that they
are satisfied it was cut. Some men passed
over the spot but short time before the
break was discovered, by Messrs. Merkley
and Dole, and say it was perfectly sound, at
least so inches from the top of the ievee, and
no wash or weakness had occurred, and it is,
to ssy the least, remarkable how it should
have taken place so suddenly.
ANOTHER Observation-Disclosures has been
added to the great army of the unknown.
Yesterday Coroner Yermilya went up the
American river to Lawton's ranch, opposite
Folsom, to hold an inquest on the body of an
unknown man. A jury was impaneled, and
these facts were developed a man,named
Smith IVES driving cows home across Law
toms ranch Sunday evening, when one of the
cows stopped and exhibited fright at some OBJ.
ject at the foot of q tree. Smith made exam
ination and found the body of man hanging
from the tree head downward. One foot
was caught in crotch of the tree about five
feet from the ground, while the mans head
touched the ground in a clump of bushes at
the foot of the tree. About the neck
of the body was rope made OF a
red cotton handkerchief and a waist
belt, and all the evidences indicated that
the man had hung himself to limb just
overhead, and in jumping from the tree his
foot had caught in the crotch as stated, and
the improvised rope broke, but whether then,
or later could not be ascertained from the
surroundings. The man had evidently been
dead about three weeks, and the body was
badly decomposed, the face being5 iterally
eaten away by worms. The man was clothed
in new dark blue flannel drawers and un1er-
shirt, no overshirt, a dark vest, gray WOODEN
socks, leathern slippers, dark pantaloons,
dark blue cloth roundabout and black wool
soft hat, nearly new. On the body was found
match safe and o small wallet containing
/ 50 10 in silver. There were no papers to in
dictate who the deceased was His features
were too much decayed TO render it possible
for anyone TO recognize him. The jury found
that the deceased came to his death by hang
ing and that the act was one of suicide. Mr..
Vermilya believes the man to have been
about 10 years of age.
METROPOLITAN THFATER.-It is said that
the non-arrival of some member of the Bald.
win Theater Company prevented Miss Rogers
/ from beginning her engagement last night, as
| per announcement. At least the theater was
closed last night. The management has not
! troubled self to announce whether the play
| for last night" Miss Mutton or the play
/ billed for to-night-" Forget Me Not"-will
/ be presented this evening, or, indeed whether
/ the delayed HeUlbeT OF Tue company HAS VT
rived yet. As the advertisement now stands,
Forget Ne Not should be played tonight
/ hut in either piece Miss Rogers will have
/ broad opportunity for the display of her un.
doubted genius and biillianey as a dramatic
artist.
TEMPERANCE PIcNIc.-The annual temper,
auce picnic viii occur at Taumany Grove
near Davi1ville on Satur lay, the Both instant.
Il will be attended by people 4 Sacramento,
( Yolo and Solano counties. An Interesting
/ programme of literary exercises will be pre-.
/ ssnted. including an Grafton by c. n. Could
ing Of Ohio, q poem by Albeit Hart, exc.
Refreshments and luuch viii be served on the
grounds The Sacramento excursionists viii
I be- accompanied BY the First Infantry Band
of fifteen pieces aud the Governors Guard
Cadets, who will give an exhibition drill
/ Every effort will be made to make the occa-
sion one of superior social and outdoor en-
| joyment
SYAGGNG.-The steamer Dover returned
/ from the upper Sacramento yesterday. i
found considerably many distractions IN the
river channel, and removed from thirty-fyt
! 10 forty snags Thske were principally al
points above Jacinto, above PARROTS, a.
/ Dover Chute, above Mcintosh Landing. anc
/ also at the bend below Martregers. There
were some also at Squaw Hill. The nayiga
. ton Of the river is now good, and VIII d.
1 ,,r4;l ia ,o,,rb lorrer water of summer.