The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-02-10

THE GREAT sTORM.

1nA Oh LA1 oAVAms
SAN Francisco, Jan. ,3O.-The rain
that began on the 25th inst. spread
over the coast from British Columbia
to the southern portion of this State,
perienced since 1884, Feather, Yuba
and upper Sacramento rivers all over
flowed their banks. The damage cam
not be stated, but the aggregate loss
is immense. The Central Pacific rail-
road suffers heavily. About a, thous-
and yards of road near Benicia was
washed away. A long stretch on the
Oregon branch near Bear river is gone,
and there are washouts of less extent
in many other places. Several miles
of the Santa Cruz railroad were washed
away near Santa Cruz. The town of
Napa was flooded, also a portion of
Watsonville. Marysville had mar
row escape. The water came to the
top of the levees and had broken over
in four places when the levee above
town broke and let the water onto the
plains around the city. This relieved
Marysville for while, and before the
plains filled the river commenced fall
ing and the city is now regarded as
safe. Sacramento valley from Cache
creek to Red Bluff presents the ap-
pearance of vast lake. In San Fran
cisco for 4S hours ending 4 o'clock this
morning, six and thirty-seven hun
dredths inches of rain fell, by far the
heaviest rainfall ever Inexperienced here
in the same time. In the lower por-
ton of the city many houses were
flooded, and in the business part of the
city innumerable cellars were filled
with water, entailing great loss. AL
together the storm is one Of the most
destructive known on the coast. At
o'clock this evening dispatches from
various parts of the state say that the
storm is subsiding, and here in San
Francisco the rain has stopped. The
wind has changed and the barometer
is rising.
A dispatch from Santa Cruz says:
Eight Cinnamon, who were employed
in cutting timber fol mill company
on the line of the South Pacific Coast
railroad, near Dougherty's mill, II
miles from Santa C:uZ, were buried
alive by half mile of mountain slid
ing down. Eighteen were employed,
but 10 escaped.
Camp Capitola, on Sequel creek,
four miles from Santa Cruz, was to-day
washed out to the sea. Only four
houses are left of the town. No lives
lost.
The Oroville railroad is submerged
for long distance. The damage cam
not be ascertained until the water
goes down. At Windsor, SOnOma
county, 13 inches of rain fell in 20
hours. Much damage was sustained
in that vicinity. In Placerville, Ell
dorado county, in "a hours up to noon
to-day, 60 100 inches fell. From
other places in the northern part of
the state, come almost incredible ac-
ing the storm.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 1.-The flood
in the Sacramento river eliminated
this morning at Sacramento, the wa
ter being within foot and q half OF
the top Of the levees at that city. The
levee below the town broke and the
overflowed. The town of
Washington, Yolo county, opposite
was inundated. The
in both cases was an enOr-
nous sum. The entire Sacramento
valley presents the appearance of an
inland sea. Numberless houses have
been swept away, but fortunately the
loss of life SO far as reported is small.
Hills, high ground and levees In the
overfOwed district are covered with
live stock, and there is great demand
for boats to save cattle, sheep, etc.
Great numbers have been drowned.
1t is raining on the Sierra Nevadas
from Plumas to Calaveras counties,
and as there are immense deposits Of
snow, should the rain extend high up
in the mountains, another flood is
probable. Should it come on top of
the already immense body of water in
the Sacramento and San Joaquin val
leys, there Is no telling where the in
undatiOn would end or destruction Of
stop, as the water now covers
places that were never overflOwed be-
fore.
SAN Francisco, Feb. "A dispatch
from Carson says: At $3.50 this after
noon the dam OF the Franktown reser-
voir burst. The reservoir was mile
long, q quarter of mile wide and
fifty feet deep. A few hours before
the people Of Franktown
moved their household effects. The
Virginia and Truckee II. r., appre-
Of danger, tapped the dam and
were drawing the water off when 1t
broke. 1t went all at once. A dozen
men were swept in the torrent and es-
capped by being cast up the sides Of the
ravine. No lives were lost. The wa
ter at narrow portions Of the ravine
was q hundred feet high. When the
town was reached houses went before
the flood like chaff. The town, which
was 3 cluster of houses. was almost