Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-01-31
THE GREAT STORM.
Heavy Rainfall in all Directions-pam-
ages to Railroads River Booming.

the heaviest rains which occurred for years
mountains, and all the tributaries OF tn
Sacramento river have paid their full compli
ment to her, and under which circumstance
she has behaved most admirably. The raj
came in torrents at times during the storm
and at times diminished to only misty
showers. Between and II o'clock Satur
day evening was the heaviest fall, when j
came almost in solid quantity instead o
showerings This quickly affected the rive
and caused the streams to rise rapidly.
On Friday evening the river had not com
menced to feel the effects Of the storm, ant
marked q feet. From that point it took ar
upward tendency on Saturday morning anC
continued TO rise gradually until yesterday
morning, when it had reached % feet.
! then rose more rapidly, and at noon marked
"A feet l inch, and at o'clock in the evening
% feet and 2 inches.
THE CITY.
In the upper and eastern part of the city
| the natural catchment Of the area within the
| city levee system caused large body Of water
to accumulate Saturday night east of TWEEN
tieth and south of X streets, greatly incom'
moding residents in all that section. The
accumulation was due to the incapacity Of
Burns slough to discharge through the out
lets prepared for it near o street, and of the
surface drains leading to the slough becoming
choked Early yesterday morning Mayor
Turner and Commissioner Davis were on the
ground, as well as a large concourse of citi-
zens. The outlets tor the slough where con-
fined by pipes were enlarged, drains cut to
them, and by night the great body OF the
water had run off Considerable had, prior
70 Y,r,pbaI ra-
street, however, and this less easily fuds
courses of drainage, but last evening was
slowly working off toward the R-street drain
| leading TO the main outlet. From there
down to Tenth street but comparatively little
water gathered, no more than would ma
turally collect on ungraded streets in such a
storm. On Tenth street, however, from o
southwark, considerable water accumulated.
From o to z it could not pass along the
drain cut for it last year by which it could
reach the Ninth-street sewer, because of piles
of earth and filing on the west side of Tenth,
between the alley on z street, while the
grade at Tenth and 0 prevented it making
off down o street to the sewer. As a
consequence quite pond exists there,
while the alley between o and 7, Ninth and
Tenth streets, the lowest alley in the city,
filed in to the rear level of the lots on either
side, effectually choking drainage This
alley has twice been declared a nuisance, and
oftener efforts made to have it filed but in
each case defeated. East of Twelfth street
and north of J, ON all the cross streets much
water gathered and up to late hour last
evening had found little easement most of the
drains being choked, while beyond Twentieth
on H street considerable water lay on the
latter street. In the lower parts of the city
a number of cellars and low lots were filed
and some cesspools overhowed, but nothing
more than was to be expected from such a
rainfall. The fly-wheel pit of the Pioneer
Mills, which is below grade on the outer slope
of the levee, was flooded, and work had to
cease. Sipage water, last evening, came into
the Police Station, which is below grade, and
covered the floors from three to six inches.
The prisoners were removed to the upper
floors.
THE LEvEEs.
The prevalence Of so great storm very
naturally caused much inquiry to be made
concerning the city levees. It is disposal
Of the whole matter to say that the city
levees are intact and have suffered no damage
anywhere from high water. On the north
leVee, below the railroad bridge, a gully
washed out from the top on the outer slope,
but was closed with few shoyelfuls of EARTH
and did not extend to the water. A report
was current yesterday that the Trustees did
not watch the north levee during the storm
but Mayor Turner fatty contradicts this, and
says the authorities had patrol constantly
on the levee for the entire length, and that at
no time has there existed any cause for alarm
on account of that structure, which is pre-
nounced by all who have seen it one OF the
finest and most solid of emhankments. A
RECORD UNION reporter made a trip over the
greater part of the levee, and found no very
high water. 1t had nowhere crawled up half
the hight Of the levee beyond the railroad
bridge, where it attains its highest grade
Below the bridge and down to the depot it
reached within about 4 . feet of the top of the
levee at the lowest points in that embanl1-
ment. An idea may be gained Of its average
hight by stating that it barely touched the
sills of the Twelfth-street bridge, and all the
water was slack or dead water. In short,
the American must have risen from three to
six feet more to have given cause for strong
preventive measures being taken to bar
further encroachment.
At Brighton the water was very high, and
surrounding ranches were deeply flooded.
The old Placerville and Jackson road WIS
three or four feet under water, and the tops
of the fences only in sight. a great deal of
surface water is upon the ground inside the
levee from there to the city, but causing no
damage. a trip out on the railroad last even
ing to the further end Of the trestle. bridge
over the American river was made, when it
was found that the Norris grant is now covered
as far rs could beseea from that point. at that
end of the bridge the water was over the
fences, and between there and the main chan
mel Of the river this side the telegraph
poles seemed to be half their length
under water. The hop ranches on the other
side of the river near the bridge are covered
with about four feet, and the people VINO
lived there moved away yesterday to escape
the food. Their poultry could be seen in
trees, and one poor cat was sitting in the
branches of a tall willow, looking wistful
and forlorn, with a torrent of many feet be-
meath and about her. On the outside of the
lavee, from the bridge to the Pioneer Mills,
the water covers all roads and the entire
area, and the water is half way to the top Of
the Chinese shanties along that section, and
up to the floors of the houses in Skaters addi-
ton outside the levee.
HIGH WATER.
At Folsom last night dispatch to the
RECORD UNION says the American was at
the % foot mark and falling slowly. Weather
clear. From all which it is fair to say that
the burden of the high water on the Ameri-
can came down past this city about noon yes
terday, when the waters rose within four and
a half feet of the top of the levee line from the
depot to the railroad bridge.
On the Sacramento river was found the
chief point Of attraction yesterday and that
was the water gauge station at the foot Of X
street, where . constant crowd was in attend
ance all day. This was composed of legis'
Iators, home citizens and transient people
curious to mark the rise of e river. It was
noticeable, however, that the older residents
did not attend this convention in great num-
bers. The free advice given, the theories
advanced, the experiences related, the sug-
gestious made, the prophecies uttered il that
crowd. would I'll many volumes, solve all en-
gineering problems, scour out the river and
make its current run up stream. Much OF
the interest taken In the amateur obserya-
lions made grew out of the fact that con-
notion long looked for had taken place, the
highest water ever known in the Yuba, flood
waters in the Feather, food waters in the
Bear, and high waters in the American, with
rain on the snow in the mountains. and still
tie levees opposite the city and here held, the
Sacramento increased its velocity and carried
the whole of the waters reaching here through
the narrow passage st the Yolo railroad
bridge.
Early yesterday morning fears were ex-
pressed tor the safety of the levee below \
street in the drainage and levee district south
of this city, and large force of men under
the authorities of that district went upon
the structure to guard weak points and give
special attention to the repaired break OF
1873 at Lovdalis ranch. At latest accounts
the levee held, but was considered as in a
precarious condition and needing facing with
sand bags, which was being done.