Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-01-21

bridge across the Arroyo Seco could be
made in few days and the
old railroad river bridge abel
| ished. The track along the bluff
| is destroyed in every year Of high water
and can never stand except on rock or
rockfaced bank gently sloped and
smooth in surface, or on piles in the
river bed. A bridge across the Arroyo
would not cost half as much as the rail.
road repairs on the side Of the bluff and
the repairs to the old bridge. The idea
| is deserving OF consideration. An i'm
mense force is at work along the line Of
the s. ?. r. r. in repairing damages and
all that men and money can do TO restore
the track will be accomplished.
THE ORANGE GROWERS.
The long period of rain has stopped
the gathering Of oranges, as they cannot
be shipped when wet. There are many
orders for oranges in the market now for
eastern shipment, but they cannot be
filled till the weather clears up and
| fruit and trees become dry. That feat.
ure Of the weather is very detrimental
to business in the city, aud the business
men cry out for dry days again.
| NECESSITY FOR MORE TREES.
There is a large and pressing demand
lforeucalyptus and pepper trees to anchor
on the bank OF the river to arrest the
washing away of the land. A good
eucalyptus grove near the river at the
present time would be great blessing.
Many OF these trees have been used with
good effect within the last three days
and have done good service Yesterday
large number were needed to protect
the approach Of the K. l.. A. bridge, at
the east end OF that structure. Those that
were used did vast amount of good.
Who will plant forest OF this blessed
tree to have for use at the next freshet :
THE LEvEE KILLER.
All along the west bank OF the river
knots of people discussed the levee
question and cursed J. V. York for in
terfering with the L. A. & s. G. v. Rail-
road Company when it began with 150
| men and a large force Of teams to
make this most necessary work.
One individual was anxious to get up a
party to lynch York. but failed to find
| his help. The indignation against him
and against the late Chief Of Police for
not arresting York for disturbing the
peace is very great. There will be trouble
about thematter some time in the stormy
by and by.
THE DAMAGES.
The HERALD yesterday placed the
damage by the Hood in the city and
county at 100000. This amount was
treated with contempt by others, who
made it about $50, 1000. Such an esti-
mate is ridiculous. As the news comes
| in the losses increase rapidly and loom
| up TO large amount The loss to the
Southern Pacific Railroad alone will
doubtless be $3.50, 900, while the damage
to roads, bridges, houses. lands, depre-
ciatiou OF real estate, loss Of furniture
and other personal property, live stock
and other property will reach more than
$3.50, 900.
Some man with more gift of "gab"
than sense reported yesterday to a
HERALD reporter that the turn table Of
the l.. A. & s. @. V. X. X. washed
away and was the cause of the
breaking Of the Il. L. A. bridge. As the
turn.. table was out Of the reach of the
food and hence not disturbed by the
water at all, the fellow will have to give
Ia new version of the breaking of the
bridge. lie has probably got another
story ready by this time to excel theother
IN stupidity. The storm seems TO have
been Southern California performance,
and caused no damage north Of Soledad
Canon. At this writing the rainfall can
not have been less than Is inches. an
amount sufficient 10 insure abundant
crops of grain and fruit.
A large amount OF the scenes aud Incl
dents Of the food in the city appear as
follows:
ALONG THE RIVER FRONT.
The embankment Of the Hellman
street railroad Just made near where the
depot was washed away did excellent
service in turning the river back into the
channel. 1t helped to protect the city
at that point very materially.
A guard OF men were hard at work all
day trying to get at the city water main
across the river by the Downey Avenue
bridge. The pipe was washed away.
The current at Downey avenue sets
strong against the east bank Just there
and Is still, low as it is, rapidly eating
into the land. A great many feet Of
valuable lots have been washed away,
and II is now very near the two houses
on the low level to the right going over
the bridge to the east. In case of an
other rise the river will cut rapidly into
the east bank down through the Chavez
tract where already the low ground
heretofore covered with willows is al
together gone. A renewal OF the food at
any time will play havoc here, as chan
mel has been cut ou. deep along that
bank and the west part of the river bed
is filled up with stones, sand and debris
to depth Of two or three feet.
One would hardly believe that the
quiet little stream running harmlessly
by the city yesterday could become
such a raging fury in a few hours and
threaten the whole country with de.
struction, did he not have full proof Ia
the trail left by the water spirits in their
recent rage.
Among such proofs are the immense
powders as large as bushel that strew
the track of the food.
All along the flooded district yester-
day men and boys were busy getting out
driftwood and brush. Many a family
win thus lay in a years supply Of fuel.
Even on the afternoon Of Tuesday, as
the flood receded, many were seen ven
turing to decidedly dangerous distances
into the stream for piece of unus-
ually desirable flotsam.
As one stands in the river bed the
sweep of the upper railroad bridge,
where the Southern Pacific track first
crosses the river, may be clearly traced
as it carried away the last approach to
the bridge Ct the Los Angeles and San
Gabriel Valley Railway bridge, and the
east part of the Downey Avenue bridge.
A gang Of men were getting out the
floor and other parts Of the wrecked
depot of the l.. A. & s. G. v. Ry. from
whore it stranded, between the Downey
avenue bridge and the soap works, on
the east side of the river bed. Here was
where the safe had been found Tuesday
afternoon. The street car stranded at
the some point.
| This street car was recovered from its
place and taken to the shops. 1t will
need repairs.
Below the soap works the river turns
abruptly to the west and strikes at right
angles against the bank which is rapidly
Idisintegrating. Here is another point
of imminent danger, should the flood
come down anew. 1t will cut rapidly
aud disastrously in above the Mission
street bridge of the S. p. Co.
All along in through here are
drowned chickens and gophers ga
lore" BY the way these heavy rains
have drowned out millions of these pest
ferrous rodents oil over the country-an
incident Of the flood borne by all ranch
men with an equal mind.
Another, by-the-way, is the killing Of
big gopher snake by couple of ignor-
ant fellows whose preiudices see the
devil with horns and hoofs in every
snake that drags his length along. The
gopher snake was six feet in length and
as thick as mans wrist. He was worth
a dozen cats to that part of the country.
Near ihe Mission street $. P. bridge
the strslm gets back to the east bank.
striking hardest at the embankinent
which forms the approach to this same