Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-01-20
ing to convey persons and property
to higher ground. No loss Of life is yet
reported outside the city.
....ar nv rgfr THE STORM

fiood to be at least $4,000. The loss o
land in the city is also quite large, bu
The railroad losses are much larger
The losses in bridges, land, houses ant
other property in the city and county a
far as known are estimated at $500, 600
Following are the leading incidents o
the calamity in the city:
MOVING ACCIDENTS BY FLOOD AND FIELD
The great rise came at a little befor,
seven O'Clock yesterday morning. L
came down like a moving wall of water
with hardly a moments warning. The
flood began to break from the maiI
stream by many avenues and overflow
the whole city front. Fortunately il
came by daylight and its terrific COURSE
was seen. The alarm spread along the
RIVER like cry of fire. The bells wer'
rung and the steam whistles sounded fol
aid. The police force, Sheriffs offic'
aud private citizens all ran to the points
OF greatest danger. Some occupants O
the houses had vacated them the nigh
before, warned by the sad experience Of
two wears ago. Most Of them had
stayed ON in their homes, not anticipat
| ing such q flood from the short duration
Of the storm and the slow rise of the
river at nightfall of Monday. There
/ had no information OF the terrific cloud.
burst up the Tejungs reached the city
when the raging torrent came boiling
down the channel. Consequently, in
spite Of all warning and all dispatch in
| getting out Of the way, the waters were
| foaming like an angry sea around many
home before its inmates could escape
with their lives.
The best way to convey q connected
idea Of the effects OF the flood will be to
begin at the bridge of the l.. A. 3. u.
". Ry. and follow the river down.
| The s. p. Cos track is badly washed
out where it skirts the bluff along the
stream. Below where this track crosses
the river the company has done some
good work in rip-rapping the embank'
mept. This rockwork saved long
stretch OF the road-bed. Nearly oppo-
site the point Indicated the Arroyo Seco
comes in and sets the current strong
against the west bank. Where the
rock work failed the great force of the
stream struck almost directly against
the roadbed and rapidly ate its way up
to the bluff, wrecking the track COM
pleteIy. " here the track trends away
from the river gang Of men were en-
pIoyed all day opposing cut down trees to
the force of the water aud thus saving
the property from further damage. The
bridge Of the L. A. & 5. G. V. Ry.
stood the severe ordeal heroically. just
above it the current turns away from the
bluff and takes straight plunge down
stream, striking full against the first
sbutment Of this new bridge. All day
long this stream hit against this bull
wark Of the bridge. but failed to make
the slightest impression. 1t is good
Illustration Of the superiority of this
style OF structure over the old one made
on piles. Below this, the stream broke
into two branches, going to opposite
sides OF the channel. When the flood
was at its main height, the turn-tabie of
the l.. A. L s. G. v. Ry. broke
away and was whirled downstream.
striking the East Los Angeles bridge at
Downey avenue, near the west end. a
street-car, the first one in tine morning.
was crossing at the time and went
through the bridge at the point weak
ened BY the shock Of the turn-table.
There were on the car beside the
driver. Robinson, Mr.. McChesney and
Mr.. Bodwin. McChesney jumped from
the car on to the bridge, but Rob
inson and Bodwin were not so
quick, and went into the stream. They
fell loose from the car, but fortunately
succeeded in getting hold Of it. aud
floated with IL to bar nearly opposite
the Soap Factory, where the whole con-
cern stranded and from which the horse
and man were rescued. The l.. A. & s.
q. v. Ry. depot also went down the
stream and stranded below where the
street car rested. II lay there for long
time, but the current at length washed
away the sand and hoated it off. 1t
swung with the main stream to the east
bank and struck the Southern Pacific
Company's bridge, wrecking two bents
Of it SO badly that men had to be put at
work to tear il up, SO as to save it from
the waves. Just before 1t was so badly
demoralized, the c. s. train, due the
previous evening, came up TO the east
end OF the bridge. The passengers
walked over and into town, the train re-
naming there all night.
AT CHAVEZ STREET
The embankment of the Soap Works
split the stream, turning the main part
Away and passing it harmlessly around
the works. This little embankment.
made by Mr. Niedt, shows how easy it
would be 10 guard the town from the
river. A big stream came down
through Chavez street. Below the
soap werks the water, although the
main stream was on the east bank,
spread over the lower part Of the Hol-
lenbeck tract. ST. John street, Elmira
street, Leroy street were badly deluged.
Two houses owned by Mr.. Brown Of
Georgia street, were completely sur
rounded. The willows aligning the rail-
road bridge and the huts in them were
half swallowed in the waves. Below
the railroad bridge, in the vineyards and
willows, the same scenes of desolation
we're presented. At 2 P. NJ. the water.
although after noon it felt very rapidly,
was still up around the houses. The
forlorn chickens were roosting on the
tons OF the cabins and on the willow
fences. Here and there a real estate
dealers board was seen to emerge slowly
from the receding waters. A lot half
way between the soap works and the
railroad bridge, for which the L. A. &
is. @. v. Ry. paid 5000 short time
since. was eli washed away. Wagons
aud other prope. ty, lay nearly covered
by the mud and water all along this part
of the city, both sides of the
railroad bridge, where the intelligent
property owners resisted the efforts OF
the railroad to build levee for the right
Of way. They asked at the rate Of
$1,000 an acre for what is now down at
Wilmington to fill up the bay. Opposite
the soap works in the Chavez tract a
house was washed away.
AT THE MACY STREET BRIDGE
The river is all set up ON edge and forced
TO make its way between narrow banks.
| In spite Of the terrific force Of the cur
rent at this point. this bridge again
withstood the fury of its force and stood
again q monument to the man who
pIanned IL so we'll and built it so strong.
Below this lies the Aliso tract where such
dire suffering was experienced two year.
ago, the people had settled in there
thickly again. 1t is fat tdistrictscarce.
ly above the bed Of the river. The great
! Volume of water after passing the bridge
spread westward, the high bluff opposite
forcing 1t this way. Down TO Also
street there was little damage done. The
district between the old Also road, Macy
street and Also street was over
flowed, but the current had no force
there. At Also street the old street.
ear bridge gave way, carrying the ap.
| proaches TO the new bridge away with
its wreck. There wero no street ears
on this line yesterday, as all the rolling
stock and horses were caught on the
other side Of the river. From Also
street to First the stream followed the
course of two years ago, as II II remem.
bered where its dire destruction was
then wrought. II gouged out a
half cut, starting in at Saia-
sevain street, cutting up to Center street,
then at Lazard working further in, and
at Turner and Banning the river made
for Alameda with the rush and roar oi
many waters. Right in this half moon
and at First street the greatest havoc