Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-12
BOOMING WATERS.
THE SACRAMENTO RIVER RISING, AND
THE AMERICAN FALLING.
Rumored Breaks in the Yolo Levees-
Trouble Feared Near sutterville-
Yuba and Feather.

The Signal Service reports in this city
showed the rainfall yesterday to have been
.0S of an inch, making for this month
4S2 inches, and for the season 1899 inches,
as against Gil inches to a corresponding
date last year The temperature yesterday
at a. N. and P. N. was 4So and 520, re-
spectiyely while the highest and lowest was
SAC and 44o, as against $40 and 500 on the
same date last year. The highest and
lowest temperature one year ago to-day
was 48o and 44o.
The barometer yesterday was steady
nearly all Gay at about 1884 inches, with
the wind having tendency to blow from
some westerly quarter.
All day yesterday the city front was
thronged with people interested in gazing
at the swollen river and exchanging opin-
ions as to the probability of its causing any
trouble in this vicinity. The river rose
slowly during the day, and at eight o'clock
last night registered twenty-five feet eleven
inches.
A visit to the dome of the Capitol yester-
day revealed by no means startling situa-
ton. With the exception of the flooded
tule basins on the Yolo side and the over
flowed section above the city-where the
water stands most of the year-the country
about here appeared to be in its normal
condition. The city's streets were filled
with busy people, children were playing on
their way to school, and the gardens looked
green and attractive. There was nothing
to indicate any unusual condition of affairs.
Yesterday morning the City Trustees
went in carriage down the levee below
the city to the Lovdal place and found
everything in good shape, except a spot or
two that looked as if they might require
strengthening. Arrangements were made
with parties in that vicinity to look after
the levees, and all the sandbags necessary,
to the number of several thousand, were
placed at their disposal.
In the afternoon the Trustees accompa-
MED by yardmaster Halloran of the rail
road employ and RECORD UNION reporter,
went out on locomotive to view the con-
dition of things along the American river
between the city and Brighton. There was
some back water in the old bed of the
American, and it was just high enough to
run across the Twelfth-street road in
places, beyond the north levee.
But the American river proper was found
to be quite low and within its natural
banks. The fields between Ghe east levee
and the river were covered with horses
and cattle and boys were hunting rabbits
there. The levee is very massive one
and well covered with grass, while the flat
between it and the river is quite heavily
timbered in places, so that should the
American come up to the levee it will be
well protected against the current or waves.
OF course, it would be impossible for the
American to overtop the levee, which
looks to be twenty feet in hight. The only
danger that could possibly result would be
from the presence of gopher holes. Men
have been employed for some time, how
ever, killing off the gsphers in that vicin-
ity, and it is reasonable to suppose the
levee has not been injured by the pests.
In 1881 the water was ten feet higher in
the American than at this time, and the
east levee had no difficulty in controlling
the waters.
Mr.. HalloIan, whose duties have enabled
him to observe the hight of the rivers for
many years, declared that he had never
seen the American so low when the Sacra-
mento and other streams were running full.
=, 1t was the verdict of all members of the
s.arky that, unless the American should
suddenly rise to an unusual and unlocked
for hight, there could be no possib bic reason
for anxiety so far as the east leyee is con-
cerned.
BELOW THE CITY.
Despite reports to the effect that the
levee between the city and Sutteryille was
yesterday in good condition, it appears to
have been last night quite unsafe in places.
John S. Barrett telephoned the RECORD
UNION at half-past o'clock last evening
that he and others had just returned from
g trip along the levee near the Aschnauer
place, and they found the water seeping
through gopher-holes. He said that it was
evident that unless prompt steps were
taken the levee in that spot could not hold
out till morning. Mr.. Barrett promptly
acquainted Mayor Gregory with the facts.
ON THE YoLo SIDE.
DR.. G. N. Dixon went to his Yolo ranch,
four miles below Washington, yesterday
morning, and after viewing the general
situation ordered his valuable herd of
Polled Angus cattle-some fifty head-re-
moved. They were driven to this city and
taken to the high land east of town.
DIR. Dixon says the situation is really
alarming on the west side. The levees are
good in front of his ranch, and can stand
two feet or mora of water, but above and
below him at several points the water at
o'clock P. NJ. yesterday was within from
three to eight inches of the top of the lev
ees, and was only kept from running over
by the constant labor of the farmers, who
were working like heroes to save their
homes.
A few inches more rise in the river can
only result in serious breaks on the Yolo
side and great damage, as the great tule
basin is already brim full anG has backed
up upon all but the immediate front land:
of the Yolo river ranches.