Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-14
SACRAMENTO TO BENICIA.
SIGHTS AND SCENES ALONG THE NOW
SWOLLEN RIVER.
The Flood Damages Greatly Exaggerated
Islands and East Side River
Lands All Right.

l
Lands All Right.
Representatives of the RECORD UNIo,
yesterday made trip down the Sacramento
river on the steamer Apache to Suisur
Bay, taking accurate observations en- route
of the prevailing conditions on both side.
of the river. In the outset lei it be said
that the whole story of the food effect:
upon the Sacramento river has been ex
aggerated. There has not been so much
damage by overflow as in 1881, and so fal
as the east or Sacramento side Of the rivel
! is concerned, it has suffered not at all. All
islands are right and tight, and there is
nowhere a broken levee along them, on
either front or back land. The levee breaks
ere all upon the west side, and they are all
within a distance of fifteen miles below
Sacramento. There is more to be feared OF
damage to reclaimed and bank lands Oil the
Yolo and Solano sides of the river from
wash of basin-Water under the influence of
| possible strong winds, than from high
water assaults upon the river-front.
| ONE IMPORTANT FACT
Impressed itself upon the entire COM
| pany-and there were some eight or
ten old Sacramentans upon the steamer
Apache-that the levees from the Sac
rameato boundary, down nearly to Sen
stor Johnston's place, and above Richland,
on the east side, in the light Of re-
cent events, have been shamefully, mex
| cusably and almost climinally neglected
That is to say, compared 10 the leTees be-
| low that point, and the fine and we'll kept
embellishments of most of the reclaimed
| islands, and on which there is not one third
of the value at risk as in the first
| named stretch, the leyees protecting the
Riverside, Pocket and Freeport sections
are woefully wanting in hight, breadth,
character of construction and care. The
RECORD UNION asserts it TO be fact, and it
cannot be truthfully contradicted, that ii,
in proportion to the value involved, the
levees from Mr.. Johnston's place up the
river to Sacramento, were constructed and
cared for as they are from and below the
Johnston place, they would be five feet
higher, and twice as broad on top. They
| would be
FINE RoADwAYs
And constitute riverside drive uDequaled
for excellence anywhere in the State. In
stead of here and there barely cropping
above the surface of the river, and at high
est water being but few inches above the
| food, they would be high above any posi-
BILE rise of the river, broad enough for two
teams abreast, and solid beyond possibility
of breaking. Let there be no misunder-
standing As the result of observation it is
the conviction that the values behind the
leyees from Sacramento to Richland justify
II, IT,
Gated, and which kind of work, in proper
| ton to value and risk involved, has been
done below that point. This is evident to
all the old river men, not one of whom has
sympathy for the Riverside, Pocket and
Freeport sections, beyond natural pity in
case of disaster, because they are convinced
that the owners have not built levees that
the land values justify, nor cared for them
as they should. Said one of the Oldest
river experts, who has travelled up and
down it for twenty years and more, day by
day;
THEY WILL NOT TAKE WARNING;
They will 90 on from year to year with a
foot or two of tOw-path levee sticking out
of high water, and giving the gophers free
play on the inside slopes then when the
trial comes they will expend money and
energy enough in fighting disaster to have
insured themselves against it in the first
place. Mark my word, the waters have re-
coded, and so will these bottom-land peo-
ple the gopEers into their holes, and the
owners into their old indifference and pro-
crastination. II l had such land wouldn't
put third of its value into defenses, to
make the remaining twO-thirds worth more
than the original whole? You may wager
all you're worth that would, and so would
these people below here, who have with
IL. Il I'M dc
| have been scarcely threatened"
THE FACT Is,
That Yesterdays observation proved that If
there had been any levee break on the east
| side of the river it would have been due to
gross neglect. 1t is to be seen by anyone
who views the situation. The bottom
| lands will always be exposed to the peril of
| overflow and breaking levees, until the
embankments are raised not less than three
feet higher and much broadened and the
| faces cleared of the haunts of rodents
| These remarks do not apply to the lands
upon the west side OF the river; there the
people have more to contend with, less of
value at stake and not such ample means.
| Besides, back of their lands TO be reclaimed
must be constructed greater levees to resist
the wash of the sea OF water that annually
| floods into the tule basin. Under strong
I
against these back levees from inland, and
thus the assault is made on all sides. On
the east side Of the Sacramento there is but
one line of deferses essential, so that the
risk is reduced from two to three-fold, and
| the cost of construction from one-haf TO
three-fourtbs compared TO the outlay neces-
sary on the west side.
WHAT WAS SEEN.
About three-fourths of a mile below the
Apache's wharf, on the west side of the
river, the first break was found on the
| Madison ranch. 1t is about 400 feet wide,
and the waters pour through the breach in
angry and contending waves and make
their final dash into the tule basin with q
roar that sounds pitiful to the ear. The
bank lands are washed clear of fences and
outhouses, and devastation reigns supreme
where so recently plenty and content
presided From that point for the nexi
ten miles on the west side the leyees croT
out of the waste of waters but foot or SO
cattle and horses are huddled upon the
small mounds and narrow levees or stand
knee.deep in flooded corrals. Chickens
have taken refuge in the trees, below
which the waters surge angrily, as if furi
Gus that even these frail refugees resist theil
assault. The situation on the west side
will daily grow worse for some time; for q!
the water accumulates in the tule basin i
will rise higher upon the river bank lane
and still more circums cribe the little spot
to which the unfortunate people still cling
on THE SACRAMENTO SIDE
The levees stand well out of water, blu
all along them the mark OF food hight re
mains, and shows plainly on how few
, feeble inches of soft earth the property
owners hung the risk of great disaster
Here and there low places show where
bu! for the packing of sand-bags in solit
! tiers, the encroaching river would hay
found its way.
FAR OFF TOWARD THE COAST
+, The Lake region mountains were seen,
e wall of glorious blue, clear cut and distinc
as chiseled marble lines; more clearly
! boader and more beautiful, they ros