Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-12-26

The bent OF the wrecked railroad bridge
lodged where it struck, and in q few
minutes bank of sand and brush had
been formed at its northern end, which
diverted the main stream against the
ieyee at this end of the Buena Vista
street bridge. The bulwark was soon
torn away By the curre.-.tt and the bank
washed out, carrying tro iron supports
from beneath the bridge, and rendering
it impossible. The railroad track was
wrecked for about 100 feet, the embank
ment having been washed out from
beneath the ties. The new Downey.
avenue bridge escaped injury and
withstood the severe test inflicted
upon it admirably. The breach in the
levee made by the railroad company to
allow of their driving more piles at a
weak spot some hundred yards or more
north of the Kuhrts-street bridge was
considerably widened, and but for the
almost superhuman efforts of mum bei
of citizens, who resided in the fiat, the
embankment must have been swept
away entirely at this point. No further
damage was done to the Kuhrts street
bridge, and the approach on this side,
which had collapsed, was repaired yes
terday so as to enable it to be thrown
open again for the travel to and from the
city.
The levee on the East Side was torn
out for some distance south of Kuhrts
street, and the stream cut a channel
back Of the bulwarks for some distance
flooding the fat behind. On this side
the water found its way under the bul
warks and washed away the sand of the
embankment, but did not reach the
track. The trestle bridge on the Yums
division of the Southern Pacific railway
was torn away for more than half its
length on this side, and the Californis
Southern track short distance south o.
the crossing was wrecke r at least zoe
feet, the water having taken out the
ives only about a foot o.
the embsnkment left. The Macy
street bridge was intact, with the
exception of the second pile from the
east end, which was knocked somewhat
askew by the timbers of the railroad
bridge. The East Side approach to the
Aliso-street bridge was washed out, 80 as
to leave the car-track suspended between
the bridge and the bank otherwise nc
damage was sustained. The levee, how
ever, was badly broken at Sainsevaiu
street. and gang of men from the
Superintendent of Streets Office was
busily engaged all day yesterday in
building q temporary dam with
brush and sand bags to prevent further
encroachment of the water. The bank
was eroded for several hundred yards
and at some places the breach was fifty
feet in width. No further damage was
done on this side until the stream
reached the First.street bridge, where it
was diverted against the levee opposite
the California Southern depot. Here the
bulwarks we're completely torn out for at
least 600 feet and the water poured
through the gap and tore out the EN-.
bankment beneath the track, wreckine
it and dropping rails and ties into the
river.
The broken section of the Seventh
street bridge on the East Side was swept
away, and the fiat lands back of the river
From this point the levee
on this side withstood the torrent
valiantly; but four lengths of the Cali
fornia Southern bridge on this side on
the Santa Ana branch we're swept away.
The city chain gang, composed Of
twenty.four men, was dispatched tc
Kuhrts street yesterday morning in
charge Of Officers Hawley and Farmer
and did good work on the damaged ap
prosch to the bridge.
The residence of J. De Gharian, which
was built on the fiat land on the east
side OF the river, opposite the Californis
Southern depot was swept away during
the food at O'Clock yesterday morning
as was also two story frame dwelling
owned by l.. Thorn on East First street
Fortunately the occupants of both
houses escaped before the food came al
the buildings were totally wrecked, anC
notify was saved from either. Mr.. DE-
Cha estimates his loss at 5000, while
that Mr.. Thorn, who owns sever
acres Hand, is considerably greater.
The baseball grounds we're inundated
and the First street fence completely
wrecked, the posts being torn up snC
the eddying stream. First street wa
badly washed out on the south side nea
the grounds.
IN THE CITY.
The water left very visible traces O.
its damaging power ON many of the street
of the city. Temple street presented 9
very dilapidated-looking appearance
The cobble.stones had been torn out ant
carried down to Main street, where they
we're piled up in front of Temple block
Second street was torn up from DIV
atx 70 ~
of the washes were three and half fee
deep, and the sidewalks were under
mined in some places. At Flowe
and Third streets small cottag
was overturned and washed to the eide
walk, where it lies on its side. Hop
street. from the Normal-school hill t
Seventh street, looks as though it wer
the bed of a river, and the fences ths
are left are in many cases turned side
ways, and some are piled up in the iron
yards. Washington street is in ba
condition, and the street cars could no
make good time on that part of thei
journey yesterday. The water in som
places undermined the tracks an
took out the ballasting. Mai
street, from Ninth to Ficc
is in bad condition. The stream too
out some of the lawns and washed th
mud over the sidewalks 30 as to max
them impossible. The pond at tn
junction of First and Olive contains q
immense quantity of water, which h,
the appearance of a miniature lake. TT
vicinity of Besudry and Temple is al,
in a bad condition, and pedestrians
the western part of the city found trav
| almost impossible Yesterday, A day