Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-17
GETTING SERIOUS.
Considerable Damage Done
BY the Storm.
TRAFFIC PARTLY PARALYZED.
Railroads Tied Up-COndltion of the
Levee-Incidents Around
Town.
GETTING SERIOUS.
,RAFFIC PARTLY PARALYzED.

During the twenty-four hours ending
OF O'Clock this morning, the great
storm increased ratherthan diminished,
about two and one-half inches more OF
rain being added in that time to the
already over-seeped country. AS mat
ter OF course, as each hour rolls on and
the rain continues to fall, the situation
becomes more grievous, and at a late
hour last night fears were entertained
lest the levee should give way ct some
unexpected point, go mounted patrolmen
were sent out to watch it, and force OF
workmen we're kept ready to be put to
work at moments notice. The most
serious thing that Los Angeles has had
so far during the outbreak mas been the
hindrance to traffic, not alone in and
about the city, but in connection with
are reported in every direction, the
worst being that which occurred on the
Escondido branch of the California
Southern, at 8 O'Clock yesterday morn
ing. A passenger train was running
along, when, in passing over a small
bridge, the structure collapsed, and the
engine, tank and baggage car fell into
the water beneath. Beyond a complete
ockading of that part of the line, the
only serious thing in connection with the
catastrophe was slight injury to the
bageagemaster, who spraiued bis left
wrist, the engineer and fireman both
having jumped and escaped unhurt.
The Santa Fe people report that the surf
line from this city to San Diego has stood
the test SO far, but all trains are running
slowly, SO as to avoid any possibility of
being ditched.
The Cajon Pass is invariably the scene
of washout during very heavy rain,
and this is no exception to the rule, for
early yesterday morning landslide oc-
Cured, carrying away a piece of track
and effectually blocking up the right-of-
way. Superintendent Sanborn had a
wrecking train ON the scene as soon as
possible, but in spite of all that could be
done, it was long in the night before a
passage-way could be made. The over
lands were both held up, one on each
side and, as a special trainload of Ray
mond excursionists, bound for this city,
the "hole in the ground" the wait
ing rainstorm will not be a very
agreeable reception for them. A slight
slide also occurred in the Raymond cut,
but the section hands, augmented by all
the stray labor that could be obtained,
succeeded in keeping the line clear. The
track between Pasadena and this city
became more and more unsafe, however,
as the hours rolled on, and it was finally
decided to keep all traffic off it for the
night and, as result, several Pasade-
mans who were visiting Los Angeles had
to stay here until to-day.
ON THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC.
In spite OF the hundreds of thousanda
of dollars spent during the past months
by the Southern Pacific in preparing for
q storm such as the present one, the line
is in rather bad straits and washouts are
heard of on all sides. 1t was intended to
run through to Santa Barbara yes
terday from here, and train
was accordingly dispatched from the
Wolfskill depot at :15 A. NJ. On reach
ing the junction at Sangus, however, he
news came that there was no hope of
getting over the branch, so the train was
turned around snd the passengers
brought back to this city. Another at
tempt to go through will be made this
morning and if there is any possible way
of getting over the road it will be effected,
as rail communication has been cut eff
with Santa Barbara since Thursday
evening. What the exact amount OF
damage is on that section of the road is
not known, but it is believed that the
end of the Santa Paula bridge is washed
out, that another slide has occurred at
Rincon Point, and rumor has it that
the Ventura bridge is gone also.
The main line to the north is still
open, but like all the other roads is in g
very shaky condition. A railroad man
who came in from San Francisco yester-
day says that about the place where the
freight accident occurred at Tehachapi,
the water is as high as the track, and if il
increases the rails will have to go as
there is nothing TO save them. Near the
loop the exertions of two engines with
full heads of steam could scarcely keep
the cars on the track. In the Soledad
Canon the water is pouring DOWN from
the mountains in streams that beat any
thing seen up there for five years past,
and the torrents carry down big rocks
and trees, some of which find their way
on to the track so a force OF
men have to be continually out
to keep the rails clear. Water is running
in all the tunnels, and in the big San
Fernando hole through the hill the water
is pouring through from the top and
keeping up constant rainfall within.
The water in the San Fernando river
filed at noon yesterday the original bed
of the old river, an occurrence that has
never before been witnessed by "the
Oldest inhahitant." The stream is also
rushing with great fury and carrying all
before it, the stream on the Tejunga
bridges being so great last night it was
feared that they might give way at any
moment.
TO THE SOUTH.
South OF the city the damage is not 81
great as might be expected. The mos
serious washout happened at the Puentt
bridge where one of the approaches wal
washed out, destroying the main line
and holding the Banning and Ooltor
local trains until $ :30P.M. The White
water washout is all repaired, and up t
midnight no washouts were reported OF
the desert, 80 the road to the East il
still oIen.
ON THE BRANCHES.
The branch lines of the s. p. havl
held up nobly SO far, although at SOM
places the track is very mushy, an,
great caution has to be exercised in run
ming by. The Santa Monica line at SOM
places, notably in the Ballona marshes
is running through what looks like bi
lake, and on the Tustin line the water i
z