The morning call., 1892-12-28
LEVEES BROKEN.
The Bottom Lands of YOlO
Inundated.
THE UPPER SACRAMENTO.
The Storm Has Subsided and the Rivers
Are Falling-Reports of rarys-
viIle's Danger Premature.
Special TO THE MORNING CALL.


inches. which is foot and a half higher
than last May. when it was higher than
ever before. AT no time have the leyees on
the eaet side been in danger. but tonight
various breaks occurred on the Yolo side,
and tremendous bodies of water are pour
ing through into the tule bottoms. This
inundation will also sweep several farms
on that side and cause great individual
losses.
One break. eight miles below Washing
ton. is half mile wide and swept out the
house and barn of a man named Heiser,
but whether or not the family had aban-
doned the house is not known. 1t is likely
they had, as the Ievee there had been
threatened since yesterday.
In con sequence of these breaks on the
west side the river is falling rapidly here,
while 1t Is likely that other breaks may oe-
cur before morning on the same side north
of Washington.
Trains from this city continue to run In
all directions. although more or less late In
consequence of the high water in other
places.
Somehow the impression got out that
Sacramento was in danger, but there is no
foundation therefor whatever. A person
could travel afo0t anywhere out Of this city.
except across the tule basin on the west side
Of the river.
An alarming report was spread about the
city early this morning that the water
threatened the Y-street levee. and that it
was only matter of an hour or so when it
would come over the embankment into the
town.
The real state of affairs was not half az
bad as reported, but it was bad enough.
Somebody with criminal negligence had
allowed the gates of the sewer, where it
empties into the river at the foot of Y
street, to remain open, and the storm-pipe
burst at a point midway between Front
street and the river.
The water, which poured out in furious
stream, might have sought its level on the
city side OF the levee, but, luckily for the
city, il didn't II trushed and tumbled into
the vegetable gardens southwark. AMI pretty
soon there was gap in the levee twenty
feet wide, where the earth had caved before
the released body OF water. and the land
scape on the south was made up of sub
merged cabbage heads and floating fences.
Trustee Green and his assistant, John
Mccoy, were at the scene early with force
OF men and the flow of water was stopped
after considerable difficulty. McCoy and
and were the means of closing several
gopher holes that threatened break.
South of Y street to Oak Hall. distance
of four or i've miles. The levee is in pre-
carious state in a few places, though most
Of 1t is all right. Had the levee not been
heightened and widened by the reclamation
district, it would have been ali up with
folks down that way before now. The
river would simply have swept over the
banks and flooded the whole country below
the city. Even as il is now, some of the
river residents will have all they can do TO
keep the water out Men patrolled the
levee last night and did what they could to
stop gopher holes. but there were not
enough men to accomplish much.
AT the Flint place, half mile below Y
street, the water has eaten far into the
ieyee, and stands about even with the top.
A bank will burst very easily sometimes.
They were piling up sandbags and beating
them down solid where the weak spots
were.
The ladies are heroic protectors OF their
homes along the rivers edge. and this
morning soft hands that few hours ago
were fashioniDg delicate embroidery for
Christmas time were cheerfuly at work
sewing coarse sandbags together that the
men might erect a bulwark against the
threatened disaster of flood.
At Sutterylla the water was higher by
four or five inches than was ever known.
Gopher holes were also discovered here
during the night but quickly closed.
Colonel McNasser's place was also greatly
threatened. large quantity 0t sacks was
sent after 10 the city. and at noon to-day it
was thought the levee was safe.
Atseveral places on the levee furniture
from inundated houses situated on the river
side of the embankment was piled up.
The current was strong at the bends and
swlshed through the thick brush omin-
ously.
The river is so high that the railroad COM
pany fears TO open the draw OF the bridge,
and orders have been given for steamboats,
now up the river to remain in the places
they are now located until the water SUBJ
sides.
When the Eastern overland express was
crossing the trestle over the American River
bottoms this morning, three miles east of
this city. it was noticed that the tmbeIs
sagged and the train was sent back. IL was
then ascertained that the swift water had
washed out number of the piles. Division
Superintendent j. b. Wright sent out a
large force OF men to repair the damage.
The passengers will be transferred on
planks laid across the trestle and sent 10
San Francisco this afternoon. No mail or
express matter will be brought over until
the trains can move. REPORTS from the
mountains say the weather is foggy with
indications of more rain.
THE IIppER SACRAMENTO