The morning call., 1893-03-22
Gorged Streams Inundate
Stockton.
EVERY STREET A RIVER,
Thirty-Eight Thousand Acres of Land
Below the City Under Water-A
Reservoir in Danger.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

the past week, Is with us. 1t is a man-SiZe
flood at that-such a one as compares with
none save those that linger in the memory
of the Oldest citizen. We have to go back
to 1862, when leYees were few and weak, TO
find fellow for the inundation of this
morning.
Early yesterday reports from the back
settlements warned the city or what 1t might
expect Nothing could have ayerted the
overflow, for the continuous rains and the
melting SHOWS together brought such an
enormous quantity of water down the
Mokelumne. Calaveras and other rivers that
it spread out in one vast sheet on the level
valley below. Still Stockton was safe and
had the rivers not continued to rise the
metropolis of San Joaquin County would
have escaped. But as the night progressed
and the water in Miner Channel, Mormon
Channel and the other streams passing
through the city crept inch by inch toward
the top of the embankments it was realized
that Stockton must take her share of the
danger. First the leyees back of the Crown
Mills, i'll the southwestern part of the town,
broke and the water poured over the pro-
tecting banks of earth near the pumping
station.
At nightfall the water was running from
the North-street canal into the Weber tract
and into the asylum grounds. Beyond East
street there was one sheet of water stretch
ing from the CalaYeras River to Mormon
Channel.
As is the case every time the water rises
the interest centered in that part of the city
lying between Main street and Mormon
Channel west of Bear street 1t will be re-
membered that in the last high water this
part of the city was oveIflowed. After the
81
dents in the low blocks got impatient be-
cause their lots were not drained eff soon
enough through the fioodgate and cut the
evee. The Street Superintendent's men
filed up the cut in the levee as soon as pos
sibe, but, of course, the place that was cut
remained weak.
AbOut3 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon the
water began to run over the legee 10 the
place where it had been reconstructed A
layer Of sacks was put in place above it.
but proved only temporary expedient. a
brisk wind came up and blew waves against
the levee with some force and finally the
weak spot gave way. The water rushed
through in torrent and in an hour all the
blocks on the north side of Washington
street that were flooded during the last
high water were flooded again. Many FAM
lies took the precaution to move bedcloth-
ing, carpets and other such articles out
doors. Boards were put in place reaching
from the doorsilIs 10 the pavement in the
street. Many Of these temporary walks
soon served as bridges, the water in most
of these lots being two to five feet deep.
At O'clock this morning the water had
flooded the entire section of country west OF
Beaver street from Sperry's mills to Nor
mon Channel. All the low lots and blocks
were filed until the water stood on a level
with the grade of Nam street. Back Of
Blar's mills all the low land was filed with
water. Half an hour later the water COM
menced to run over the Mormon-avenue
railroad tracks and the whistles blew to
rouse the people At that time the wharf
at Sperry's mills was floating and water
had backed up on the Navigation Com
pany's wharf twenty feet from the bulk
head
Through the morning hours till daylight,
and from daylight till noon, the water rose,
slowly but surely, creeping in its lnsidous
way from street to street, covering the side
walks and filling Easements. 1t was rush
Ing in upon the town from two directions
over the railway embankment through East
street and from the north into the asylum
grounds. The stream from East street
flooded all the streets except Main, Market
aud Washington.
In the business portion of town at the
noon hour. when the flood reached It's great
est height, the streams running through the
thoroughfares were two feet deep, and
every basement in that section. many Of
them filled with goods and merchandise,
was great cesspool of muddy water OF
course merchants will suffer some loss, but
it is impossible at this time to figure upon
will
sum.
Business of all kinds was practically at a
standstill to-day, the schools being closed
and one or two factories shutting down.
Shortly after noon it was observed that
the water had ceased to rise, and by .
O'Clock q perceptible fall was noticed.
Once started the tru@nt streams rapidly fell
away, going mostly westward with the
trend of the land. The reason for this sud
den delivery was known few hours later,
when news came of the breaking If levees
surrounding reclaimed land below the city.
The main reclamation work is on Roberts
Island, containing $4,000 acres. That
island is divided by big cross levea into
what farmers call the upper and lower
divisions. a bad break was reported in the
UPPER division levee this afternoon. While
water was running over the embankment in
places, but was being held in check, the
steamer Leader was sent down with a pile
driver to work at the break.
While the large gang of men were busy
they saw across the tract on a stream
known as Burns cutoff" break 100 feet
wide through which river of water was
rushing.
The upper division of the island was then
given up TO the food. and farmers say it is
only question of short time till the
lower division must go, too.
A big break occurred 10 the levee on the
east side OF the river in district II, which
will soon be flooded. Rough and Ready
Island, a splendid fruit and vegetable pro-
ducing tract is being filed. and water is
pouring into the Webber reclamation tract
of SEQ acres, which will be under water by
tomorrow night.
These breaks. added to the flooding Of
Senator BOggs' tract. which was inundated
several weeks ago, make a total of $4,000
acres of reclaimed lands which must be
given up to the flood waters. The loss to
this county by the breaks, roughly est-
mated, will be $1,000, 200. The only re-
claimed land in this section that is believed
to be safe at this time is Union Island,
owned by the General Williams estate.
Steamboat men say no break has occurred
there, but no direct Information can be OBJ
tanned as the telephone line is down.
People feel easier tonight than they did
during the rising of the flood Tonight the
gas works and electric light works are run
ming and the city is lighted at all points.
A steam fire engine is at work pumping
water out of the basement of the new Yose-
mite Theater and the announcement is made
that performance Will be given Saturday
evening. The water raised in the orchestra
within three inches of the stage but the
chairs were taken out in time to prevent
much damage.
Water filed the pumping station at the
Insane Asylum and a water famine was
feared for time, but portable engine was
brought into use and the Institution is now