The morning call., 1893-03-13

burying them beyond sight. or when nave,
in other Instances. simply broken the tops
of the flume-boX and filed the interior with
dirt ana 0cks
In consequence there is no connection be-
tween Point Lobos Creek aud the reservoir
1t supplies with its thousands Of gallons
daily.
II the damage is not repaired soon the
water in the reservoir will give out.
But the most serious danger is that from
the character Of the landslides others are
likely to occur and destroy other portions OF
the fiume.
Thelandslides have taken place during the
week past, their time ranging from last
Wednesday till Saturday afternoon.
The first one on Wednesday was a very
large one. according to calculation about
1000 cube yards of rock and ground forsak-
ing the allegiance of the shore to become
part OF the dominion of the sea.
No such lands lide has ever been heard
of within the memory OF those who are fa-
miliar with the beach and the shore line Of
the cliffs which front the entrance to the
Golden Gate.
The magnitude of the landslide on Satur-
day afternoon was as great and more dam
aging.
Not alone did the slides break and sub
merge the Spring Valley fume, and thus cut
off the city temporarily from obtaining
water from Point LObos Creek, but as they
have occurred in close proximity to the new
Qualifications in course of erection on the
cliffs above Fort Point, II is thought that
should the slides continue there will be
great danger to certain portion of the coast
defense.
One of the lieutenants at the Preside
who saw the slide of Wednesday stated to
CALL man that the slides revealed he fact
that certain portions Of the ellis were not
as solid as others, and were of such soft
formation that the construction of fOrtifica-
tions for heavy artillery near their edges
was dangerous. The Ot1eer said that IL the
disintergrating influences Of rain and wind
could produce such tremendous slides, what
would be the effect If in time OF war the
earth of the cliffs was shaken up by the dis
charge of 50-tOn guns? Besides the slides
have occurred very near the spot where the
fortihcalions have been constructed, and as
they are near the edge succession of
heavy slides would greatly endHnger the
safety OF the Notifications. As the slides
show that there are certain portions of the
cliffs subject to continual dlsln teTgration
owing TO lack of hardness in the rock
formation and a prevalence of sub-stratas
of soft clays, loan aud sand, the officer
thought that in the course Of years many
portions of the cliffs would be pushed mucn
further back. For this reason, the military
man expressed the opinion that the fortifica-
tions were being constructed too near the
shore line.
A CALL reporter visited the scene of the
slide on Saturday afternoon AID not only
saw that it had been very large one, but
also was present. when second slide took
place, inflietlDg more damage than the first
one.
The place where the slides took place are
hard to find, as the cliffs Mind in aud out
and round and about from Bakers Beach
to Fort Point with the sinuosity of wig
Cling serpent
In his search for the slide CALL reporter
finally found an old man within one OF the
old wooden sheds containing cement, which
Is being used in the concrete foundations for
the artillery of the coast defense. lie was
almost dead with cold and was wrapped up
in blanket. When asked about the slide
he stated that it was just beyond the last
Notifications, bnt could not lie seen from
them as the cliffs were too steep. The old
man said that party of United States
engineers had been around several davs
before and had inspected the landslides
very closely. When they returned he heard
one of them say that should the slides
continue they would endanger part of the
Notifications.
A well-known insurance man accom-
panied the reporter and the two searchers,
who until this time had begun to doubt
that there had been such thing as a slide
and 10 think that the whole matter was a
hoax They proceeded over the concrete
walls of the Notifications already con-
structed, and when the end was reached it
was found that no descent could be made
as the wall lines of the cliff were too steep
A journey was made a mile further on
through mud and slush to the flume of the
Point Lobos Creek, and this was followed
until il struck the base of the cliffs, which
gradually rose higher and higher, while the
fiume continued on an even course, wind
ing with the curves of the shore line many
feet below the tops of the overhanging
rocks
Soon a sight was obtained OF the slides,
and their size appeared greater as their dis.
tance grew less. Finally a place was
reached where it appeared that a large
amount Of rock and dirt had fallen from
above. There were new planks on por-
tl0ns OF the fiume, and it was evident that
some attempts had been made at repairs
some days previous. Further on the fiume
appeared covered with a soft. blush clay
sand. which had flowed down and con-
its Shiny ooze. The foot slipped
in the slime. and the upper rocks
had to be caught for support. This Is the
most dangerous part Of the fumes course,
and people even in fair weather have al
ways been warned not to risk their lives by
traversing the flume. Further on through
holes in the boards IL was seen that there
was but little water in the fume. Although
the water was flowing, it moved slowly.
Then came point where there was an out
ward break in the fiume. The boards had
been broken by some huge rock that fell
from overhead, the Rume was filed by
pile of rock and dirt, and the water from
Point Lobos Creek was flowing into the Pa
cifc Ocean.
From this point on for several hundred
yards no more could be seen of the fume