The record-union., 1895-01-28
BOREAS ON One OF HIS BENDERS.
The Great YoIo Sea Stirred tc Its
Very Depths.
ATS Waters. Lashed Into Fury, Dash
Over the Railroad Grade and
Obstruct Travel.

Inc north wind was on the rampage
yesterday, and all traffic between this
city and San Francisco, by way of Davis
Vile, was suspended in the afternoon,
owing to the immense quantity of tule
and other debris that, driven by the high
wind from the great basin, had covered
the track Tor miles to depth of four feet.
In the vicinity of the "sheep camp"
some four miles west Of Washington, the
water was dashing in sheets Of spray
over the roadbed, often being thrown to
hight Of twelve feet in the air.
Until the track can be cleared of the
tules passenger trains will be moved by
way of Stockton.
The railroad company sent out force
OF workmen yesterday to try and clear
the track, but owing to the sheets of
water that were driven across the rail-
road grade by the gale they could do
nothing.
There is perfect ocean of water north
and south of the grade, and it was COW
cred with whitecaps and big waves that
dashed with great violence against the
narrow strip OF roadway running through
1t. The roadbed is very solid, or it could
not have withstood the terrific onslaught
OF the waves.
The sight from the railroad track was
something quite novel to "land-lubbers"
from this side of the river, and even some
OF the old Eolo tars, who have boated
across the big tule basin almost every
year since '49, had to admit that they had
never seen anything equal TO il.
Stretching away to the north and south
was vast inland sea, over which good
sized steam boats might travel without
hlndranCe except such as might have
been caused by the wind. Far as the eye
could See was succession Of big waves
with crests Of white, rolling and tossing
with the fury of the gale. II they did not
run mountain high" like those OF the
ocean under similar provOcation, they
certainly did the best they could with the
depth of water at their command.
The north gale that roared and whistled
over the wild waste of waters bore down
brOadside upon the rOck-ribbed railroad
causeway that runs directly through the
tule basin to the high land near Davis
vile. Striking the solid embankment
with tremendous force, each succeeding
wave shot upward and over it in binding
sheets that no man could face for many
minutes at a time. Indeed, it was all that
men could do to keep from being thrown
from the track by the combined force of
wind and water, and all attempts at clear
ing the road bed Of the great mass Of debris
deposited by the waves had to be abaud-
oned. Drenched TO the skin and shiver-
ing with cold, the workmen returned to
the city TO await the cessation OF the wind.
AGAIN TO THE ATTACK.
Last evening news was received that
the water was making inroads on the
lighter material OF the embankment,
causing the ripraping to become loose.
Immediately work train and force of
laborers, under charge of Roadmaster
Ferguson, were sent out to the vicinity of
the sheep camp with bags OF soil to be
placed along the sides OF the embank-
ment.
A train of sixteen cars, loaded with
sacks of gravel, was dispatched from
Tracy, San Joaquin County, for this
purpose. and last night FULLY 200 men
were doing their best to get the ballast
in position 10 protect the embankment
from injury by the waves. Relays OF
men were employed in partially clearing
the track of debris for the passage OF the
work train, but 1t was very slow work,
as ali the tules have to be removed by
hand, implements OF any description be-
ing useless.
All the men engaged in the work were
wet TO the skin by the spray that was con-
1inually blowing over them, but they
worked with all the energy at their COM
mand to save the roadbed. The company
IS sparing no expense, and every place
available Tor a man to work has its Occu-
pant.
IN the meantime all passengers to and
from san Francisco will be forwarded by
way of Stockton.
DOWN THE RIVER LEvEEs.
The river rose yesterday TO 26 feet 3
inches. The rise was due to the driving
OF the water out of the overflow by the
heavy north wind.
The levee has been somewhat weak
ened in the vicinity of what is known as
the Chicory ranch, on the \ olo side of the
river, few miles below Washington,
and men are at work In that vicinity
strengthening the embankment.