The record-union., 1899-03-28
Vast Amount Of Land Flooded in
the New Hope Region.
Five or Six Square Miles Planted to Grain
Covered by a Sheet Of Water.
The Town Of Woodbridge, Which
Was for a Time Threatened
With Inundation, Escapes Dam
age-Waters in the Rivers Fall
ing.

SIOChION, Mdrcn IA IelepnOTe
message received by the Mali from
Lockeford to-day stated that the Moke-
lumne, which was higher than ever
since 1862, had subsidized rapidly in the
preceding twenty -four hours. 1t was
hoped that the flood would ebb back
into the river in time to- save the alfalfa
along the upper end of the overflow
from destruction If the water stands
on the grass more than three days it
kills it, and there seems to be no hope
for the alfalfa in the lower portions of
the inundated district.
There is a vast flood in the New Hope
region. A great sheet of water covers
five or six square miles there, planted
mainly to barley. If the water does
not subside very soon the grain will
be killed. The Mokelumne River was
still rising at that point
The Mokeiumne broke its banks in
two places near New Hope, and though
efforts were made to repair the levees,
they continued to crumble away and
the crevasses grew steadily wider.
The pocket consists of the region to
the south and west of the Mokelumne
River, to the east and north of the San
Joaquin, and embraces approximately
ten square miles. The main body of
water entering it came through a break
at the Dave Ray place, a few miles up
stream from New Hope
The Sergeant land, known as the
Canal Tract" which lies south of the
canal and north of Otter Slough, is also
entirely under water. It covers about
five square miles, The water entered
from a break on the Shinn ranch, two
miles northwest of Woodbridge A
considerable portion of the territory in
tervening between the break and the
Sargeant place is also flooded.
Still another sheet of water is cover
ing farming lands on the Barnhart place
and adjoining farms. 1t lies northwest
of this city and southwest of Lodi. The
origin of this flood is disputed Some
say it flowed through the Woodbridge
irrigation canal; others that it came
down Bear Creek, and still others that
it made it's way northward from the
Calaveras River.
Among the heaviest losers in the
pocket" are Gershbacher, A. Olsen,
William Dawes and Mr.. Journeay The
lands of Shinn, Ray, Reese, Thompson
and several others in that region are
partly overflowed, and the Barnhart
place is all under water, which extends
out on adjoining land.
In addition to the tracts already men
toned, lands along the banks of the
Mokelumne were overf1owed for quite
q distance up that stream, but the flood
there has subsided with the river The
town of Woodbridge was threatened for
awhile, but it escaped damage.
70
from the San Joaquin Railroad bridge
this afternoon stating that the San
Joaquin at that point is 171a feet deep,
but that it is going down slightly. On
the south side of the track the water
has just begun to come in, but on the
north side of the railroad track the
pasture land of the Mccormick ranch is
under water as far as the eye can reach
AT the Ladd place, two miles above the
bridge, the levees are very weak, and
last night men were at work on them
repairing small leaks caused by gopher
holes. The railroad track is still ten
feet above the water, which is flowing
through the culverts in great volumes.
RIVER FALLING AT COLUSA.
COLUSA, March 27.-The river at
noon stands 251a feet, and is falling
slowly. The lowlands on the east side
of the river are flooded. No damage to
the crops will be done, as it will recede
soon. At 9 o'clock Sunday evening the
fire bell rang out for a break in the
levee and people answered the alarm
Immediately. The break was found to
be along some of the water works, and
it flooded the engine and pump rooms.
The break was repaired by piling sacks
into it. Very little damage was done.
The grain fields in this county are re-
ported to be in better condition than
ever before.