Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1904-03-20
THREATENED WITH A FLOOD.
Dam at Lake Tahoe Threatens to
Overflow.

dam that is combining Lake Tahoe, Is
in a very bad condition and that I'M
less something can be done to re-
inforce the dam that a flood is threat
ened. The following is the detailed re-
port from The Journal:
TRUCKER, March, 1S.-From Tahoe
to Pyramid the banks of the Truckee
river are lined tonight with men wait
ing for the signal that will announce
the breaking of the big Lake Tan.,e
dam that is now straining to retain
a body of water ten feet in depth and
covering an area of about 1000 square
miles.
The danger is increasing every NOM
ent and in the event that the meager
restraint gives away, millions of dol
lars worth of property will be des-
troyed, and miles upon miles of the
richest and most productive land II,
this section of California, as we'll as
in Washoe County, Nevada, will he
a stretch OF dessolation and ruin.
There is still another appalling fea-
ture that cannot be put in the back
ground, no matter how hard the stur-
DIV mountaineer stry. There will tie
loss of life; how great cannot be fore
told but it is conseeded that if the
Gam gives way it cannot be avoided.
HARD BLOW FOR TRUCKER.
Truckee will receive the hardest
blow Lying as it does right in the
path of the Impending flood, the wat
ers will sweep with terrific force
through the own.
The Southern Pacific Company reali-
yes this fact. To assist in preserving
the dam a force of men were hurried
to the lake tonight. The railroad de-
pot was placed in telephone commune
cation with the scene Of danger. AS
soon as the dam gives away the news
will be flashed to the mountain town.
Truckee's fire alarm bells will sound
the warning for the people to fee to
the hills. 1t is estimated that it will
take an hour for the flood to reach
that place; just about sufficient
time for the people to save themselves
and a few personal belongings and
get to place Of safety.
The town is quiet now but the peo-
pie are restless. Every moment from
two to a dozen people hurry to the
depot to ask the question that is troub-
ling every one:
Are they going to hold the DAM"
WILL THE DAM HOLD.
Daniel McPheteres, ex-supervisor
from the fifth district Of Nevada coun-
ty, and one of the oldest river men
in this cestion of the State, will not
venture an opinion as to whether
the restraint will be sufficient to hold
back the angry waters. Others with
almost as much experience try to dis
play hope, but they are not succeeding
to any great extent.
The rapid rise in the lake is due to
the warm weather of the past week,
accompanied by a rain that started
Wednesday night and continued al
most without stop until late last
night. The weather mans guage at
Lake Tahoe shows that the precipitat-
ion in that time was over two inches.
WORST YET TO COME.
Tonight it is cloudy and warm and
indications are that the worst is yet
to come The watershed surrounding
the lake is so steep that but a slight
amount Of the heavy downpour was
absorbed by the ground. AS re
suit the rise in the lake was so rapid
that it could almost be perceived.
This morning the waters had reach
ed within nine inches of the top of
the dam. 1t was then that someone
thought Of opening the foodgate5
Notwithstanding this, the lake has
risen steadily, but slower, until it is
now within eight inches of the point
that marks the confines Of the CO.
tructive torrent.
BRACING ROTTEN T1MBE
Men are at work trying to -
the rotten t;nbars and strengthe. =
banks TIL cu-round the" dam, l.
should the n" Il barrier give way the.
is no pow - earth that can pre-
vent the fC
1t is thirty-ive years since the dau
was built. But little work has bees
done on it since that time and fot
years It has been known that in the
event of the rise OF the lake there
would be great danger. The frs
news was telegraphed to San Franciscc
this morning. The superintendent q
the Floriston Pulp and Paper Gem
pany also sent warning to the com
nany's main Office and this evenine
President ETeishacker wired to bot
Floriston and Truckee to spare no ez