Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-22
High Water Records
of the State
Broken
Inland Sea Now Extends
for q Distance of
Sixty Miles
Many Bridges Swept Away, Houses
Inundated, Railroad Property
Destroyed and Livestock
Drowned
By Associated Press.


SACRAMENTO, March 21.-
From all down river points comes
alarming news that the Sacra-
mento river is higher than ever
known and that the situation all
along the levees is appalling.
There was already suffering
and every able-bodied man is as
sisting in the fight against the
water that is pouring into the
branches and inundating thou
sands of acres of the finest farm
ing land in the state.
Special dispatches to the West
ern Union from Freeport, Court
land, Walnut Grove and Frank
lin state that the river has reached
the highest stage ever reported,
and that it is predicted that the
terrible scenes which were wit
messed during the tremendous
floods of 1904 will be surpassed.
Standing on the levee near
Courtland one may look for sixty
miles to the southeast over an un-
broken sea which extends clear
to Stockton. Thousands Of cattle
are being sheltered on top of the
levees, as there is no other place
for them, and if the water does
not fall soon an indescribable con-
dition of disaster is considered in
evitable.
Above Courtland the situation is in
tense all the way from the Rossmore
place on the Freeport road to the
Hollster estate, a distance of six
miles. there being three breaks in the
river levee through which the water Is
pouring.
Everything is being swept before the
flood and the only live stock saved is
that which was got to the top of the
levee before the breaks occurred.
There are two breaks on the Terry
ranch, and it is thought the Terry
home cannot besaved. The Stewart
and Mammon ranches are also threat
ened with complete ,desolation and
great dllAltIS 10 SAPt OoSOu AOh IhO
Johnson ranch.
All Records Broken
The river at CORTLAND has touched
the Pa foot mark, two feet higher
than all previous high water records.
Randall island is shaky and the Pier
son district, in which Courtland is To-
Gated is threatened with inundation.
The Randall island pump whistles
were blown all evening and all who
could get there were aiding in repair
ing the Ievees. 1t was thought that the
water had reached its highest level
early in the evening and at last re-
ports it was said that there was a
fighting chance for Randall island and
the Pierson district.
The telegraph operator at Courtland
at o o'clock tonight said that the peo-
ple were preparing for the worst. He
expected communication with this city
to be cut off at any time, and since
that time no word has been received
from him.
Buildings Washed Away
From Walnut Grove comes reports
of further disaster, Staten island, with
its 5000 acres of rich island, was sub
merged RAPIDLY after the levees broke
this morning under the pressure of
water from the overflow, and tonight
the island was flooded under six inches
more of water than in the proverbial
deluge of 1904.
A number of farmers succeeded in
saving their stock, but many valuable
buildings have been washed away.
Many other islands in this district
are threatened and the levees are
straining under all the pressure they
can bear The water was still rising
tonight and Tyler and Merritt islands
were in particular distress.
From all Of these places it was re-
ported that a new high water mark
has been set,
The conditions around Franklin and
Freeport are not so strained Both
places are surrounded by back water
from the Mokelumne, but the overflow
fell about two inches today. However,
with the new breaks in the Sacramen-
to river levees north of Courtland a
foot or more of water I'm the streets of
Franklin is not unexpected.
Franklin Threatened
The water was within quarter of a
mile of Franklin tonight and a rise
was looked for at any time Several
houses i'm the vicinity have water rum
ming over the floors.
At Freeport the leVees are holding
we'll but there has been break on
the Taylor ranch, short distance to
the south.
II Is now learned that trains cannot
run from Stockton to Tracy and trains
from this city to san Francisco are
sent to Fresno and thence up the west
(COntinued ON Page TwoJ