The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1907-03-22
ISOLATE WESTERN CALIFORNIA
Train Service Between More important Places Badly Deor
allied and in Instances Wholly Suspended

ated on the Marysville branch further
than Wheatland.
On the Portland line no trains are
running beyond Redding, the tracks
being out at KesWick, Campbell and
Kennett, and it is not expected that
travel can be resumed beyond Red
ding for at least 10 days.
From all down-river points comes
alarming news that the Sacramento
river is higher than ever known and
/, that the situation all along the levees
lis appalling. There is already suf-
fering, and every ablebodied man is
assisting in the fight against the
water that is pouring into the ranches
and inundating thousands of acres of
the finest farming land in the state.
| Special dispatches to the Union
from Freeport, Courtland, Walnut
Grove and Franklin state that the
river has reached the highest stage
ever recorded and it is predicted that
the terrible scenes which we're wit
messed during the tremndous floods of
1904 will be surpassed.
| Standing on the levee near Court
land, one may look for 60 miles to
| the southwest, across an unbroken sea
of water which extends clear to Stock
ton. Thousands Of cattle are being
sheltered on top Of the levees, as
there is no other place for them, and
| if the water dies not fall soon an in
describable condition Of disaster is
considered inevitable.
Los Angeles, Cal, March 2l.-FoT
the first time in years all rail COM
munication with San Francisco and
the north is severed today as result
| Of floods and consequent washouts
| and landslides. The general railroad
situation is disastrous in the ex.
treme. All three transcontlnental
lines are effected, the Southern Pa
cific. Santa Fe and Salt Lake, the San
Ia Fe, however, suffering the least.
The Southern Pacific coast line is
blocked by big cayein at Santa Mar
guerita tunnel, north of San Luis
Obispo and trafic4will be suspended
many days. The Valley line is closed
by a slide at San Fernando tunnel
and no trains can pass for several
days.
The Santa Fe and Southern Pacific
eastern lines are open and traffic un
impeded. The congestion Of passen
gers and freight traffic to the north Is
of the worst. The movements Of
mails are also badly interfered with
The Santa Fe is transferring passen
gers to boat at Stockton and expects
to maintain traffic between there ane
San Francisco by that means.
The Salt Lake line is in worse
i shane than ever For weeks al
4 through traffic on the Clark road has
been suspended, owing to destruction
Il or ~ miles u AOduDO0 Al AASSAo'
Valley canyon in Utah. Hundreds o
men have been working 1ncessantl!
in an effort to bridge the gap. Yes
terday notice was received that rail-
was again falling there, and that there
was no hope of repairing the line TO
through traffic by April !. The roa'
may not be restored in months. Th'
, damage in Meadow Valley canyon has
it is stated, already exceeded $1,000
! 600. The management Of the road Il
reported to be considering making
J new survey and an entire abandon
ment of the damaged portion.
, Stockton, Cal, March 20.-The fioo'
} is over here, and business has bee1
: resumed. Normal conditions will pre-
I vail in day or two. The cars OF tn
Old Line Street Railroad company ar
: again running, though they have t
go through water a few inches dee