The San Francisco call., 1909-01-26
Louis Blot, City Commission
Man, and Fred Dawson Go
Down in River
Fresh Break in Leyee as Craft
Is Passing Causes the
Disaster
Boat Containing WOrkmen Near
Antioch Also Is Reported
Missing

4fAtCStU&
n the fast rising waters OF the
Sacramento river in the vicinity of
Sherman island. Louis Blot. san
Francisco commission merchant, and
Fred Dawson. a launch engineer. are
believed TO have perished at o'clock
yesterday morning. Search parties,
quickly organized among the few re-
naming residents of Sherman island.
worked all day yesterday endeavoring
to find the men. but final news from the
flood vicinity last night brought gloom
10 the Blot household
Blot and Dawson. the latter in charge
OF the launch Dolly. started from An
rioch early yesterday morning for Sher-
man island. where the former is inter
ested in land. A terrific wind was
blowing. and although warned of the
imminent danger Of breaking levees,
The pair did not delay their journey.
Launch Is Capsized
AS the launch approached the south
ern extremity Of Sherman island a por-
tion. Of the levee on the starboard side
OF the craft broke. and the launch was
capsized, throwing the occupants into
the turbulent waters. A resident of the
island saw the accident and rushed to
the island shore. but could render no
assistance. He Immediately communi-
cated with the long distance telephone
Office at Antioch, and in turn the news
was conveyed 10 this city and late last
night reached S. Levison, Blot's partner
in a commission store al I0s Washing
ton street.
The search party which was hurried
ly organized could find no trace of the
missing launch last night, and it is be-
lieved that the craft sank shortly after
capsizing- Unless Dawson and Blot
have reached safety upon some high
point in the flooded district their
chances Of rescue are very slight
Water Sweeps Fields
The breaking Of the levee which cap
sized the Dolly will work great hard
ship upon the residents of Sherman ISL
and. for the water swept away several
hundred acres Of trees and damaged
ploughed fields in that vicinity.
A report reached Antioch last night
that a boat containing two workmen
engaged in watching the levees was
missing and that the occupants met
fate similar to that which is believed
overcame Blot and Dawson. AS the
levee gave way in many places yester-
day the danger TO workmen was in
creased twofold.
Means Enormous Loss
ANTIOCH Jan. 25.-The Bethel
tract. or sand Mound district, as it is
more commonly known. lying south Of
Jersey island on the mainland and con-
tanning 1000 acres. is the last recla-
nation TO succumb to the food wa
ters. The Back Cross levee between it
and the Gordon place broke last night
and the entire district is being flooded.
Tbis is one Of the oldest reclamations
In the delta regions. and the loss Will
probably reach half a million.
The farmers were engaged in dairy
ing and vegetable raising. there being
a large acreage Of asparagus. celery
and alfalfa. Among those heavily in
terested in this tract are Judge Bridge
ford. Stone brothers. +. A. Hyde, Jo-
seph Fassle Of san Francisco. Murphy
estate Of San Jose, J. II. Price, Jersey
Island company and Groves & Hotch-
kisr.
All Of the stock is being removed to
places of safety, and so well have the
watchers on the embankments per-
formed their duties that no one was
caught unawafes.
The Perl residence on Upper Sher-
man. where the break occurred Satur-
day morning, was swept away today
by the water. There are nov g., 200
acres submerged
The levee which broke on the Cali
fornia fruit Gamers associations tract
near Oakley was repaired last night
and hundreds Of acres will be saved.
Wind Eases the Flood
ANTIOCH. Jan. PA gale was blow
ing today from the southeast, but it
was really aiding the flood water to
flow down stream, and before high tide
this afternoon both the San Joaquin
and Sacramento rivers had been re-
lieved OF vast volume of water, which
in turn caused a less pressure on the
island Ievees.
All reports from up river sections
today were favorable and stated that
the river was rapidly falling.
Telephone messages from Bradford
island and the Franks tract said that
while the wind was blowing hard, it
was not damaging the embankments.
The big drsdger Caledonia closed the
break on the California fruit Gamers
associations property near Oakley last
night, and several hundred acres Of
river front land devoted to asparagus,
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