The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-23
TOWN NOW
SERIOUSLY
MENACFD
Grave Fears for Rio Vista Near
the Mouth o. the Sac
ramentO
ChOked Flood Waters Weaken
Leyees and Watchers Are
Discouraged
Crops on River. Islands Are De-
strOyed and Price of POta-
toes May Soar
StOcktOn's Principal Streets
Freed From Torrents That
Swept City
Sgd D:.eaIeh q "a CaIII

Especial D5patch 10 The Call
n ACRAMENTo. Jan. 2e.-Grave fears
for the safety of the town Of Rio
~ Vista. near the mouth OF the Sac
ramento river. are entertained
here tonight. The waters OF the Sacra-
mento are backing up and the highest
mark since. the Hood started has been
reached Word received here at 9
o'clock was to the effect that the
levees were expected to give way at
any time. in which case the town would
be almost inundated. The water is
steadily rising and the people who have
been fighting back the flood on the
levees are almost discouraged
Backwater Volume Increases
The San Joaquin river is responsible
for the conditions. at Rio Vista The
Hoods from Stockton way are holding
back the waters Of the Sacramento
river. and the latter river being unable
to discharge its flood is causing back
water. This backwater IS growing in
volume as the San Joaquin continues
swollen. The levees about Rio Vista
are thoroughly water soaked. and the
rapidly rising backwater, it is feared
will break them down by morning. The
people have guarded the levees for a
week. but confronted with new con-
dition of affairs they expressed little
hope of keeping them intact unless
the waters rapidly fell
Floods Destroy Crops
The floods completed the destruction
of crops on Venice. Twitcheu and
Sherman islands today. The 1evees OF
upper sherman hold well. and there is
no fear of break there unless heavy
wind blows. 1t was reported that
Andrus and Brannan islands were un-
der water late today. but cOmmunica-
ton with them tonight found the dis
triets still secure. THE flood from the
San Joaquin, blocking the outlet for
the northern freshets. has caused all
the foundations at the delta. More
than 10000 sacks of potatoes were
destroyed when Venice was inundated.
Railroad Traffic Resumed
Railroad traffic between this city anS
night by reason of washouts near
Stockton. was resumed this afternoon
The line over the mountains east is
running, and the Southern Pacific Of
hcials hope to operate through trains
north tomorrow. The bridge across the
American river viii be ready for serv-
ice then.
Work on the Webster washout was
retarded by the trouble to the stockton
line, the work crew being rushed to
that point.
Reports from towns IN the mountains.
both east and north. this evening tell OF
heavy SHOWS and sleet and followed By
cold weather. The mountain streams
are again back in the banks. but during
the high water of yesterday and the
day before many small bridges were
washed out
The long bridge over Wolf creek.
seven miles west OF Auburn. went out
last night. During the heavy wind OF
yesterday the Z. J. Depus warehouse at
Colusa Junction was blown over
Makes Thirteen ReScues
P. T. Berkey OF COlusa has the record
for rescues- BY going to the aid OF
A. Butler. A. Hopkins and w. Biggs.
who had been carried into the over
flow in a ferry boat, Berkey made his
total rescues to date. IS.
Gus Starck OF Grass Valley was res
cued yesterday from a lonely cabin
near Spencervile. where he had been
marooned for three days During that
time he had nothing to eat except a
goose. which he shot 1t was extremely
cold and he had little fire in the lonely
sheep herders' cabin. where he was
caught by the high>water while hunt
ing.
Waters Recede From Stockton
STOCKTON, Jan. 22.-Stockton's lake.
like experience is gradually becoming
thing of the past and with the excep-
ton Of the outskirts the city is high
and dry once more
Contrary to all expectations, the dam
age to the asphalt streets was slight.
The flood Of two years ago tore up the
pavements on all OF the improved
streets of the city. thursdays high
water. with the exception Of block In
east Market street, left the streets IN
batter shape than before the freshet.