Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-16
HUGE DAMS ARE
SWEPT AWAY BY
RAGING WATERS
$4,000 LEVEE is RAZED BY
FLOOD AT 0R0VILLE
DELUGE OF 10000 CUBIC FEET
CAUSES VAST DAMAGE
Sacramento, Feather and Other Rivers
Much SwoIIen-Traffic Tied Up
Everywhere in Three
States

million cubic feet of water was re-
" leased this afternoon by the burst
ing Of the new dam at Philbrook valley,
which was carried away by the great
press Of flood waters behind it.
The addition of this enormous volume
of water has, however, caused no ap-
probable rise in the river at this
point.
The city of OrovilIe is safe behind it's
newly erected levees, which cost $780,
600, and the dam of the Great West
ern Power company at Big Bend is
intact, but the ORC Power company
has lost $4,000 through the bursting Of
its dam.
The big gold dredger of the Indiana
company was caught in the rush OF
the stream this afternoon and turned
turtle What the damage to the ma
chjnery will amount to it is impossi
BILE to estimate until the dredger is
Tighted.
The OroviIle dam was 500 feet long
and fifty feet high.
The dams of the Valley Counties
Power company and of the Diamond
Match company above Stirling City
went out and the water was up to the
second story of the power house Of the
Steifer Mining company.
The water in the west branch of the
highest mark ever recorded before.
Bottom Lands Flooded
While all the bottom lands have been
flooded, little damage has been done
in the vicinity of Chico.
1t is feared, however, that the crest
of the flood will not reach the valley
Until some time tonight or tomorrow.
The Sacramento is slowly rising, but
at this point has not yet reached high
water mark.
Reports from the wide area which has
been deluged by the unusually heavy
and prolonged rain storm which has
prevailed throughout the central pOr-
ton of the state for several days indi-
cate late tonight that the situation
except at a few places is much i'm
proved.
The San Joaquin, Sacramento and
Feather rivers are still rising slowly,
hut the tributary streams are reported
to be falling and the leVees ere believed
to be safe.
Tomorrow the food waters from the
hills are expected to arrive. Above
Sacramento the Northern Electric COM
pany's bridge across the American is
standing and the passengers from the
delayed overland trains of the Southern
Pacidc'S Ogden route are being trans
ferred across the river by that means
The first of these arrived at Oakland
mole at 1890 tonight, the train also
bringing the delayed mails. Until the
company's bridge across the American
is repaired coast passenger traffic is
being routed from Salt Lake over the
Salt Lake road via Mojave.
Reports from Sacramento, Marysville
and Stockton show that condi-
tons are improved tonight and no fur
ther damage is expected unless the
Hood waters from the hills prove too
great in volume to be cared for by the
channels and carry out the levees.
Portions of City Flooded
Some parts of Stockton have been
inundated but the business section is
not affected and little damage has re-
suited.
The breaking of the huge dam of the
Gro Light and Power comjany on Phil
brook creek, above Orovile, is the most
serious result of the high water to-
night.
A number of lesser dams went out
when the rush of water released bv the
failure Of the big dam struck them, but
OroVllle, protected by the newly con-
structed leVees, passed through the
food safely.
The west branch of the Feather river
at Chico registered tonight ten feet
above the highest mark it has ever
reached.
Above Vallejo the city water works
dam at Green Valley was seriously
threatened, but by blasting out the wa
ter weir the danger was passed.
AT Yuba City many feet of the rail-
read tracks were carrfN1 away and
traffic was brought to an abrupt halt.
tut the damage can be quickly re-
paired.
The Russian river is over it's banks
at Guernville, forcing the residents Of
that city to the second floors, and rail-
road communication is cut off, but the
damage is slight.
Throughout the whole affected area
rain is falling tonight, and the predic-
tons are for continued downpour.
The storm is slowly moving to the east
ward and has shown its greatest vio-
lence tonight on the eastern slope of
the Sierras