Year: 1875

But the great affection to Marysville
was Jan. 10th. Soon after midday the
tire-bells rang an alarm, as it was dis
covered that there was danger Of the
levee breaking away again. More than
one hundred men labored hard to pre-
vent it, but without avail. At five
o'clock another alarm was sounded no.
tifying the people that there was no
hope, and in one hour more the water
was upon US. It continued to rise un-
til past midnight, when nearly the
whole city was flooded from three to
twelve feet deep. During the night
horses, COWS and hogs were swimming
around seeking places Of safety, but in
most cases without avail. People
were crying loudly for help and many
boat loads Of human beings were res
cued from low houses. People occupy
ing one-story buildings in all parts of
the city were obliged to fly to two sto-
ry buildings and had no time to save
anything but what they wore and could
carry with them. In many instances
women and children had to be packed
on the backs of men, or be removed on
RATS. The next morn the city present.
one vast sea Of water, on a level with
the Feather and Yuba rivers. Many
buildings were turned over and others
were removed from their foundations.
The loss in all classes of property was
immense. So sudden was the rush of
the water that the mail in the boxes of
the Post Office could not be removed.
the. water rose in the stores from three
to five and one-half feet above the floors
and the goods below high water mark
were very much injured. I will relate
few Incidents which happened on the
night Of the food. A German residing
in one story house, narrowly escaped
from drowning. He was driven from
the lower story to the portico, which
he reached by cutting hole through
the roof. There he remained till twelve
o'clock at night, when he was relieved
by rescue boat. During the food in
November, this same person escaped by
wading out when the water was neck
deep. One lady, cripple, aged 70
years, with her little nephew, had a
narrow escape from drowning. As the
water rose, she placed herself in a
chair upon Il mattress and held the
child in her arms. The water contin-
ued to rise and she rode on the surface
all night and until taken off by boat
man. One family Of nine persons took
refuge on piano, where they remained
all night not daring to move for fear
that the slightest accident would cause
them ito be submerged. Two dead


bodies in the charge Of under1akers
floated away among the rubbish. One
painful incident occurred to a woman
| who was i'll and not expected to recover.
the water standing at considerable
depth over the bed. The husband held
his dying wife in his arms for an hour
before her removal to place Of safety,


where she expired the next day. One
man beat hole through the roof of his
house with stick Of fire wood, and as.
cended with his little daughter to the
roof where they remained the whole Of
the dreary night. The water was sew


eral feet deep in the County Jail and
there being but one prisoner he was
turned out. The Sheriff and the pris-
oner went to the rescue Of a family and
carried on their backs two ladies and
three children to place of safety.
Several families were rescued from the
tops Of houses in the morning. There
was much suffering in the city for forty
eight hours for want IF food and dry
clothing, but after this, relief came in
sufficient amount. The Mayor of Sac
ramento promptly called meeting Of
the citizens, who Immediately took


measures to procure cooked food and
raiment- His Honor then chartered a