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thirty dollars; deck twenty dollars; a berth, five dollars; meals, two dollars. The larger steamer "Senator," familiar to all California pioneers, soon made its appearance. The first steamer ever upon the waters of the bay of San Francisco was a small boat about the size of a ship's boat, taken from Sitka in 1847, by Captain W. A. Leidesdorff, and run on the bay until February, 1848, when she was lost during a severe northwest gale.

CHAPTER XIX.

FLOODS AND FIRES.

California, like most new States during the early stages of their development, suffered losses by reason. of imperfect organizations for protection against floods and fires, as well as the results of natural causes. She had her drouths, grass-hopper seasons, and a few earthquakes. Some of these came under my own observation. Notwithstanding these temporary drawbacks, which occurred at long intervals, who would want to leave the genial climate, the cool nights, bracing atmosphere, and delightful mountain and seaside resorts, for a land of cultry days and nights, of blizzards, cyclones, and fearful tornadoes?

The winters of '49, '50, '53, are memorable for destructive floods, resulting in great loss of property and lives, and to prevent the recurrence of such unfortunate disasters, the cities bordering on the streams liable to inundation, such as Stockton, Marysville and Sacramento, especially the latter, raised their buildings and filled in with earth to the height of ten or twelve feet, or above high water mark. The difficulty was greatly aggravated after the advent of hydraulic mining. The debris from these extensive washings

raised the bed of the streams into which they flowed, impeding, to some extent, the navigation of the Sacramento river to its mouth at the bay of San Francisco. Many ranches and orchards were destroyed along the foothills bordering the streams. The mining and valley interests thus conflicting, inspired considerable legislation and litigation, and the difficulties were finally partially set at rest by requiring the hydraulic miner to impound the loose earth before it could reach the valley.

I was caught in Sacramento in the great overflow in January, '52, when all the inhabitants were compelled to seek safety in flight, or in the second story of their buildings. A temporary levee had been thrown up along the south bank of the American river, that gave way during the night, and when morning dawned the city presented a scene of desolation. Little Whitehall boats from the vessels moored at the landing were plying in all directions, engaged in relieving and saving persons and property. Some of the people were wading about, up to their waists, or arm pits. The water stood from four to six feet deep over the town with the exception of two or three acres that constituted the old Plaza, between I and J and Eighth and Ninth streets. This was occupied by women and children, cows, pigs, chickens, household goods and the like. Everybody appeared to be in good spirits and treated the matter as a huge joke. The water began to subside in about thirty-six hours, when things soon assumed their normal condition. While it was at flood tide, however, I hired a boatmen to row me three miles to Brighton, past Sutter's fort, where I took a conveyance to my ranch on the Consumnes.

The great flood of '53 occurred during my absence in the States. A San Francisco paper of January 1, 1853, contained the following account of it: "The present winter is conceded to be the most severe experienced in this country since it has been populated by Americans. During the last fortnight it has been raining continually in the mountains and valleys and we are daily in the receipt of accounts of disasters and suffering in all parts of the State. The waters have been unusually high, and communication through the mining regions almost entirely cut off, either by snow or overflowed streams. The rivers have been swelled to such an extent as to inundate all the low lands, causing immense damage, destroying stock and agricultural products. Marysville and Sacramento are partly inundated. Although Sacramento is well protected by a levee, the lower portions are submerged. On the mountain streams the loss of mining implements has been great and all work for the present is suspended. Bridges have been swept away and ferries destroyed and some few lives lost. The flood has been universal and the waters higher than in the memorable winter of 1849. The great scarcity of provisions and the consequent high prices have occasioned much suffering and distress already and it is feared that many will actually die of starvation. Many miners subsist entirely upon beef and potatoes, while in other portions of the mines there are hundreds who have nothing at all but barley and potatoes. In portions of Yuba and Sierra counties the snow was already ten feet deep and still falling and the miners reduced to absolute want. In one place they held a meeting and forced a trader to sell what flour he had on hand at forty-five cents a

pound and all who were able to leave did so, thus leaving the provisions for those who were unable to find their way through the snow to the valleys. In some places cabins were entirely covered with snow and the roofs of many have been crushed in, thus cutting off the last chance of protection. It is not improbable that some may perish by starvation. A few days since we were visited with a terrible southeast gale which prevailed for two days. Several light tenements were blown down and some injury done to the shipping in the harbor. For a day or two communication by stage with San Jose was cut off owing to the sudden rise in the intermediate streams."

In 1852 destructive fires occurred in various parts of California. The greater portion of the City of Sacramento was laid in ashes by a conflagration on the night of November 2, 1852. The San Francisco Herald gave, at the time, the following account. "At II o'clock in the evening, a fire broke out on "J" street, near the corner of Fourth. The inspectors were counting the votes for the Presidential electors and State officials, while a numerous crowd were awaiting the decision of the Judges, so that no time was lost in delay. With astonishing rapidity the fire spread from building to building, up, down and across the street in five minutes. The Crescent City Hotel, on the opposite side of the street, was in flames, and being of inflammable material and of large size, sent the fiery torrent in every direction. The fire swept clean both sides the street until it reached Eighth. For a time. the superhuman exertions put forth seemed to check, and it was hoped would entirely subdue the fire. The boom of the powder like artillery that was deposited

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