Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1909 — CALIFORNIA IN FLOOD DANCER [ARTICLE]

CALIFORNIA IN FLOOD DANCER

Rivers of the State at Overflow Stage. GOLD DREDGE IS WRECKED Towns of Visalia and Porterville In the San Joaquin Valley Are Under Water and Woman and Child, It Is Reported, Are Drowned—Citizens With Rafts Come to Rescue of Persons Who Were In Peril. San Francisco Jan. 15.—Floods in the river valleys and landslides in the mountains are threatened as the result of the rain storm now prevailing throughout the state. The Sacramento, American, Feather, Yuba, Ban Joaquin, Kings and Salinas rivers are rising and it is expected that the Sacramento and American will reach the flood stage. A gold dredger valued at $150,000 which had been working in the bed of the American was wrecked. Twenty launches of the Sacramento Boat club were torn from their moorings and swept down stream. The weather bureau has warned the people of Stockton that there is grave danger to that city from the San Joaquin river and Mormon slough. The slough, which carries a great quantity of water, broke through the levees above the town of Linden and has spread over a vast extent of territory. In the northern part of the state over six inches of rain has fallen in the last twenty-four hours and at Blue canon, seven inches have been recorded. Yosemite valley has been temporarily closed to tourists. The levee surrounding Visalia broke and flood waters swept into the town. Porterville was flooded. Twenty-five families living in the lower part of the town were rescued by citizens with rafts. A woman and child are reported to have begn drowned.