Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
f igu r e 10. Flood of 1861-62 in Sacramento, California. Lithograph of K Street in
Sacramento, near Front Street. (Lithograph courtesy of Bancrot Library Archives,
University of California, Berkeley.)
the mounting catastrophe. Governor Stanford traveled from his mansion to
the capital building by rowboat. Following the expedited ceremony, with
l oodwaters rising all around at the rate of one foot per hour, Stanford rowed
back to his mansion, where he was forced to steer his boat to a second-story
window in order to enter his home.
William Brewer was staying in San Francisco at the time and described
Sacramento's plight in a letter to his brother on January 19, 1862:
h e rains continue, and since I last wrote the l oods have been far worse than
before. Sacramento and many other towns and cities have again been over-
l owed, and at er the waters had abated somewhat they are again up. h
at
doomed city is in all probability again under water today.
Sacramento is out of food. Benevolent societies are active, boats have been
sent up, and thousands are l eeing to this city. h ere have been some of the
most stupendous charities I have ever seen. An example will sui ce. A week
ago today news came down by steamer of a worse condition at Sacramento
than was anticipated. h e news came at nine o'clock at night. Men went to
work, and before daylight tons of provisions were ready—eleven thousand
