Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1850-05-09

form any opinion Of its general char.
acter orsoil. Some ofits valleys have
been visited by miners, who represent
them as equal to any portion of the
country TO the westward Of it.
The great valley of the Colorado, sit.
ua'ed between the Sierra Madre and
the Sierra Nevada, is but little known.
IL IS Inhabited by numerous tribes of
savages. who manifest the most decided
hostility towards the whites, and have
hitherto prevented any explorations OF
their country, and do not permit emf
grants TO 60 through il. Therefore
parties from Santa Fc, on their way 10
California, are compelled 10 make q
circuit Of near a thousand miles north.
ward 10 the Salt Lake, or about the
same distance southwark by the route
of Gila. Although this valley is little
known there are indications that il is
fertile and valuable.
The name of the river "Colorado" is
descriptive of its waters; they are as
deeply colored as those of the Missouri
or Red river, while those of the ella
which we know flows through barren
lands, are clear.
IL would seem impossible for a large
river TO collect sediment enough in q
sandy, barren soil, TO color its waters 50
deeply as TO give il a name amobg
hose who first discovered and have
since visitc ] its shores. The probabIi.
~ is, therefore. that This river flows
through an alIuvial valley of great fer.
tility, which has never been explored
This conjecture is strengthened by the
fact that the Indians who lnhabit il are
hostile and oppose, as far as they can.
all persons who attempt TO eater or ex.
plore it. This has been their uniform
course of conduct respecting all por-
lions of the continent which have been
fertile, abounding in game and the
spontaneous productions of the earth.
AS this valley is situated in the d.
rect route from Santa Fc to California
its thorough exploration becomes a
matter of very great importance, es.
peciaIly as ii is highly probable tha,
the elevated regions to the north oft,
covered with snow during the most of
the year, will force the line of the great
national railway 10 the Pacific through
some portions oft.
The soil | have described, situated
west Of the Sierra Nevada, and enabra.
cling The plain Of The Sacramento and
Joaquin, covers an area, as nearly as
l can estimate, of between fifty and
sixty thousand square miles, and would,
under proper system of cultivation,
be capable of supporting 4 population
equal to that Of Ohio or New York al
the present time.
PROPHETS OF CALIFORNIA
Previous TO the treaty of peace with
Mexico, and the discovery of gold, the
expor,able products of The country con.
sisted almost exclusively of hides and
talIow. The Caifornians were a pas.
toral people. and paid much more at.
tenlion TO the raising of horses and cat.
tie than the cultivation Of the soil.
Wheat, barley, maize, beans, and edi-
ble roots. were cultivated in sufficient
quantity for home consumption, but, as
far as am informed, not for exporta.
ton. At that time full grown OK,
steer, or COW wus worth abou, two dol
lars. Beef cattle delivered on the nav
igabIe waters Of the bay of Sau Fran.
cisco, are now worth from $50 to $50
per head; horses formerly worth from
IS 10 Sl0. are now valued at 500 to
$3.50. The destruction of cattle for
their hides and taIlow has now entirely
ceased. in consequence of the demand
for beef. This demand will of course.
increase with the population, and il
would seem that, in a very few years
there will be none 10 supply the mar.
ket.
If we estimate the number of cattle.
now in California. at 100000 head
which is believed to be about the num-
ber--and the population at 10000 for
the year lS5O-a low esIimate-and
suppose il to increase one hundred
thousand per annum, there will be in
the Territory or State, in 1854, $4,000
people.
five adopt the estimate Of those well
acquainted with the demand, of half a
beef, on an average, to each inhabilant
it appears there will be a consump.
lion, in 1850, of 10000 head; in 1851,
Of 10000; in 1859. of 100000; in
1853. of 100000, in 1854. Of 100000.
Making an aggregate Of 100000, which
would absorb all the present stock,
with its natural increase.
This is very important matter, as
connected with the amount of supply
which the country will ultimately re.
quire from the Atlantic States of the
Union. There is no other country on
earth which has, or will ever possess, the
means ofsupplying so great a demand.
1t is now a well established fact among
the emigranls to California. that oxen
possess greater powers of endurance