Mariposa Democrat., 1857-07-02
TuIarc Valley I'm Tuiare County.

Tularc Valley In Tulare County.
The Tulare valley embraces all that section
of country known as the Four Creeks. 1t is
bounded on the North and South by the plains !;
on the East by the Sierra Nevada, and on the
West by Tulare Lake, being about thirty-fve
miles long, North and South, and fifty miles
East and West 1t is watered by two rivers,
viz: the Tule and Kah-wee-ah-bot having
their sources in the loftiest submits of the
Sierra Nevada mountains The water of the
Tule river sinks on reaching the plains; the
Kah-wee-ah, after reaching the valley, forks
and forms what is called the Four Creeks
On the western extremity Of the valley is stu
ated Tule Lake, connecting on the south with
Buena Vista Lake, and also with Kern Lake.
The waters Of the two streams, and three
Lakes abound in great variety of the fnny
tribe, the finest of which is the far famed
mountain trout Deer, Elk, Antelope and
Grizzlies are numerous, and very tame, con-
sequently they fall an easy prey to the rowing
hunters. During all seasons of the year the
lakes are frequented by numerous flocks Of
Ducks, Geese, Swans Cranes, Brants, togeth-
er with every species, variety and description
of water fowls. The turtle is not found either
in these streams or lakes. Great numbers of Of
ter and Beaver inhabit the lakes and streams,
and it would pay those understanding the sin
gular habits Of these creatures, to trap for
for them during the winter season. The first
settlers in this valley numbered fifteen or
seventeen men. Their tents were pitched
on the banks of the Kah-wee-ah, in the sum-
mer Of 81, where the town of Woodville now
stands. On the 18th of December, 81, while
the settlers were out building their cabins, an
attack was made by the Indians on all the
white men, simultaneously, and massacred all
except two of the original settlers, who es-
capped by swimming the Kah-wee-ah river. Mr..
Wood, after whom the town Of Woodville is
named, was in his cabin at the time the lndi-
ans made their murderous and treacherous as.
sault, and succeeded in killing twenty Of the
savages. After exhausting his ammunition the
Diggers forced the door, took him prisoner,
and tied him to tree and flayed him alive
After which the Indians retired to the noun
tains, driving off with them some four or five
hundred head Of cattle belonging to Mr.. French.
Maj. Patten U. s. A., commanding officer
at Fort Miller, went in pursuit Of the savages,
and after encamping for six weeks on the banks
of Kah-wee-ah, he returned to his post, de-
claring the Indians to be peaceablc. After
Tulare county was formed out of the southern
portion of Marposa county, in the year 1852,
and during the same year, emgrants again
settled the valley. Since this time the valley
has been rapidly filling up with an industrious
class of farmers and stock raisers The land
is of most excellent quality for every des-
cription of farming purposes, being easily irri-
gated and producing annually most abundant
crop of natural clover and other grass, render
ing this section of the county of Tulare, one of
the best grazing positions in this State, for all
kinds of stock. There are no mustangs in the
valley, or in fact none are seen south of Kings
River.
The town of Visalia, the county seat is
near the center of the valley, sixty miles
south of Millerton, and is rapidly improving.
An excellent school is kept by Mrs. Kinney,
for young ladies, which is well patronized by
the citizens. There are two Grist Mills con-
stantly in operation during all seasons Of the
year, one being driven by water, and the other
by steam power. Last session the Legislature
granted charter to certain parties, to con-
struct canal from Tulare Lake to the San
Joaquin River, and surveyors are now running
lines, locating routes, and otherwise preparing
for the construction of the canal. When this
grand undertaking is completed, great advan-
tages will accrue to the farming and mining
interests Of the county, in the way of obtain
ing supplies, and in sending the productions Of
the soil to ready market About seventy
miles south of Visaia, on Kern and White
rivers, are to be found some rich Quartz lodes,
and many valuable placer mines. Several
Quartz mills are now in operation, crushing the
rock from these Quartz veins, and many others
are in process of erection and expected to be
completed this summer
Such is the history and such are some the
resources of Tulare county, and we may conf
IDENTIFY expect that before long it will be little
behind hand with other counties in wealth,
population, and internal improvement
We have obtained much of the above valu-
able information from Mr.. Meckley, one of the
Oldest settlers of that section, to whom we re-
turn our sincere thanks.