The Nevada journal., 1859-08-19
Editorial Correspondence.
SAN JOSE, Aug. 6. 1859

place Is easy OF accomplishment. You
have only to pay 81. go on board the
Sophie McLane. and you will soon be
walking the waters ofthe bay to Alviso
"a distance of45 miles. Here, if you are
fortunate seat may be procured on the
coach-if unfortunate You may find a
place to hang on, or 60 on foot to San
Jose distance ofnine miles. Two dol
lars is the fare by steamboat and the
chances of ride from Alviso by stage
are thrown in. The road from AlvisO Is
apleasant one provided always you get
seat and are not compelled to work
your passage. The road TO Santa Clara
is, however, n monotonous one. You
roll along on level plain, and save and
except the sight of mountains from ten
to fifteen miles distant, there is nothing
70 break the sameness of fiat acres de.
voted to indifferent tillage Or suffered to
run to grass and weeds AS you ap-
prOACu CaHtd SidId tut CouutIN dSSuiheS
. more cheerful aspect. Fine orchards
and gardens begin to appear and fields
of grain, if not larger, look more remun-
crative.
Santa Clara is little town spread,
like her sister San Jose, over large
space. The houses scattered sparsely
over the landscape, many of them sur
rounded with fr'lit trees, give an air of
quiet and repose to .he place. There
is Catholic College aud other schools
established here of which shall speak
more hereafter.
The road from Santa Clara to San
Jose. distance of near miles, is sha-
ded on both sides by rows of willow
trees, with an occasional cottonwood and
sycamore. planted by the old padres
The sameness of the ride is relieved by
these trees, but more by occasional turns
in the road which prevent the same Wis
ion from being constantly before you.
San Jose presents more the appear
ance of an Eastern agri cultural town
than any place | have yet seen in the
State. 1t has many good buildings cons
structcd of brick, and The many wooden
dwellings, scattered over the plain far
and near, painted some white and others
brown, and surrounded by green trees
giveit an inviting appearance. A large
town hall built of brick for State Cap
ital and the Catholic Female Seminary
under the charge of the Sisters of Char
ity, are the principal buildings of the
place.
Quicksilver mines IF GHddaloupe and
Enriqucfa' miles to the south
west Of San Jose among the hills are the
quicksilver mines of Guadalupe. The
approach to them smade by crossing the
valley and winding up the Guadaloupe
creek which discharges a small stream
f.om the hills into the valley. AS you
near the hills the road passes through a
dry appearing, gravelly country over
whichare scattered sycamores and live
oaks like orchard trees. About 3 miles
afte. leaving the valley and entering
the defile through which the Guadalupe
is supposed to flow in winter, you come
upon ;he works of the Santa Clara Min
ing Company. The mine and works
are owned by a company of gentlemen
living in Baltimore The Guadaloupe
mine was first opened near the top OF
the ridge to tic left of the road, 1t not
proving rcmunerativc after much ex-
pense had been incurred upon it, coun-
sci was taken about abandoning it, when
chance set the company to prospecting
in another locality not far distant. A
Mexican pulled up soap root on the
narrow strip of fiat land next to the creek
and discovered cannabar attached tC
Tie Shall IoOkS VI IT, ANC'i tHO pl"NN
the present shaft of the Santa Clara
mining company was sunk, and from ii
comes the quicksilver of Guadalupe.
The shaft is an inclined one, like that
of the Nebraska, and is 240 feet in depth
running under the bed of the creek. By
the politeness of Mr.. Louis Woll W eber
Mining Director, we were allowed to
visit the subterranean chambers where
the cannabaris obtained. The descent
is made by means of steps by the side o.
the track. After reaching about 200 feet
we came to lateral tunnels in the rock
which led to the workmen at work. The
cinnabar is found in the hardest serpen.
tive in this mine and is obtained only by
blasting. As in the mines of New AL