The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-03-16
Letter from California.

JohnsOnS Ranch, CallfOfnla,t
February IL, 1861.
FRrrNp DuNHAM,-The Coral Cave is situated
in Eldorado county, twelve miles southeast of
Auburn. The locality is on the north side of a
deep canon, and was discovered in quarrying
stone for lime; there being an immense deposit
of greyish limestone or marble running across
the canon at that point They, in their opera
tons, struck through the roof of one of the cav
erBs; they then cut door way through the solid
rock, some fifteen feet on level, into the floor
Of the first or ante.room. This is some twenty
feet square and twelve feet high; the walls being
Of the same formation as the outer covering. The
next apartment is of smaller dimensions, being
only ten feet wide and some twenty feet long
In passing through this, the splendors of the
third apartment strike the eye. 1t is brilliantly
lighted, and the reflection of light from the vari.
Gus formations are really beautiful. The "Cave,'
as this is called, is some $50 feet in length, by
The first thing that strikes your attention is the
formation from which the Cave received its
name; it represents huge mass Of coral in fan
tastic shapes. To get good view Of this you
ON the coral reef" This is OH the right of the
entrance to the left the floor inclines at an angle
Of some twenty-five degrees; the roof is hung
with stalactites of the most beautiful forms, some
Of them very curious; many of them being five
and six feet in length, and not larger than a
common pipe stem, and hollow their entire
length. They to be still increasing in length
as many of them are soft at the lower end, and
from portion of them water trickles down.
From the floor their is another formation, rising
to the height of four and five feet; they are gen
orally larger at the base, running up like cone,
and solid; they seem to have been formed by the
water from above. The ceiling of this immense
room is hung with stalactites of all dimensions
Leaving this room. we pass through a small
opening in the wall, and enter second room
very similar to the first in dimensions. In this
there is one very irregular formation; it resem.
bles pulpit hung with stalactites for drapery,
and it is of perfect form. There are steps lead.
ing up, seemingly as perfect as though formed
by art For an hours recreation this place af
fords a fine opportunity; the outer or entrance
room is fitted up as saloon in good style. Any
one wishing to sec real beauty of that kind, lie,
them visit the Coral Cave. notice at the head
of the list of visitors that of W. Starr King. The
books had been open near two months, and there
we're some two thousand names recorded.
After spending some two hours at the Gave
we started for home, by the way of "Wild Goose
Flat, and you might almost call it wild goose
trip" for We we're seemingly in mid air the most
of the time, winding here and there over and
around mountain lodges, at all heights. We ar,
rived at Georgetown at dusk, after delightful
days experience. The country through which
we passed is of little value, being very broken.
Here and there may be found small valley but
they are generally ruined for agricultural pur.
poees by miners. Any one unacquainted with
this country has no idea of the amount of work
expended in mining Men will commence and
wash off the soil from these vallies to the depth
of ten feet for acres, and in some localities much
deeper. There is no land in the country, but
what is subject to these inroads. They would as
soon commence in mans garden as any where
else, ard can 90 it by giving security for the
damage to crops. On this route there was very
tile timber; none Of Importance. The growth
of pine was small The oak Of these foot hills is
worthless, only for fire wood. l have not vet
found any that can be used to advantage. The
great majority Of fencing in the mountain dis
tricts is made Of timber what We call brush
fence. There is but little permanent improve
ment in this region of country; all is of tran
sieAt FORM The fences of brush are in major.
ity, where there is board fence, it is not half
made. The posts are only placed some eighteen
inches in the ground, the boards put on by lap
ping over, thus giving an awkward appearance.
The buildings are made in the same cheap style,
mostlo formed Of boards, set up and down, with
out any inside finish, only TO line with muslin
and paper. Many do not even do that, but live
in the house with naked walls. There is the
least amount Of taste exhibited in the improve
ment OF farms that have ever seen All seem
70 be running after the almighty dollar, and leav-
nag the little home comforts out of the question.
There IRE exceptions, but thar is the rule. There
is not one farm in five hundred with the prouer
Improvements. In and around the towns there
is considerable taste displayed by those that are
able. There Is no country in the world suseen.
tible Of improvement greater than this in tho
line of Horticultural and Arboricultural orp..
nsnt. The climate il such that In most local.
Iiss al kinds Of plants will do Ia open cir; oil
hat - really out door Planta All one has to