New-York daily tribune., 1861-07-21
THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE GRyA.
BASIN.
COLD ON THE HUMBOLDT"

To the Editor If TAe N. ". T,sts1e.
SIR In yoar WEEKLY of July 6, I notice an inter
esting article under the above heading.
That Exceedingly rich" placers have been a.
covered in that region may be doubtful, but finding
gold there will surprise no one who s acquainted wth
it and with localities where gold s being obtained.
Minerals are not usually found in soil containing other
valne. - .t4r 2
Much of the territory through which the Humboldt
flows especially for the last 20 miles Of its course Is
in apparent worhlessness wel nigh beyond exaggera-
ton. Timber for 250 miles is almost q nom
entity; water for $50 miles is, with few exceptions
mere kqufed filth "smmered down." hot enough IN
Summer to grill salamanders, and not drop of rain
for months. And yet, with all these objections fear
your article overesimates the difficulties miners and
residents must necessarily encounter there. One who
nothing but the immediate vicinity Of the river
and that IN advanced Summer gains the very wOrst
impression which the country can eiye. have trav-
eled on the Humboldt in Spring, Midsummer, and
Ausumn, and therefore speak understaudinfy. Per-
passing npou the great highway contin aehy in
sight Of sun smaten, ghinmering mountains ana wide
desert plains almost Inevitably conclude that there Is
unlimited space filled with nothing but bunt rocks
and parched wases except IN the vicinity OF the lake,
few miles above. The conclusion Is not quite cor
rect. Fertile spots Tar west these points may
be wholly wanting.
There is probably more productive soil and COED
water the river upon the north side tban upon the
south The tributaries from the nosh are smaller and
more numerous. Some OF Ihese tnbutarss-two !
recollcct-wind their way through meadows where
q few miles from the riyer-Isrge herds would fpd
pasnage many tuns OF very good hay might be cut
AT the foot of the distant bills and intermediate
Of varied extent, made by snal streams becom
ing diused over the surface. OF timber, ave willow
twigs along the river, there is none. q .
Upon this side-that Is the southwhere the old north
aud Salt Lake road strikes the river THAT i, near ts
Of tuHa fuff ~
almost uninteruptedly 10 the mountain, dsteos Of
several miles and producing aInount Of grass hard
ly 20 be credited until Along these mountains
win be found living springs and streams and eonss,
quently fertile spots. The mountains are tmberea
chiefly with pine; NOT the very best, though N con-
siderable quantities. - -. ~. a.. 1ft te-f ID "a.
Beyond this mountsin-chsn, TO the south, Is terri
tory made up Of hills, detached mountains and valleys,
IN parts hidsously and barren, and in other
parts yerdant. One of these valleys which traced
could not have been less than 6xsy miles In
length by one-haf or ouethird - many IN
BREADTH aud contained many ases Of desirable Land.
Near the center is small lake, supplied from numer
springs and rivulets and around it udb cranes,
ducks and geese seemed 70 be having ge1Ssst
carouse. The mountain side toward the Humboldt is
densely, though from appearance not heavily, tim
bered
Westward of this valley. to the south branch of the
Humboldt and beyond H. the saue general cbaracteis-
tics Of country prevail The south branch reaobes ss
Humboldt through deep gorge or chasm. South Of
the mountains cut by this chasm, Is bread plain,
stretching away 10 the south and westbow far wna
not even hazard conjectue-in and around which
this stream has It's rise. Some of The grass-6elds
bordering the t4buties OF the south branch are OF
surprising eatent aud luSunanee Considerable timber
can be obtained from Che surrounding mountains, and
all the wa;er-power ever TO te needed Thai Ihe local.
ies ast described are inhabitsbc is svidBced by the
Occupying them These ISGi...- r.ssssa Mi tod pun.
Der OF horses which they ride eat convenience
suggests To the aboveGeseribed spots, as available
for grang and agrie allure, many tracts along Gooe
Creek, and the north branch Of the Humboldt, with
their srbntaries shouid be added.
But there is another mode OF obtaining food 10 that
country soon to be adopted mining proves profitable
MANY s1uoTc miles Of land along the Humboldt,
Trickley. Carson, and Walker Rivers could be made
satisfactorily productive BY isation The rivers can
be made 10 suyply ss needed moisture and that too,
wiLho unreasonable expense ia DAMS dikss, or other
hydraulic devices. .
Drusged whisky VIII probably continue standard
beverage for some time but any should De 20 angu
lar prefer simple, pure water Is can be ootained
anywhere III the Great Dasr abundantly, even for
washing ssds and cooking potatoes, by toe aid OF
good cstern and nm inexpensive contriyance for col.
lectng the aud as II fnls. Rain water ioe culinary
purposes is no, low resort bat has been the depend
erce in some pats Of the woIll from remote ,imes.
Such general scarcity Of timber Is no doubt, an in-
convenience po;wIthsandiig the endless shsis, suo-
slitu,es and A1r-dsets n-te.ty is to invent Of
which Mor-nonaom Is an d lusti ai'on.
Though 4 an sstIsf,d thai parties IN search OF an
earthly paraiiec woul cot BE- Ekcly 20 please them
selves in tLa new "Tcrritory OF Nevada, am
equally satisfied tat il viii son manifest itself TO the
world as something more than It's name implies, ana
something more th,n Gscess desert. A miners NE
is almost necessarily Of hardshp but inasmach 10
the universal Yankee uaiion win not be conaed 70
model ha.acre Jis lee item try their fortunes on TIE
Humboldt. Every veiu Of ore found there, whether
worked or not, aud every yard Of earth containing
gold, will he an additional argument 10 favor OF thet
areat Pacific Railway which soon should, and evcn-
tualy must, span the American continent
4 A. HARBOUR
souta oEoatdcs, ~ y, July TO- 1891.