The weekly Butte record., 1862-06-14
Chico.

The idea which has prevailed for long time
that all the beautiful and inviting portions of
the State commenced at line Just this side of
San Mateo running through the valley of Santa
Clara, and so on down, to the fruitful vineyards
of Los Angeles, is by no means correct one :;
for the great North presents advantages in To-
cation, scenery and beauty, equally great with
those which lie in district supposed TO be
more favored In travelling short time since
in several of the Northern Counties, we we're
forcibly struck with the natural beauty of the
country through which we passed. The season
was most propitious, and as vegetation of all
kinds was at its height or approximating there
unto. our interest in what we saw was pro-
portionatelv heightened. Circumstances ren
dering it necessary for US TO rest day or two
from our travels, we concluded to transfer
ourselves from the easy riding coach of the
California Stage Company, to the well kept
and hospitable hotel of Johnston & Wetherbee,
at Chico, Butte county.
Chico is about midway between Orovie and
Tehama, being twenty eight miles from the lat
fer. and twenty five from the former, and is d.
rectly on the great line of stage communication
from Sacramento TO Portland, Oregon. Coming
to it as we did in the evening, as the sun was
putting off his bright raiment of the day TO as
sumo the dusky robes of night, the appearance
of all the surroundings were such as induced
us to say here will we pitch our tent to-
night"
Chico is noted particularly for its being the
property of Major John Bidwell, one of TIE
earliest of the settlers who made their home in
the valley of the Sacramento, when California
was comparatively wilderness. Mr.. Bidwell.
it will be recolected. candidate before
the Union Democratic Convention of July 4th.
for Governor, but being no politician, was de
feated in his aspirations but any man with
such magnificent property as he possesses,
could very eassly gain consolation for not be-
ing able to win the smiles of INSCRIPTIONS
politicians by returning to the shades of such
splendid domain. The tract which has been
patented to him comprises somewhere in the
neighborhood of twenty thousand acres of the
finest and most productive land in the State
yielding as matter Of course, an immense
revenue, the greater portion of which is ex
pended by the owner in further developing the
resources of the country which surrounds it,
and improving the property directly around
him. A great many would possess this great
tract of land, and Ike the ahsentees of ireland,
take the immense revenues which it would
yield and expend it elsewhere, leaving the
great heart which supplied the arteries of his
profits without the nourishment which con-
tinued drain upon lis vitals required. 1t may
be said that the vast tract of land owned by
Major Bidwell is too much for one man to own.
In one sense 1t may be-in that Of which we
have just spoken; but when man properly
disposes of the greater part of the income de
rived from such good fortune, why it is a bless
ing instead of an evil that it has been so dis.
posed.
Travellers TO and from the extreme Northern
portion of the State will recollect that the