Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-05-07
Nevada Territory.
From the New York Tribune, APP

From the New York Tribune, April 7th.
Five years ago next July we traversed the
region now known as Nevada Territory then the
outlying western portion of Utah. AT least
ninety nine hundredths Of 1t had never had the
dwelling Of civilized human beings within sight.
We travelled some four or five hundred miles
within the present limits Of Nevada, and never.
saw field of grain decent house therein till
we struck Carson river near its "snk, the day
before we crossed the Sierra into California.
There was one house-a very new one-at Nir-
ginia City, now the capital of the Territory, with
hundreds of edifces and thousands Of inhabitants;
there was green and beautiful valley az the head
OF the Carson, and smart young village therein
known an Genoa, where we found a newspaper
and telegraph ofice-the first since Salt Lake
City and there may have been 5,OOO inhabitants
most Of them Chinese and 1ndians-withn the
limits which now inclose Nevada but many OF
these were prospecting" in the mountains and
rulches, so that there can hardly have been two
hundred decent dwellings In the Territory
altogether-no more. Now, Nevada has
Legislature, several cities, any number OF
stores and hotels and came very. near being
made State last Fall-ouly her people wouldn't,
evincing a practical wisdom which they VIII
hardly evincs again. Nevada is bound to be a
State. Professor Silliman, we understand, has
gone out TO make a geological survey OF, and re-
port upon, its mineral resources, which are I'M
doubtedy great. Even now, when hardly five
years have elapsed since their discovery, the sill.
yer mines of Nevada yield greater annual pro-
duct than those of any country, Mexico excepted
And this yield is clearly not hundreth part of
what it may and will be. But, leaving these TO
Professor Silman, we proceed to speak Of the re-
gion which embosoms them. Nevada Is remarka-
bly, and almost necessary healthy. 1t forms the
western side of the Great Basin inclosed by the
Rocky Mountains on the east and the Sierra Ne
vada on .he west the average elevation of its val
laNy hair nj fact above
while very little oft so low as 1000 feet. Some
of tho peaks of the Humboldt mountains are II QUO
feet high. The Winters are Of moderate length,
with temperament like that Of our city-mod
flied, doubtless, by the mild breezes from the Pa
cfc No rain falls for six to eight months Of each
year, and there are no swamps. The rivers that
run eastward from the Sierra lose themselves In
sinks" on the great, usually barren plain that
stretches far eastward, thinly covered with the
hopeless shrub known as sage brush. Houses
being scarce here, it is pleasant that sleeping IN
the open air is usually pleasant and inyigorating.
The Humboldt river, which rises in tho mountains
of Western Utah, pursues a circuitous but gener
ally southwestern course for some three hundred
and fifty miles, losing Itself in sink" soon after
passing through Humboldt Lake, perhaps one
hundred miles from the foot Of the Sierra Ne
vada and forty north of the sink" Of the
Carson. The Humboldt is largest near its head,
receiving few and feeble tributaries, and being
only decent mill-stream in summer. which
dwindles as it proceeds. 1t runs through desc
late valley from ten to twenty miles wide
bounded by ranges Of mountains Us desolate as 1t.
self These mountains are now disclosing immense
deposits of the precious metals to the explorers
energetic researches. Vast plateaus Of salt, with
veins of sulphur and beds of nitre are also re-
ported, with mineral springs Of varied and mar
Vicious efficacy. In short, the Humboldt noun.
tains are now declared miracles Of wealth and
attraetiveness-whichb bellies their looks emphati.
cally Mount Sinai must be the denomination
of desolation" IL appears more naked and sterile
than they do A great deal Of money has already
been made by mining in Nevada, as thousand
times more doubtless will be in due time. With
the Pacific Railroad Tor even part Of it, to bring
thom relatively cheap food and forage, the mines
of this sterile region would doubtless be worked
to far greater extent and profit than they now
can be and that railroad we must have within
ten years at farthest. We predict that the child
ia born who will see this country produce gold
and silver to the amount Of two hundred mil.
lions of dollars per aunum and then we will
have greenbacks and gold at par, unless the for
mer, being more portable, should at some points
command a small premium. Uncle Sam has his
difficulties, but he is not going TO fail