The weekly union record., 1864-02-20
Humboldt Correspondence.
USIoSvILLE, Feb. IL, 1864.

persons write for the purpose of seeing their
productions in print. A large number write
for the public journals for amusement or profit,
while few send their ideas forth to the world
to instruct and impart valuable facts and in
formation Fer the latter purpose propose
to send you few brief notes respecting the
pecuIiarities Of this country, acquired during
trip taken the past Autumn with my friend,
Capt. Bureh the Indian Agent for the several
bands Of Indians of this section-himsels the
biggest Pab-Uie of them all.
Well. it was pleasant morning We left
UDionville, and took the road to Sierra Mining
District, which lies some FIVE and twenty miles
northeast OF this place. We arrived at Dun
Glen in due time, and there stopped for the day,
for the purpose Of examining the principal
claims of that fourishiDg mining camp. Dun
Glen is The only town of this district and in the
center OF it. Some very fine ledges are located
in this district-the Gem of the Sierras, Nep-
tune, Iowa, Willis, and others whose names |
do not now remember Rock from several of
these ledges has been recently worked at Falls
mill at this place, and the result was not only
satisfactory, but highly cheering of the
rock paying from $500 10 $500 per tou-and
this from the top Of the several ledges.
Leaving Dun Glen, the next morning, We
passed eastward over the mountains. A ride
of two and half hours brought US to the banks
of the tortuous Humboldt river, and we con-
tinued our course up it 10 White & Morris
valuable ranch, where we camped for the night,
thirty miles from Dun Glen. In the whole
length of this singular and wonderful river,
from its lake or sink to its source-three hun
dred miles from point to point-there is not
mile of it perfectly straight. In some places it
is more crooked than politicians course, and
its current madly rapid and resistless. Although
its banks are richly fringed with luxuriant
growth of small willows, there is not 10 be
found on its entire margin a tree Of any size or
any species save the willow In this latter
respect far unlike the other main rivers of this
Territory-the Walker, the Carson and the
Truckee-it is barren of timber of any sort or
size.
few miles eastward of White K Morris, at
point little below the Big Bend of the
Humboldt" the celebrated Humboldt Canal
or ditch taps the river. 1t is now in process
of construction, several miles being already
completed. 1t is a project of much magnitude
and paramount importance to the development
of the mining resources of this region. lis
projected length is about 75 miles, and its
course will run along the south side of the river
in near proximity to Harmony, Winnemucca,
Sierra, Central, Prince Royal, Santa Clara,
Humboldt and Echo Mining Districts, affording
to each an abundance of water power. The
capacity OF the ditch or canal is estimated at
from six to ten thousand inches, and will be
motion any number OF mills to 90 the needed
work of the mines. The canal company have
already had numerous applications for mllsites,
but as yet, an told, have declined all. When
this ditch is completed and mills erected on it,
and steam mills are also erected, land in many
localities we have plenty of woody the world
will not only be astonished but amazed at the
amount of treasure this at present neglected
country will pour into the general current of
the worlds wealth. At frst the mines of
Washoe were considered a delusion. BY grand
results and experience that delusion was dissi
pated. Then came the Mono, the Esmerada
the Silver Hi and finally the Reese River
excitement. For time, each of them became
the fashion and the center of investment and
speculation. Their growth was rapid-their
continued prospect doubtful While Humboldt
equal to either and superior to most of them
has lapguished along its existence of three
years, receiving the sneers of its enemies, main
tanning the faith and confidence of its friends
But what and where is Mono now ?-desolated,
decayed, blatted out. Esmeralda, more fortu
nate than IFS neighbors, continues prospering,
and from day to day her ledges having proved
rich, she merits and maintains the confidence
of community. Reese river for awhile blazed
forth in attractive splendor, aud drew anxious
crowds of thousands to her golden shrine, Her
attractions are now on the waue. But Hum
boldt-what Of her? With no capital for de-
velopment with no mills but one of any
account, and that of only recent value aud
utility TO her-she has progressed slowly yet
surely on the road to success. She is now
sending her bricks of precious metals of
thousands of ounces to the coast towns for the
admiriDg gaze Of thousands But this is di-
crossing. | was led into it by contemplating
the future value and benefit TO be derived by
our miners from the successful completion of
the Humboldt Canal, and the erection OF steam
mills.
All along our route up the Humboldt river,
was as much surprised as pleased 10 find the
river bottom so rich and fertile From the
sink to the big bend OF the river all the bottom