The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-10-26
LETTERS FROM NEVADA.
NUMBER l.
CARSON CITY, NEVADA,
T.l,- 1Qck

~uy htNu Ift6HuS' '--OihSO H. ~
journ in this strange land, have Of
ten thought, that l would send you oc-
casionally, Il description of some of the
wonderful things / have seen here, for
l find that this country is so different
from all other parts Of the world, that
to those..who,havo a curiosity that way,
simple ''jotting' Of minc may bc in
teresting.
No spectacle can be moro singular
than the view the beholder has of Ne
vada, for the first time. from tho lofty
peaks of the. noble, ever green Sierras.
After sailing up broad and beautiful
river, in a floating palace, steaming
over bed Of flowers, and rolling along
over fertile valleys, and blossoming
hills, in an easy coach for day and a
half, wo reach tho summit" from
which we have, as Moses had from Ne
DO, q view OF "the promised land, )" but
wc emulate him in only the one re-
spcct, for, far from its being "a land
flowing with milk and honey" more
barren and desolato sight never greet
cd the human eye, and, l think had
such a prospect met tho vision of our
old jewish Fathers after their weary
march they would fain have clung to
"the mound in tho wilderness, or long
cd moro than ever for "the fesh-pots
of Egypt ] cannot describe the faint,
heart-sick feeling that took possession
of me as looked for the first time up
on this silver land. We were on the
summit" of the Sierra Nevada Noun
tains between seven and eight thou
sand feet above the level of the sea
tho twas in the midst CT summer, and.
we had left all California behind US,
clad in gorgeous robes of ruby, emer-
aid and topaz tints, above us reared
the snowy peaks that over bear brow
pure and serene as Majesty himself,
whilo below US, almost at our very
feet lay this barren, naked land, and
as remembered ii was for some time
to como to be my home, l almost fan.
cied / could hear the prison gates
changing behind me. This ridge is
the dividing line between the two
States, California and Nevada; behind
and each sido Of us rose, and undula.
ted as waves Of the sea, the different
ridges that form this grand western
wall TO our new State. The descent is
very curious; atho it appears but q
step down into tho valley, the road
winds and Hnwinds itself seven miles
along tho sides of the mountain, down
into it. Wo have from the "summit" t"
a very fair view of the general out
lines Of the State. To the South Of us
looms up high and barrier.like, max
ing "dark back. ground 'gainst the
sky" what is called Silver Mountain,
at the foot of which lies the Monitor
mining district;-farther off to the
south of. east, more like heavier clouds
against the horizon, are the mountains
among which are the famous Body and
Del Shuto mines, in the Emerald dis
trict;-still moro to the north, or lit
tie east north rises Mount David
son, one Of tho highest peaks Of Nova
da, at the base of which is Virginia
City, and tho Virginia District, the
original "Washoo," in which is the
wonderful Comstock ledge, on which
are located the Ophir Savage, Gould
and-Curry, and other well known
mines.
These mountains arc all connected
by lower hills forming three-fourths
of circle connecting at the extreme
north and south with the Serras: tho
valleys below arc again divided at ir-
regular intervals by other ranges of
hills, and all, alone excepting tho ST.
erras, are as bleak and barren as can
well be imagined, no forests, no ver-
dure, not n solitary green treo, or
SHRUB, nought save tho ashen.hued
sage. bush to welcome tho new conner;
surely it required nerve TO rccolect
that though so impoverished outward
ly, "its under garments were of gold
and silver" and to dash onward to dis
cover the same,
In few moments VIC wero down in
the valley of Carson, and in Nccdda,-
The road we just passed over is called
tho Mcdonald & Kingsbury grade, be-
ing built by men of these names; but
there is newer and a shorter one, over
which am going soon. to visit our one
beautiful spot, Lake Tahoe. At the
foot of this road lies littlo village
forming q gateway into Nevada; it is
now called Genoa, but has a renown in
its way; it was onco tho only settle
mentin what is now called Nevada,
which was then tho Ormsby County Of
Brigham Young's domains, and was
then called Shannon City, and was
place ofsome Importance as rest for
to California. Now it is al
most deserted for larger places farther
east, where there was "nought but des'
oation." From Genoa to Carson q
distance Of eighteen miles, is fine
road, as tho sandy mature of the soil
makes most OF the soil in this country,
the finest in tho world, and we sped
along in fine time, soon reaching this
little capital, and although l have not
said half wished TO say, will defer
to my next, q glimpse Of this place,
and, if l have not now trespassed on
your time beyond your patience,
will give you Of how we ''livo, move,
and have our being" out here on this
eastern SLOPE"