Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-05-23
lcorrespODeenes Of the state Sentinel
OVERLAND TRIP TO CALIFORNIA.
Alkaline Districts OF the Pacif'c-the
Internal Weaith OF Nevsda-Hoss to
Make Money I'm silver mtntngs DC.
AusTIs. NKvADa Tn. April 26. 1865


Ed SrSrISEL: Coming from the grain fields
and blooming orchards Of California TO the bar
rem hills and sandy wastes of Nevada. % can
hardly be expected that should 90 into costa
Gle. over the delightful" prospect which no-
greets me. You can have no just conception. eI
cept upon vies OF the picture Of desolation pre-
scented IN this inhospi,able region. long aud
dreafy winter, With daily visitation OF ho"hhg
tempests. broken only by snow capped noun
tains. lining high. oftimes their whitened crests
among the clouds, with scarce any commuuica-
ton with the great rorlj outside. has most ef-
fectualiy hybernated the hardy miners and dar
ing Adventures here congregated The snow
vet liagers on the surrounding mountains, and
not spot Of green vegetation relieves the eye.
Alksl fats and sage bush plains stretch away IN
the distant valleys in gloomy monotony, incon-
cevable by the happy dinizen OF the fertile prai-
ries and shady soodlands Of the States"
Most Of your readers have conception OF an
alkali fat" / will attempt a feeble eIplana-
ton. From the Eastern slopes of the Rocky
Mountains TO the Pacific Ocean, far into Oregon
on the North and Southwark into Mexico, In
greater OF less degree, alkaline deposits, consist
ing mainly Of common salt. alum and seleratus,
are found intermingled with the common soil
In the Great Basin--a district comprised within
the Rocky and Sierra Mountains, extending from
the interior OF Idaho to the Mountains skirtibg
tut OOlUfuuo w tut Nhiitls htnOuk VIC
Black Hills East of the South Pass. these deposits
frequently crop out into lakes encrusted with white
crystals presenting surface like that Of a snow
bank: and wagon wheels passing over them, cut
through this surface. making cracking" noise
resembling that made in going over frozen snow.
10 some instances, these crystals are almost pure
salt; in others, saleratus, ht Tor use in raising
bread and dyspepsia Ia crossing these lakes OF
a hot summers day, the sun, reflected from
myriad crystals. inhames the eyes, and envelopes
in an atmosphere OF sitting heat. the unfortunate
wayfarer. For that reason, they are usually
crossed at night in the hot months.
In other places, pools of water. hltering
through the alkaline soil, lure to speedy death
the animal that ventures there TO slake its thirst
The water OF these pools Is Of a I've color and
consistence; and, when taken into the intes,ines,
quickly corrodes them unless neutralzed by fatty
matter or acids.
Where these salts do not crop out into crystals,
they are found inter mingled with sand and soil;
and. in the dry season, great clouds of dust thus
composed. sweep over the plains like simeon
In the valley Of San Jose, California, in Ger
tain localities. the alkali rises to the surface,
streaking il with a whitish color Beets aud cab
ages are said 10 draw out aed absorb it Small
grain, such as wheat, barley aud oats, grow
readily in alkaline soil So do various fruits But
this productiyeaess must be developed by album
dant moisture; and, where irrigation is not re-
sorted to. such soils refuse TO yield. The dust
which inhames eyes. throat and lungs, and the
water impregnated more or less with these salts.
hard. often brackish. and of a corrosive tendency
will prevent these alkaline districts from be ,om
ing desirable places of residence Exposed to
the dust, the skin scales of. the hair becomes
harsh and leather is soon I" furred up" Here
in Nevada. springs high up in the mountains are
purest while those in the valleys unless OF an
artesian character, are more or less alkaline
Howeyer repulsive this bleak region may be
10 one DESTROYS OF permanent residence, il is not
excelled in mineral wealth. Silver lodges, rang
ing in thickness from few inches TO fifty feet,
are found in all the mountain ranges, from the
South Pass To the Sierras Gold bearing quartz
and cinabar are occasionally found. Salt, in IA
tive crystals, fl for use abounds in convenient
localities. The silver here is found in veins
Of quartz. Before the silver can be dseDgaged
this rock must be crushed. 10 do which prottably
requires mills, costing from $780, 900 TO 500 900.
Ii rarely happens that silver mine is prohta-
bic until the water level is reached. This takes
great labor. and frequently no little capital.
Hedges have breaks" and pitches" in them,
where considerable outlay must be mate before
Pay Rock IL again reached. Caves in shafts
and tunnels not unfrequent. and these occa-
sion expense and delay. Hosting machines,
propelled by steam power, very soon become a
necessity. Ali their causes, with others of a
similar character, make the business. when con
Quoted by individual enterprise without capital.
extremely precarious. Hence. the experienced
miner who locates claim now, calculates to
sell out to capitalists without consuming his time
and means in fruitless and impoverishing efforts
TO develop
Gradually all the desirable locations pass
ing into the hands of capitalists who rarely fail
to make them pay hugely.
There is no more inviting field for the invest
ment Of capital than in Nevada Judicously
employed il cannot fail to be productive beyond
any Investment in the States. Take, for exam
pie, twenty stamp mill, roasters, and accom-
panying apparatus, necessary to reduce the ore
20 bullion. with good buildings, ready for OBJ
GRAFTON, all complete. costing here s75 900.
Such a mill will yield a profit Of from $500 to
500 per day; thus in one year paying for itself
and yielding enormous dividend to its own
ers. These are practical results. not new fances.
They are realized by all such mills throug bout
the mining districts. where they are controlled by
industrious and prudent management. And one
hundred times as many more mills could be
prohtably employed within a radius of fifty miles
from this place. Those gentlemen who have a
plethora of greenbacks could not make safer
or more profitable investment than by organz
ing companies. buying mills and sending them
out here, with competent agents 10 operate them
These mills can be readily purchased in San
rrtnciSCo, or tuey may De sent over the plans
from the Missouri river by mule teams, in about
ten weeks at less cost
The news of the assassination of Lincoln ex-
cited universal sorrow on the Pacific coast. He
had become especially endeared to Democrats by
his conciliatory during the last few
months of bis life. Sad, indeed, is the hour in
American history. when the Chief Magistrate of
the Walton is stricken down by the hand of an
assassin. But the spirit which lurked in the
breast of the murderer and melted him to the
diAoolical deed was called up by those pestifer
Gus party newspapers who. ignoring law and bid
ding Constitutions defiance. have sedulously
taught the mob to appreciate their power, aud
directed their fury against their political oppo-
nents 10 crush them out. In rebeldom. the tyr
amy of Jef Davis evoked il; and at the North.
the facility with which human life is taken and
sacred rights trampled in the dust. for mere par
tisan purposes. has fostered it, until crime has
lost its terrors. The loosening of the bonds of
society in one place rslaxes them in another, and
the result is general decentralization.
Nowhere on this continent is there so much
intolerance OF political opinion as on this coast
Mcdowell plays the petty tyrant. issuing ukases
at pleasure. ADVOCATING well established constitu
tional and municipal law. declaring it high
crime 70 speak or write disrespectlully of the
president. locking up printing Offices and mpris
CHING editors, not for treason, but foe differing