Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-12-04
The Climates. OF tho Atlantic and Pacific.

Tn0 CuuuI0u o. tuC NtAnahtS eeA@
The praises of the California climate
have long been sung, yet with the story
has been repeated the scenes Of the
earthquakes, the distinctions of the
foods, the perishing by the avalanches
ofthe Sierras and the desolation by the
droughts Of the lower country. h
climate Of the region east of the Sierra
Nevada has as yet had but few advo-
Gates, but has generally been denounced
as abominable. The section Of country
west of the Rocky Mountains, generally
denominated the Pacific coast, furnishes
a great many varieties Of climates, but
in no particular locality are there the
extreme changes which characterize the
climate of most other countries OF the
North Temperate Zone. The country
on the eastern slope and near the base
of the Sierra Nevada is subject to Sc
we're winds at certain periods OF the
year, which are ironically called zeph-
yrs; but when these are compared with
the tornadoes of the Mississippi Valley
and the hurricanes of the Atlantic coast,
they are indeed but zephyrs. There is
much thoughtless complaint made OF the
climate of this State, and whatever can
be said of evil or danger OF the climate
of the entire coast is greatly exagger-
ated. We may we'll make u COMPARE
son between our own climate and that
| of countries bordering on the Atlantic,
and the occurrences of the past season,
fresh in the memory of all, will make
the comparison favorable to us. With
the zephyrs Of Washoe, the dusty gales
of San Francisco, the equinoxial or WIN
try storms, the denizens of the PACING
coast have never experienced such winds
as lately moved a swath OF buildings
through the city of st. Louis, crushing
the heaviest brick warehouses, blow
ing steamboats, to pieces and u
ing the destruction Of life as well as
property; nor such tornadoes as often
tear through the prairie countries from
the Rocky to the Allegheny mountains,
~uprooting forest trees, and dashing
houses about; nor are those who venture
to sea required to encounter such winds
as lately strewed the Atlantic coast with
wrecks, and clothed thousands Of people
in mourning for their dear ones lost.
Nor, if an occasional torrent of rain
pours a momentary flood down one Of
our canons, or the Sacramento orerfows
its banks, or Il mountain stream washes
away n bridge or n miners cabin, do we
vet have to record such destruction Of
life and property as from time to time
the telegraph reports as the consequence
Of the foundations through all parts Of
our own country ut the East, and also
in England and the continent Of Europe,
more particularly in France, where the
destruction has been greatest. In every
locality from the Atlantic to the Missis-
sippi, and from the Gulf to the uninhab-
tied north, and again from the Atlantic
through Europe to Russia, long storms
and destructive floods have occurred,
with losses counted by hundreds of mill
lions of dollars, and the lives of men,
women and children in numbers sur
passing the sacrifices of a hundred bat
tie fields. Terrific as was our four
years wal Of the rebellion, the climatic
war of a few short months has nearly
equaled it in destructiveness. While
we of the Pacific coast rejoiced in our
exemption from the horrors of the late
war, we may equally rejoice that we are
also exempt from the destroying attacks
of the elements. The overflows of the
California rivers are no longer a subject
of dread, but are hopefully looked for as
the foods of the Nile, that they may re-
vivify the soil, and insure to the farmer
a reward for his labor. But it is not
alone in exceptional cases that we may
speak of the superiority of our climate
over the countries bordering on the At
lantic. The long drought Of summer,
once considered so Objectionable, is now
regarded q favorable feature, giving the
farmer the opportunity to gather his
harvest without the rains, which often
spoil the crops of other countries. The
mild winters make the outdoor labors of
the farmer in planting his fields n pleas
ure, and the long, safe summer allows
him to make his harvest and store his
grain at his leisure. The contrast in
this respect with the farmer at the East
is as great as the extreme features of
storm. The climate Of Nevada suffers
in comparing it with that of California,
yet it is far superior to that Of the East
in its general character, finds no MAS
matte nor unhealthy locality, and fur
nishes no extreme of heat or cold or
storm. Thoughtless people have given
it a bad reputation, but should they
compare it carefully with that of other
countries where the people boast of en-
joying all the comforts Of life, it will be
found that it offers attractions not sur
passed in the United States but by the
favored Golden State.-Reese River Re-
peiHe,