The weekly Butte record., 1867-02-16
Fair Dealing.
ORovILLE. February |:

0RovILLE, February 18th, 1857.
Mr. EDITOR: While incidentally looking over
the columns Of the Sacramento Union, noticed
the correspondence of one "Qualtus,' part of
which is given below:
NEW YoRM FLAT.-We do not remember to
have seen so lovely valley as the one which bears
the name of "New York Flat" 1t lies between two
long ranges of ravne-scored hills that nearly
parallel with each other from south to north. In
Vulnerable little sparkling rvulets spring from the
sides of their mountains and running down to the
main channel, which lies near the western side of
the valley, subsequently entered into the South
Feather river As almost the whole Of the valley
is valuable for mining purposes--presenting many
Of the characteristics of the Geld Flat mines of
Nevada county-it will doubtless be totally washed
away before many years, though now solely given
to agricultural purposes At each end Of the val
lev is little village-at the south end Hansonve
at the north end Panlinville each is supported in
part by the mining carried on its immediate vicn
ity. An energetic company Is at present engaged
in cutting race through the fiat, rocky ravne that
serves an outlet Tor the waters Of the valley.
When this enterprise is completed mining will be
gin in earnest. This valley lies about two miles
south of Forbestown, in Butte county,
FORBEsTowN.-Eyes that were accustomed to
gaze on the Nevada county Court house or City
Marshafs office, saw nothing attractive in the ar
chitectural appearance of this village. The build
ings though early all substantial fire proof make
no pretensiops to the Greek Ionic, and must
therefore confess that eyes scanned its streets
in vain for a tluted column or Grecian cornce. Its
inhabitants however. have a substantially correct
opinion of practical affairs, as evineed by the in
dnstry kept up in the several kinds of business
ried on in its vicinity. The mines and ranches, of
which there is large number, are supplied with
abundance of water by the South Feather river
ditch. The manufacture Of turpentne from pitch
is important feature in the business of this
munity. The pine trees for mile and half in
circuit from the village have been "cupped in
three different places on the body of the tree and
about three feet from the ground. These cups
when full are scooped ont with an iron spoon and
the pitch taken is carried to the Forhestown dis
tillery where it is refined, barreed, and then sent
to San Francisco.
Mooretown we crossed the South Feather river In
dian Gulch and Sucker Run. The last is an impor-
tant tributary of the Middle Feather river. Owing
to the fact that there neither mills roads
the divide between the South and Middle Feather
rivers, mining is carried on at a great diSatlvant
age. All the lumber used in mining and building
is made with the whip-saw, while food and other
neceSsares are packed on mules from 0roville.
Although Mooretown Is an old mining station fiona
whence supplies are distributed to the Mountain
House, fourteen miles above and to the miners in
the rivers and gnches adjacent yet it is still with
ont wagon read, though but twenty miles east
from Orovie. Unmstakable signs of gold bearing
quartz in the strip of country going between Suck
er run and the South Feather river bear us out in
she assertion that could material be had at reason
BILE cost, many paying lodges would be discoy-
cred in that locality.
The foregoing appears TO have been written by
some member of the Hook and Ladder Company"
who would seem to delight in institutias compari-
sons between an extreme mountainous portion Of
Butte county aud Nevada. and ut the same time,
demonstrate the impracticablity of mountain
passes. The only reason for noticing the article
arises from the fact that the writer Of the article
evinces about the same amount of geographical
knowledge that Others have who have attempted
learned dissertations and important public improve
ments. Some OF the writer's mistakes may be no.
ted thus: First. the rsvine that drains New York
Fla: runs into the Yuba, and not into the South
Fork of Feather river. Second the fat was drain
cd prior TO 1867. Third. neither Hansonyine. or
Paulinville. are in or at either end OF New York
Flat. Fourth Sucker Run empties into the South
Fork of the Feather river and not into the Middle
Fork; and, Fifth, il is not an important tributary
of even the South Fork.
have been over aesrly every feot of country of
which the writer speaks, and am disposed to believe
that be has never been in that section at all; but
that the whole thing was cencocted in the sanetum
of the paper in which it appeared. Ny advice to
them Is TO get A new map OF Butte county. Their
cid one, in all probability was foaied sway in the
foods Of December.
There is wagon road from 0roville 10 Moore
town, and teams carry freight to Burroughs pack
ing station. and TO Stringtown and enterprise and
occasionally to Mooretown. From these points
pack trains run to the Surro undng mining lecali-
ties. There is one of the finest marble lodges on
Sucker Run in the State. and fine forest OF tin
Der just above &ooretewn many of the trees tow
erng 10 the hight of 200 feet ana the franks are in
many places clear Of knots 10 the hight of fifty or
sixty feet. Whya good wagon road has no, been
made 10 this section, may he question hard to an
swcr for il is valuable one aside from its mineral
wealth. There are many quartz lodges that pros
peot well. and two thai are being worked at pres
ent, in the locality OF which the correspondent
writes. But further comment is unnecessary. J.B.
SENATOR COMES has written a letter explsin
ing that his resolution relating to the sarvey OF
railroad route between the Sierra Nevada and the
Rocky Mountains WAS intended to secure seolor-
ical survey of the route selected by the Central
Pacific Railroad Company. OF coarse he would DO
nothing against that hambug route. They have
named one of their engines John Conaessn
7. =