The union Democrat., 1869-04-03
The Future or sIac Feot -hills.

vancement of tho interests Of their respective
counties? The above question is one of vita
Importance, and requires mature considera
ton, before an answer can be given, which
will prove decisive, an answer that will recon
cile the people who entertain doubts as to a
progressive future of the foothills. In order
10 arrive at that end, comparison between
the inducements offered by the foothills to
those seeking home in this State, with those
offered by the lower counties is necessary,
and when the inducements are properly illus
trated to the people, then they will be able to
form decision as to the future of the foot
hills. 1t is evident that our placer mines are
nearly exhausted, and as II quartz mining
district, Tuolumne and the counties forming
what is called the Southern Mines, have so
far, in a measure proved failure from the
reckless manner in which they have been
worked. What they may come to remains a
circumstance of time; hence it is unnecessary
tospeak of mining as a probable auxiliary in
the advancement of the foothills; but as an
agricultural and fruit-growing district it
stands unrivaled, and in those branches lies
the future wealth and progress of our noun
tain counties.
1t is true that our population has been
steadily decreasing during the last three
years, and the greater portion of the people
that have left have made the Southern ccun-
ties their homes, the balance have returned
to the East. Those that have settled in the
southern portion of the State have done so
because the lands have been easier to make
into farms, as they required no clearing, re-
sembling in every respect the prairie lands of
Illinois and Wisconsin, which were so eager
iy sought after by the emigrants, not that
those prairie lands possessed richer soil than
the opening lands but that very little labor
was necessary to prepare the ground for the
seed. What is usually termed the openings,
far surpass the prairies in richness of soil
but they require more than ordinary labor to
make into farms, but when once made are
worth at least one-third more than prairie
farm. Just so with the lands of the foot
hills they yequre great labor and patience
before they Can be brought into a condition
of farming, hut when such condition is
reached, | am confident that n farm here is
worth twenty-five per cent. more than one on
the plains.
Another advantage which we possess and
one which will undoubtedly prove a crowning
success. is that the majority Of the lands of
the Southern counties have during the past
few years been bought up by spectators.
every acre which would sell at any time in
side of twenty years have been grabbed up
by these land sharks, 20 matter how remotely
located from market at the time of purchase,
if there only seemed n prospect at some day
fer the spectators to sell them again. These
lands were grabbed and the result is that
these spectators will not sell to-day at any
reasonable price, hence families COMING to
this State seeking home in the Southern
counties with limited means cannot pay an
enormous price for lands.
To such the foothills afford safe refuge.
here industrious farmers can have all the
lands they wish without paying for them mn
Iredia:ely, and whenever these la nds are of
fered for sale which will not be for years to
come, all that will he asked is the Govern
ment price, the triiiug sum Of one dollar and
twenty-five cents per acre. which it soon
located will many times repay their original
cost before they are offered for sale hy the
Government. The people who have settled
in the Southern counties will soon feel the
effects of this Wholesale land grab; instead o
IN expected increase If population it must
necessarily diminish, for the reason that peo
pie will not buy the lands of the sneculators
at their high prices. And such as have BE-;
manently settled will in measure have to
pay the taxes on those held by the specu
lators, as the taxes on the actual improv ed
property of the Southern counties will not he
sufficient 70 meet the necessary expenses Of
their respective counties, when the specu
lators only give in one-haif Of their lands
which are assessed at but one e-fourth of its
original cost, consequently the settlers must
be over-taxed to raise the necessary funds
when the land sharks are allowed to pass
without scarcely any taxation. This | con.
slider will work against the interest of the
Southern counties if not speedily remeded by
legislation.
The emigration agency recently organized
at San Francisco is composed largely of land
Spectators. presenting to the people of the
Eastern States in pleasing terms the induce
ments offered to settlers of the Southern coun-
ties. using every means to draw emigration
so that they can sell lands and reap a big
profit from their sales. But in this they are
mistaken; emigration agencies on the whole
have proved failure in the Eastern States
and IN my opinion the one organized at San
francisco VIII meet With no better success,
for people at the present day are not so easily
taken in. | will take for example the Grea,
Western Emigration Agency established at
Chicago in 1889. to promote emigration to
the Northwestern States from Europe; en-
poying sub agents in every Empire and
Kingdom, issuing pamphlets printed in near
ly every language, giving full description OF
the greatness Of the Northwestern States.
still it met with no success and fir,allv ceased
to exist. The organization in San Francisco
will ere long share the same fate
Let the permanent population of the foot
hills cheer up, great and glorious DESTINY
await these mountain counties; all we need
IS railroad so that our produce can be
brought to market at a reasonable figure,
and we hope that the day is not far distant
when railroad shall pierce Tuolumne coun-
", terminating at some point beyoud the
Sierra NevadaS; time will show the necessity
of IT, and there certainly is no serious obstacle
IN the way to retard the work The county
is better adapted for an enterprise of tha,
kind than the portion through which the Pa.
cifc Railroad is now heiug built, but to ac
complish this we need capital and enterpris
ing men.