Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-04-19

from sage brush desert by Mormon irrigation.
which has literally made the desert blossom
like garden. The finest crops of wheat and
other grains are raised here and apples,
peaches and strawberries seem to flourish
without limit. A
Dnring Saturday night we crossed 'the
Great American Desert" second Bitter
Creek" region, and all day Sunday we wound
through the Humboldt Valley, dreary, cold
wilderness of plain, covered with sage brush
or coarse grass, and bordercd on either side
by ranges of frozen mountains, whose icy
breath swept in piercing wind across our path
way. The valley is about $50 mileslong and
while we easily passed through its entire ex-
tent in less than twenty hours, an emigrant
team would require as many days. Only
think twenty long dreary days over vast
wilderness OF desert, where days progress
would seem scarcely to diminish the distance
in the least aud now you are shot through
in one day with no fatigue, and plenty to
eat and drink. The sunken wells. which are
found scattered through this valley are oh
jects of wonder. They appear like artificial
wells, and are of about the same size across.
but they are unfathomable, bottomless pits
whence the water comes or whittier it goes is
a mystery. Still farther the Humboldt
river loses itself in sunken lake, which has
no outlet except the sands beneath. In many
places the river itself is dry, but on digging
down q couple of feet water is found. None
tDf l,lxa - h. Cal I 10
Basin have any apparent outlet The
waters of Salt Lake are said to be grad
ually rising higher and higher, and they are
steadily encroaching upon the farms along
its shores.
Quite number OF Shoshone and Pluto In
dams were seen in the humboldt Valley.
On Sunday we stopped for breakfast near
Battle mountain, at whose foot some years
ago the hostile Piutes were terribly whipped
by the settlers, and since then they have been
peaceable.
On Monday we awoke among the Sierras.
| The highest point is Summit where the grade
is about II feet to the mile. The track for
over sixty miles is covered with immense
going through single one of them. They are
all built of pine timber, and are absolutely
necessary to keep the track clear of snow
during the winter. On the Western Slope
everything around us indicated winter; there
were immense snow drifts, and the weather
was keen, but as soon as we passed the Sum-
nit, what u magical change--the snow disap-
peared, the birds were carrolling their joyful
songs in the green fields and among the wild
flowers; and the wintry air was changed to
the mild and balmy breath of Spring. 1t
seemed though a good Geni had suddenly
transported us into paradise, We took a
good Yankee breakfast that (Monday) morn
ing at Coltax, $50 named in honor of the Vice
Prcsdent). There we met troupe of Japan
csc Gymnasts who were exhibiting throughout
the mining towns which are scattered at short
intervals along the western slopes of the
mountains. We recognized them by the
Prince and Little ".ill Right" as the same
company who were performing in the Eastern
cities last season. They are no doubt doing
well as the prodgality of the miners is pro-
verbal The mining in this region is all by
draulc Artificial water courses are con-
Quoted by means of bitches and viaducts down
the mountains and the water finally thrown
upon the side hills through hose pipes, and
with such tremendous force that it washes
down immense hills, and would cut man
in two almost like cannon ball.
Dutch Flat farther down mountains, is the
most important mining town on the railroad.
1t is situated in valley hundred feet or
more below the track, and contains population
of several thousand miners. All around for
miles the country seems torn up; hills are
washed down and valleys filled up, trees up
rooted and mountains undermined. The
mining, however, is now confined TO but few
localities, and many towns which were full of
activity ten or fifteen years ago are now en-
tirely deserted. California as a mining coun-
try has evidently seen her best days. The
gold now left is mostly deep below the surface
or embedded in quartz, and can be obtained
in paying quantities only by the employment
of large amounts of capital expended in ma
chinery for crushing the ore and developing
the metal.
! Leaving this rugged mountain region we
entc< the beautiful Sacramento Valley, where
the fields are covered with flowers Live
oaks are abundant, and the deciduous trees
are commencing to leaf out, short dis
lance east of Sacramento the track crosses
the American river. The bridge had been
burned by incendiaries few days before, and
we crossed on a temporary bridge, and ran
quickly into Sacramento, beautiful city OF
about sixty thousand inhabitants. 1t snearly
level and has been almost totally destroyed
several times by floods caused by the sudden
rising of the American and Sacramento rivers.
The city is now protected by levees or dkes
and the raising of the grade from five to ten
feet above its original level. The California
Legislature is now in session, but as our train
remained in town only half an hour we did
not have an opportunity to visit it. From
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