The Placer herald., 1870-03-12
FOLSOM CORRESPONDENCE.
Folsom. March 9th, 1870.

som anu arounu anu ABOUT ncTe. ~" "ie 90
ready:aware that this place, as mining camp, is
numbered among the things that ,Dere and are
not, and is therefore attracting no attention on
that sore, although something in that line is
being done in placer diggings at the present
time to very limited extent. Some little cx-
citcment was created on the night of the 4th
three miles east of town, by the robbing Of sluice
boxes, for which the accused was arrested aud
afterwards liberated for want OF proof.
The people here are rapidly turning their at
teniion TO vine growing, for which, judging from
the luxu RANT growth OF the vine. this country is
admirably ad apted. while the country for some
miles east OF here is well dotted with vineyards
and happy homes. 1t was here where / acciden-
tally met three Of the most respectable citize ms
of Auburn. Frank Lux, Geo. Keehner, and j. NJ.
White and as they were well fitted for travelling,
having carriage and span Of trotters a prop
osition was made and accepted to visit the Ma
toma Vineyard; before starting, however, our
jolly companion, Mr.. White. thought it com fort
able if not necessary 10 regale ourselves with n
glass Of Bugbcy 3 best wine. q will mention here
that MIR. Bugbey is the sole proprietor of Natoma
Ranch, and also has cellar in town containing
900 gallons Of wine, at presently and 10 this
cellar we repaired prior to starting to Natoma.
We found Mr.. Bugbey to be one of the most gen
crous, jolly warm hearted men we ever met in
any part Of the country. He received US with
such words as, "hcre my good fellow, take lit
tie OF this, its two years old; try this, it is fur
years old; take drop Of the third, it is six
months old, and after drinking it you can have
your lives insured for balf price," until so many
kinds were tasted that began to fear that my
friends White and Kcebncr would have 10 post
ponc the proposed trip to Natoma for another
day or two. Mr.. White, as | understand, holds
mortgage on t,co houses in Folsom, but il you
could have seen him to-day walking the street
you would have thought he had mortgage on
the ,choie toDn.
But 10 Naloma we went and was very kindly
received by the gentleman and lady in charge.
Mr.. f. G. Smith and wife, (Auburniles) who
spared no time and pains in showing us the beau
ties and usefulness of this really delightful place.
Natoma is about four miles distant and nearly
east Of Folsom, and is situated on high but un-
dulating grornd. The vineyard contains eighty
four acres Of land, and is yearly enlarging the
grounds being layed out in squares OF twenty
acres each, furnish what are called "turniDg
rows," and Also serve as walks and drives, max
ing the place easy Of access with the most 0elca te
vehicle, from any direction. We cannot go into
details in one brief letter descriptive of all the
apparatus and raraphranalia of distiling process
but will give u few items which will show the
extent OF the business carried on here. The first
building attracting our attention WAS l20 feet by
near by this one is an immense structure l70
feet in length by 28 in width, two stories high,
containing many casks Of 400 gallons capacity,
an engine OF many horse power, ana II vast guam
tity OF valuable material ior distiliug purposes.
Our attenion was called to building near by
called the Monitor, to which we repaired anu
iOund 10 be l20 feet by 60, and containing 250
casks o! 85 gallons capacity each. There asc
also many other buildings attached to the Ranch
too numerous to mention, but prominent among
them are two respectable dwelling house, and .
very extensive cooper shop. where all repairs are
made. | would also state that Mr.. Bugby had
erected dwelling here at q cost Of $40 600
which was destroyed by fire few months since
Ii must not be inferred that all this time WAS
passed without "tasting a sample;" no indeed,
the same ordeal was imposed which was imposed
at the cellar in town, but it was an ordeal TO
which my friend Mr.. White submitted without
protest. But we are reminded that the shades
arc lenghthenng to the east and must bid our
friend Smith good bye, commenting him to the
tender mercies Of God for the many hosptali-
ties shown us, and carrying with US the belief
that Naloma is not surpassed by any similar
place in the State. But in taking our leave our
attention is called to pond Of Gold Fish hard
ny which is supplied with water by natural
spring whose waters are perfectly transparent.
adding comfort and beauty to the spot, close by
there are also some small trees for which the
proprietor refused $50 apiece. Bat a crack of
the whip from Mr.. Kechner and we are going at
the rate of 2:40.
But here we are in Folsom again and order
supper. My friend White has all through been
the champion of wine, but to MIR. Keehncr be-
longs the credit of eating more Porter house
steak than all OF us together. Yours, q.
The PalNrrNo CoSrRAcr.-The Stripes
says its bid was nearly three hundred dollars
less than ours for the County printing. 1t
is one thing to make an assertion and an
other thing to prove it. We said The Su'
pervisors gave the contract to .he highes!
bidder and we viii stake a cool 800 or
more and then p, owe it, or lose our coin.
We say that the County printing under The
Stripes bid, from Feb. 1870. to Feb. 1871,
will cost the county from 20 to 80 per cent.
more than it would under our bid and on
this assertion we will take the second bet il
anyone will take the offer. We will take a
third bet that the Stripes bid was not in
conformity with the Proposals and was not
n legal bid in any sense Of the word. We
know that it is given out as an excuse ior
letting the contract to the Stripes that fig.
uring the Great Register in, their contract
would be the lowest but it is not true The
Board Of Supervisors may have been fooled,
but if they were, with the law before their
eyes and the District Attorney to call on
for Information, then they are not fit for the
positions they occupy. The Great Register
is not to be printed inside Of the time for
which this contract was let. Whoever start.
ed tba! story started lie, and if the Su'
perv'sors iuuoceuty acted on it they acted
on lie.
The county ba, been swndlsd through
this contract, and we were cheated out of
our rights, and the public shall know it. The
Great Register is hot TO be printed until af
Ter July. 1871. if ever again printed, and
this contract terminates six months before
that time, and We right here nail that lie to