White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1870-10-06
Correspondence.
fFor the Chief.)

f0r the Ouset.J
Nara CrrY, CAuvoaslA, Sept. 7. 1870.
FarIso Soil len Nevada early in July,
or California. the State that has been litter
ID and cursed more. BY tsrns. than any other
State know or took the cars At Reno, .
title after midnight. (thers being NO day trs'n.)
md reached Tpckee City At day break. where
he trains stop about 6fteen minutes. giving
IN opportunity for suudry TENDERS Of easablss
% pass through the eans. o6.ring to refresh
he still dro~sy passengers. for esa'idersf''s.
Prominent among them uas gentleman OF
color. calling out. loud enough t. waken any
Rip Van Winkle: .. Here's your 6ne baked
Lake Tahoe trout. caught last night and cook
ed this morning. and only IS cent? apiece"
I tried one of them, and liked it better than l
did his hot coffee. that be represented as being
. superb article" Excunionists for Lake
Tahoe (vuigar. Bisler) and Donner Lake
leave the cars here.
Donner Lake. the " Gem Of the Sieras," is
= few miles west Of Truckee City. and can be
seen from the cars. though the view is very
much obstructed BY the srow sheds. IL is said
to be the most beautiful Of any Of the lakes in
this region. and is favorifs resort for the
school marms of Sacramento and the Bay
cities. in the hot months, during vacation.
The snow sheds commence here in good
earnest. and. with the exception Of an occa.
sional tuniel. fthe longest one 100 feet.)
continue, almost without interruption. . dis.
tsnce Of about forty miles. which carries you
over the summit, and come distance down on
the western slope. It is q great relief so
emerge from the sheds. after being housed in
by them so long, knowing. as you do, that all
this time you are missing the grandest scenery
ON the whole road, Of which you sometime.
catch q flying glimpse. through an opening in
the sheds. At the summit, little over 7 .000
feet above the sea. there vas plenty Of snow
around US. Two or three hours later, We ~ers
at Collar, among ripe strawberries and othel
good things. and the weather hot. Between
Alta and Coliax an Conservation car" is added
to the train. It differs from the ordinary pas
senger car. in being more open at the sides
afordiog an excellent opportunity for shos,
desirous of obtaining . good look at the sur
rounding country. Just before arriving a
Colfax, you pass "Cspe Horn," where tn.
road makes short curve round sharp, rock,
point. overlooking tlre North Fork of the Ane
rican River. some two miles below, and almos
under your feet. 1t is probably gotten up OF
about as grand scale IS any jumping Oh place
on the rosd. l don't know how it compares
with the "other" Cape Horn. As never saw il
At Colfax, you can get first rate breakfas
for SEVENTY Eve cents. From here to the low
er " foot hills" you pass through strip Of tn
best mining country in the State. Although
much Of its former prosperity has gone. min n,
is still carried on extensively in many places
and will be for years to come. In place Of tn
rude mining camps of fifteen to twenty year
ago. you now see comfortable little homes
surrounded BY gardens. fruit. and flowers. o
course, these evidences Of home and comfor
are found only where the diggings are Of
permanent character; the ravines, gulches. ant
surface mines having been pretty we'll exhaus
ted and deserted.
At Sacramento left the railroad. ard tool
steamer for San Francisco-distance l25 miles
fare one dollar and . hslf-the cheapest far,
in California. After spending . few days il
San Francisco, +" seeing sights" (of which, b.
the way, there are eeveral,) I came to thi
place, where am at present domiciled.
Napa City is pleasantly located at the hest
Of navigation on Napa River. has population
of 1000 or 5000. and is we'll supplied viii
schools and churches. This Valley has tn,
reputation Of being one of the best in the Stat,
for soil and climate. Wheat is the principa
crop raised, though oats and barley do we'll
and have seen few fields of corn that vii
yield fifty bushels per acre. Fruit Of all kind
is abundant. Apples, pears and grapes are
cheap. Some Of the smaller fruits are high
and afford large profits to the grover. l wal
shown an orchard, out of which vas sold. thii
year, $4,000 worth Of cherries least.
vas told so by man whom I believe to b
reliable. The largest orchard have seen il
the Valley. contains about &c. 900 trees. 1t Il
on 1000 acre farm.
Wine making is quite business here. and
is increasing rapidly. Several good sized
vineyards have been planted this year. Silk
raising is also being tried, with good prospect.
of success.
Good farming lands, with fair improvements
are held at from SIS to $50 per acre. in gold
Taxes are high Judging from what have
seen of the ordinary farming operations in thi,
county, should think as much money could
be made from given number Of acres in Kan.
sas or Missouri. as from the same number ol
acres bere-I mean. BY raising grain.
The time for making money rapidly in thin
country has gone BY; but man With sulicien,
means 70 establish himself properly in some
legitimate business. can make = good living
and have the advantage Of . fine climate. As
we'll ss the neceasarics and luxuries Of life.
would advise Ill. however. who contemplate
getting tbemselves home in this country. 70
come and see for themselves, before removing
permanently, particularly IL they have homes
Of their own already. an acquainted with
several men. Who have been here from the
East. With their families. several months. ran
sacking the whole country 10 6nd . location 70
suit them, but 90 far without success Some
have settled. yell saiished. and others have
gone back, disgusted With California.
Major Uu spent . few hours here. on his
.sy from White Clond to San Luis Rey. An
other old friend, 3hn E. McLain, Of MassilloD,
Ohio. spent few days With me. and 10 nov in
San Francisco. hare also met quite num-
Der Of old California friends. since have been
in the State. Some Of them we're mining
shen ! left. in 1854, and are still mining. -
'ansuine as ever Of making pile. One, that
heard Of 4 fer milea Cd. but did not see,