New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-31
WESTERN GROWTH.
NEVADA.

VIRGINIA CITY, Nevada Aug. 20.-TTckeo,
brisk thriving village OF Inhabitants is delightfully."-
situated the Truckee River. about 100 miles east OF
Sacramento and u.s. In the strctest sense wooden town
II about 600O feet above the level aud owes what
ever importance It may have to the immense timber
country by which IL is surrounded and to the fact that
the tourists usually stop here train 10 visit
Bonner Lake, which the guidebook makers, with glib
ness worthy Of any cause put down in all varieties OF
type and great frequency OF utterance the Gem Of
the Serras" And rather think the guidebook makers
are right At least, so informed the good-natured
mulatto who at O'Clock sharp" in tho morning
reused me from my peaceful sumbers that might peep
out through the shifting crevices OF intermnabe snow
sheds and catch glimpse Of the "Gem" it lay glisen-
ing in the valley many hundred feet below u.s. This little
lake, which is only about three miles long by one wde
is supposed like Lake Tahoe-of which shall soon speak
to be resting In the crater OF extinct volcano There
can be little mistake about the volcano being extinct
the water is not only clear and peaceful but cold
the coolest draughts from the north OF the well"
Nobody knows its depth and the only Trustworthy in
formation could get on this point that had been
sounded 10 the depth of LOO feet and mo bottom
found" asked my intelligent guide why another foot
was not added to the ne that the world might not for
ever remain in darkness to the exact depth He didn't
seem TO know. Some very entertaining fish stories are
told in connection with this lake and its tbutarlessuch
for instance hooking silver trout weighing 20 pounds
and upward. These fnny monsters will do to go with
the California cherries which have TO be cut up in slices
TO meet the wants OF moderateysized families How
do you sell cherriesl" asked gentleman OF San Fran
cisco fruit dealer Ten cents quart at RETAIL" was
the reply, but you viii take whoe cherry, will
make II little less" None OF these 20pOund trout
view at the time OF my visit, but aggravat
ing number of the speckled species, weighing anywhere
from halfapound to three pounds The rascals knew
had hook or they would scarcely have dsported
themselves with such freedom The traveller will be told
many wonderful stories Of the suferinG3 OF the Bonner
party, who kept Starvation Camp" here In 1916, the
survivors living on the flesh Of their dead companions,
and upon the string OF their snowshoes ard dried
buffalo hides: and he will be shown the tumps OF trees
cut down for fuel standing 20 feet high marking the
depth of the snowbarrcade which held these luckess
adventurers.
The ride from Truckee TO Tahoe City-a distance
Of IA milesis really beautiful and interesting The road
follows the Truckee River that most peucd OF streams,
which with much music, and great eccentrclty Of
and notion hurres from the banks Of Lake Tahoe to the
bosom Of Pyramid Lake. distance of perhaps 60 miles.
This has been OF the finest trout streams In the world
but the establishment Of lumber mill ts head has
not only cut off connection with the lake. but has filed
its bed with sawdust and other debris thus vtiang the
water and rendering ii unnhabitabe. An artificial
"trout-ranche" has been established by enerprsng
company about midway between Truckee and Lake
Tahoe and all travellers expected w lie the horses
changing TO witness the interesting process of fish
raising The polite superintendent kindly regulates his
feedngtim to meet this exgency and seems to take
genuine delight in exhibiting the pranks OF his vOracous
horde The several watts pens contain assorted lots,
varying in from week 20 three yearsal seeming
10 possess the ready appreciation of the generous
supplies of boiled liver which at regular intervals is
Gained down upon their watery world. This rancho is In
eried not only supply trout for the market but eggs
and young fish tho ponds and rivers of California
and glad learn that aside from its benefcence,
the enterprise had proved pecuniary success.
LAKE TAHOE
The first view OF Lake Tahoe unexpectedly rayishing
In fact no single aspect of the Yosemite Valley filed
me with Joy unspcakable this wonderful lake of the
mountains Standing upon its banks and looking down
with unobstructed vision into its clear depths,
minded of that famous tribute Of Mark Twain's which
he obliged TO negotiate in Europe at so cents the
dollar. Speaking Of the Lake of Como this truthful
historian says;
Glow dull its waters are compared with the wonderful
ransparence of Lake Tahoe speak of the north shore
OF Tahoe where one can count the scales OF trout at
depth of $50 feet"
Abiding to the difficulty Of getting takers for this
statement he says:
"As far as am privately concerned abate not one
ot OF the original assertion that in those strangely mag
nying waters count the scales on trout at the
on the bottom; might even count paper OF pins
have fshed trout in Tahoe and at measured depth
cond see their gis open and shut could hardly have
tbs trout themselves that distance in the open air.
The dimensions of Lake Tahoe variously given by
the authorities the average making it about 20 miles In
length by in width Its measured depth in the center
is Lilo feet The surface OF the lake about $500 feet
above the bed Of the and the mountain peaks which
rise on every side from 5000 to $500 feet In hight
The water that paper when fairly saturated
will sink, and swimming in 1t is almost an inpossibty
Human bodies drowned in the lake rise TO the
face The water is at all as cold as icewaer,
but never freezes at the shore edge is supplied
-, Tod tafn "a single
outlet that of the Truckee River. An attempt making
with encouraging prospects Of success TO tunnel the
mountains between here and the Pacific and make Of
Lake Tahoe great reservoir for supplying San Francisco
and other cities with pure water Even the thirst
ing denizens Of this drodup, verdureess town are hold
Ing out their pitchers for supply from the same source
And God knows they need g. Everything is pentier and
cheaper here than water The price Of whisky is rarely
considered but water is sold like milk by the quart and
is seriously taken into account In estimating the fam
lily expenses rent and fuel One water company own
ing spring, having rise In an exhausted quarzmne-
the main stream OF which will not measure GO square
inches in voume-declares monthly dividend Of 10000
The mine is far valuable now than its palmest
days OF quartzyied. Water is used here for various
kinds OF cooking for cleansing for mining purposes and
occasionally for steam; but is almost unknown as bev-
erage. goodsized waterppe from Tahoe would change
the complexion somewhat, think.
HANK MONK
From Glenbrook the south side OF Lake Tahoe, TO
Carson City, the road lies across mountain range, which
for beauty OF prospect scarcely exceled anywhere AS
we came in full view Of Carson Valley it occurred to
me that not from this route the old overland stage
road along which, in 1882 Mr. Greeley toed patiently
TO al his lecture engagement at Pacervle asked the
driver he had heard Of Hank Monk, the famous
whpster who had gwen Mr. Greeley such excellent adj.
vice about keeping his seat when the stage was in mo-
ton. soon found that talking to the man him
self and Involuntary raised my hat in Difference to the
modest hero. Hank is too shrewd to throw away
the glory which this legend sheds upon him, and