Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-11-08
California
CHICO, Oct. 25th, 1873,

CHICO, Oct. 25th, 1873.
Thinking letter from this portion OF
the Golden State might interest your
readers especially those seeking homes
in the Far West, will undertake to give
you a sketch of our town. Chico is a
Spanish word meaning little. The land
upon which the town is situated origin
ally formed portion of Ben Bidwell's
rancho, and was laid out as town by
him in 1860. Its location is excellent.
being situated on sandy ridge between
two creeks of the same name; 1t ia well
drained, and it is seldom muddy in the
wettest of seasons. The soil is very rich.
and will grow almost anything. The
| facilities for transportation are fine,
there being direct communication with
all parts of the State both by water and
rail. Since its foundation the growth of
the place has been rapid and at the
present time the estimated population is
about 5000 souls. exclusive of chinamen.
The climate is delightful, people being
comfortably warm nine months in the
year without fires, and although the
summer months are dry and hot, no
great Inconvenience is felt. as the cool
air at night braces the system to with
stanG the heat of the day, and then if
you tire of this, a days ride over a good
mountain road, places you on the sum-
init of the Sierra's. The residences and
business houses are grand, some Of them
Elegant, General Bidwell's residence
costing 100000, and others though not
lnn linn 81
Among the public buildings the Town
Hall, Masonic Hall and Presbyterian
Church stand first. Mercantile business
is good and in active competitor is fast
reducing the prices of all kinds of mer-
ehandise, so that in a short time we hope
to be able to purchase goods at San
Francisco prices. All kinds of mercan-
tile labor is in good demand. and can
command good wages. But the most
important and rapidly increasing branch
of business is that of the lumber busi-
ness. There are from ten to fifteen
; mills situated within from 20 to so miles
, from here, and it is estimated that their
combined shipments by rail from here
this season will reach 5000, 900 feet,
Chief among these are the Butte, Flume
and Lumber Co.'S mills, situated about
40 miles from here. The company have
l been busily engaged the past season in
building flume from their mills to this
| place, which, when completed, will en-
able them to ship their narrow lumber
direct from the saws. Heretofore the
!, lumber has all been hauled by horse and
I mule teams. and owing to the scarcity
of these teams, dealers haye been unable
to ship as fast as desirable. The tiume
mentioned above is in the shape of "a let
. ter V, and is braced from the sides in.
: stead Of the top. Another leading artl.
8 Gle in trade is the dairy product. Mos,
of the butter in this market is obtained
from the mountain valleys, the dairies IL
, these valleysHbeing both numerous ant
b large. Our schools are the best in Nor
8 thern California. There are four pub
{ lie and two private schools, besides on,
a Academy and q female seminary. AL
of these are under the management o
excellent teachers and as good an educa
tiOn can lie obtained here as anywhere il
the State. We have four Protestant ant
Q one Catholic Church; all but the Catho
s lie have regular preachers and are in
! prosperous condition.
Hoping a letter from this section a
n some future time may not be unaccep
o tible, will close, G.. l.. KING,