The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-11-18
From the Pacific Coast.


SACRAMENTO, CAL, Oct, 1873.
Dear Register: Unfortunately some oi
the very finest scenery, or that is said to
be the finest, was passed during our last
night out. Before dark We could plainly
see great change from the monotonous
barrenness of the last day. We struck
the Truckee River at Wadsworth in the
afternoon, and at dark we're descending
its valley, but the beauties Of the ascent
of the Sierra Nevada mountains were lost
to us, and exchanged for an uninterrupted
nights sleep, and VIC awoke a. daylight
among the snow sheds on the summit ol
the Sierras. 1 wish, Mr.. editor, | could
describe my feelings upon finding our.
selves among the grandeur of lofty noun.
tain scenery, and instead OF barren rocks
and treeless wastes we we're surrounded
with growth of grand and lofty trees oi
different kinds and all beautiful. l have
always been an ardent admirer Of the
beauties of the forest, but never l think
did | better appreciate and welcome them
than this morning We emerged from
the long snow shed and took breakfast at
a small Inn at the summit : altitude 7017
feet. The snow sheds here are said to
be thirty.6ve miles long. We had passed
through the larger part OF them before
breakfast.
Here we first saw the Redwood tree oi
California. This is very valuable tim
Der, grows to very large size and usual.
" very straight. 1t is sawed into al
descriptions Of lumber and is very valu
able for house building, inside or out. Be-
ing species Of cedar it is very durable
In color the lumber is like our red cedar
and an eastern man would at once call il
that, but close inspection would find il
devoid Of the pungent smell of our rec
cedar. 1t is very light when seasoned
aud shrinks very little. 1t is extensive
ly used for posts and somewhat FOL
fence boards, but for want of strength il
said to be inferior to Oregon pine, where
a strong lumber is wanted. There is 9
pine grows on the Sierras much like tht
yellow or Norway pine. | think it ii
called the California sugar pine, and
makes a valuable lumber. This; with
the redwood, constitute the larger part o.
the lumber OF the summit Of the Sierra'
where we crossed.
The descent of toe Sierras is quite sb
rupt, as we drop down nearly seven thou
sand feet in less than ninety miles, or al
average of nearly eighty feet to the mile
Between some Of the stations it is ovel
eighty feet. The scenery is constantly
changing and all the time grand, W.
saw many places where placer mining
was being carried on, and constantly saw
evidences that all the country had beer
prospected over, and many where larg'
hills had been dug down and WASHED
away to obtain the gold. We saw goot
many mining canals or bitches where th
water was carried long distances. Som
of these bitches were dry, whether from
want of rain lit being the last of the DR..
season) or because The mining had prove'
Improbable we could not determine. w
saw large numbers of the Heather
Chiuee " at work constructing new ditch
es. 1t is said that great deal of tn
mining in California would not pay if tn
workers were obliged to employ white la
borors to work them. but Cinnamon cal
be procured at very low wages. Their
are many thugs done in California tha
would not be accomplished SO ebeaply no
so easily were it not for John Chinaman
After the descent of the Serras we en-
tered the broad fertile valley of the Sac
ramento River, aud soon after noon founr
ourselves at the capital of the State an,
at our destination, having accomplishe
our journey in sixteen days, Il long tim
to be journeyng in one direction in thes
fast days, but withal some four or tiy
sooner than We had expected when "
left home. y. G.