Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1875-12-09
FAYETTEVILLE, TENNESSEE
From Los Angeles to
White Pine.
For the Fayetteville Observer.
FLINTvILLE, Dee. /, 1875.


Pine mines in Nevada. The
weather was excessively warm
when we began our journey,
but a drive Of fifty miles via
Soledad brought US to a cooler
atmosphere, as the old mining
camp of Soledad is situated at
a greater elevation than our
starting point. The country
on the eastern side of the Ser
IA Nevadas is a Senei desert
The soil presents a white chalk
like appearance; the surface of
the ground is raised in thin
blisters, and when broken by
anything the dust rises on the
wind, which Is constantly blow
ing, and on It's return down.
ward it looks precisely like fine
flakes of snow. The despica-
bic sage brush, grease wood and
Il species Of salt grass, consti-
tute most Of the scenery for one
hundred and fifty miles. The
distance from Los Angeles TO
White Pine is five hundred
miles, and, by the time we ar
rived at Mono Lake, Cal, we
were already nearly exhausted,
though but half Of our journey
was completed. Mono Lake is
situated in Mono county, Cal,
south Of Imyo county-it is a.
bout fifty miles long by ten wide.
1t is formed by Ovens river
the water is SO strong with al
kali that it is totally unfit for
use. In color, it looks like a
strong decoction Of coffee, and
if a dirty garment is thrown in.
TO the water and remains but
twenty minutes it is perfectly
clean when taken out. Should
a garment, or piece Of cloth be
placed in the water and remain
an hour 1t will be entirely gone,
as the water is so strongly I'M
pregnated with alkali that any
kind Of cloth will be eaten up
in that time. The mountains
on each side of the lake are Of
volcanic origin. Along the
road side immense masses Of
scoria, lava and tufa can be seen.
We visited an extinct crater III
Inyo county, Cal, one day. and
nothing presents more lone
ly appearance. We left our
horses picketed out on the prai-
RE and trudged on foot up the
mountain side and then waded
down several hundred feet
through ashes ten inches deep
into the very bottom Of the
crater. Nothing was ever seen
save snow white ashes-the
stones having been blown out
on the prairie at some remote
period anterior to the birth Of
your humble correspondent
On our return, we stood upon
the highest pinnacle Of that
lonely mountain, whose fires
have long since died out, and
took a view of the surrounding
country. Large masses Of black
rock scattered over the ashy
prairie-high ridges and still
higher peaks, bald, bleak and
destitute of any kind Of vege-
tation-a few little streams of
blackish water winding lazily
along-no signs of animal life
save the venemous looking,
horned toad and the hideous cry
of some half starved coyota
wailing on the fitful breeze
these and naught else to cheer
the lonely traveller. Then it
was that we felt as if we were
in world completely burnt out
the various tribes Of men and
animals that once trod there,
we're no doubt cooked out Of
existence. We descended, went
out on the prairie and camped
for the night. We ate our
western meal cooked by our
own hands, sang a few songs,
told d few stories and wrapped
up in our blankets and was soon
in the brawny arms Of my UNI
Gle Morpheus. The next day
we arrived at a. range of noun
tains we'll timbered and found
cool pure running water-we
were then in Esmaralda coun-
tv, Nevada. Nothing Of in
terest occurred until we arrived |
ut a mining town called Bel
mont, New. While there, our
attention was attracted by a
procession headed by a brass
band going along the street
the crowd yelled Justify, the
four quartz mills blew their
whistles, men were firing an
wills, and a general confusion
everywhere. | soon aScertained
the cause. a miner had stolen