The Lake County star., 1877-05-31
The Drought In California.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
If half that Is told of the drought In
California Is true, its worst proportions
have been assumed In that State. Mr..
Leander A. Bevin, of this city, who
has just returned from the Pacific
coast, brings trustworthy information.
He says that. although the California
newspapers have only just begun to
report the condition Of the agricultural
districts, they have been aware of the
facts since the close of the winter. Mr..
Bevin passed through the San Joaquin
valley, which is the great wheat pro-
ducing section of the State. He not
only heard from the people there the
truth about the drought, but observed
It's rayages for himself. The entire
great valley, reaching 300 miles into
the lower portion Of the State, is bone
dry: . .g alt 80, :. 80.
set in in November, did not begin
until late In January, and then instead
Of raining incessantly, often for weeks
at q time until the latter part of April,
rains, and the dry season set in much
earlier than usual. In the winter
months as much rain falls In California
as our lands receive during the entire
year, and after April they get no rain
until the next winter. The conse.
quence is that now the soil Is arid, and
there Is no hope-even if II were not
already too late - for any rain for
months to come. ,inih1i ttiist g.,
The farmers of the San JoaQuin VAL
ley have raised wheat almost exclus-
lively, and have tried to cultivate too
much land. They have become en-
tangled in debt, and nearly all the
land In the valley is heavily mortgage
ed. In putting In the spring crop the
farmers were obliged to borrow the
money used In the purchase of seed and
the payment for labor. The grain grew
two or three inches in height, and
then, the rain ceasing, IL withered and
dried, and the land Is now barren. In
telligent men, who are convefrsant
with the facts, prophesy that nine
tenths of the farmers will fail and be
utterly ruined this year. It is almost
certain that hundreds and hundreds
will stArve to death unless sustained
by charity. SOME are cut OF money
now. ~ il--t 'i'''' .@' ~ ii'9 7hlI, ~
II saw Mr.. Bevin said, o"ln the
foothills and IN the valley, hundreds
OF dead and dying sheep, and the bones
Of sheep and cattle whitened the
/ fields" Mr.. Hollister, the famed sheep
king, who owns 90, 900 sheep In Calf
fornia, told q friend that II 8, 900 remain
alive next spring Ne will consider
himself very fortunate. Friediandef,l
widely known aS the grain king, who
controlled all the shipments OF wheat
fror1 San Francisco, failed recently by
reason Of loans made to farmers. He
used to pay $4,000 per month for acsi
commodations for himself ana family
In the Palace Hotel, San Francisco.
In the northern part Of the Btate-
the Napa valley particularly - the
chances are that there will be q reason
ably good crop. TIE farmers there
irrfgafe their land, though only in q
small way. Irrigation fs too expen-
sive, costing from 90 TO $40 Der acre,
and is, therefore, pfacticed III. only .
fractional part OF the State. Instead
Of shipping grain this year, California
will not raise more than sufficient to
support her population. These facts
are not generally known, and, while
train loads Of people are leaving Cali
fbrnia with what little they are able to
escape with there 10 yet 4 strong tide
OF emigration from the East. $3.50 "
7 n. 4. nfa IHY AL