The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-06
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
IniercsIIng Description OF Lake
Tahoe and other PIaccs-Viyid PIC
lures of Life on the Pacific Coast.
GREEN VALLEY,
ELDoRADo 60, April 2S, 1878

lanOe ana OlneE E-lacSS-N lhAu II tC-
lures of Life on the Pacific Coast.
GREEN VALLEY,
ELDoRADo Co. April 2S, 1878.
of the Register:
Knowing that many o, the citizens OF
Wheeling and vicinity are anxious to
learn more about this far of State, l
have concluded TO jot down my expert
snce thus for and send the same TO you,
believing, if you publish them, you will
be the means of disseminating some use
,ul knowledge among large number OF
people. Since came TO this section l
nave operated for time in several differ
ent counties, and travelled around con-
sideraby. Among other jsunts taken
last summer, l rode into the mountains
ON an Inulan pony for distance OF
about 10 miles, aud viewed the widest
and most sublime natural scenery l ever
beheld. For full day on my return, l
rode on narrow "trsil' on 8
mountain side, along the east shore OF
Lake Tahoe. This lake is on the divid-
irg line between California and Nevada,
on the Sierra Nevada range OF noun
taing, al an elevation of between six and
seven thousand feet above the ocean level;
the purest and clesrest water ever saw
evidently q volcano lake. 1t is about
forty miles long and twenty-five to thirty
miles wide. 1t has but small stream
Tor an inlet, but much larger one for
an outlet. Evidently its water is sup
piled from beneath. 1t abounds In trout
of the finest quality l stopped awhile
at the Hot Springs on lis northeast shore,
where accommodations are fitted up
Tor visitors. Its waters are said
to possess medical properties, Where this
sprlng issues it is entirely too hot 10 battle
IN, but It is conducted some distance to q
reservoir, where il cools sufficiently for
comfortable bathing. took a dip in 1t
and tried my hand for short time at
fishing in the lake. l caught one fine
trout, which weighed about SIX pounds.
For O number of years this beautiful
sheet of water was called Lske Bigler,
after brother of Governor Bigler, It's
discoverer, but being Democra', the pre-
iudlces of Republican Legislature OF
Cahfornis would not let it retain has name
and changed it to its present sppel!aticn.
The outlet runs through wide valley.
studded generally so thlckly with huge
pines some fully 800 feet high, that 1t
would be difficult for man on horse
back to ride through them. There Is no
underbusb, bat simply clear large pines
of every variety, some measuring seven
or eight feet in diameter. l went up
another route and came back through
this valley, being the route upon which
FREIGHT was teamed from the mountains
to Sacramento before the Contra. Pacific
Railroad was completed. l found it to be
a substantial road, but OF an almost In
credible grade. All along this once
busy highway are large houses now des-
er,ed aud deapidsted, but which
st one time were finely
and fourishing hotels.
Here travellers and tesmsters were com
PEELED to stop, the road being the only one
nat overland travel could take to reach
this State.
The resources OF California have been
much misrepresented by land monopo-
lists and railroad officials in order TO DIS
nose of their lands. In consequence,
many come here from the other States,
and TO their disappointment ind things
vastly different from what they were
to be. Many Immediately
return and others stay, spend their
money. end afterwards are unable to
leave, This Is especially the case
in Sacramento and San Francis
20 In both of these cities, and
in the latter, engagement
cgngot be had for white laborers at
scarcely any EN- ployment, for the Chinese
have monopoized all. They can be en-
ployed for so much less than q white man
can afford TO work for, subsistlng, as
thew do. on only few pounds OF rice per
week. they are employed at all kinds OF
manual labor, rs well as for cooks, and IN
bousework and washing, and even as
The result. Is that boys
belonging to families IN the cities or
country adjoining can neither get en-
ploymSnt or opportunity to learn trades
ssd are growing in idleness and crime,
and the girls of the poorer families ard
those of emigrants are forced
into houses of prostitution. Cities
and country arc alike overrun with the
Chinese. 1t is said that only the In
ferior order come to this country, and
their morals are not what might be called
eIevating. What few women come with
the men from China have a corruptlng
influence on the community where they
reside. This Is a gloomy picture, but II
is true. IT,,
The city Of S. Francisco is shaken
sometimes by earthquakes, and l do hope
10 the Lord that it may sink and leave
nothing of the site but an ssPhsltum
AXE, it is burning disgrace to the peo-
nIe there that for the sake of the paltry
dollar they will permit such an order OF
things TO exist in their midst.
WEsT VIRGINIA.