The daily gazette., 1879-07-28
SECOND EDITION
Letter From C~liFernis.
Correspondents Of the Gazette.


~
Correspondence OF the Gazette.
CHIoo, BUTTE Co., California,
July IL, 1879.
We came here a week ago on'a visit to
our friends. General and Mrs. Bidwell,
and have been having most charming
visit. Chico is beautiful town OF apou,
four thousand Inhabitants, anu Is salu
70 be the most beautiful town III the
State. The town is built upon ground
formerly BELONGING to this magazine, nL
estate OF our generous host, and his para
tial residence, costing $75,oO0 ana the
extensive and charming grouiids sur
rounding il, are separated from the Town
nv = beautiful clear-w ater creek "fiar-
.-t,hico" con aims 25,OOO acres, ana
,s., tl,ousand acres of the finest land in
the State. Here we see five thousand
scres in wheat that will yield 30 bushels
uer acre this year 1900 acres IN oari y,
y and 1000 in oats, 800 in corn, balance
in fruit, grazing land, etc. The thou-
sands of acres of bar ey and oats nave
heen harvested, thresbed and sacked
readv for market, and they have made
beoinnlng in the immense wheat fields
t1riay. The wheat is left standing un-
IN n Is dead ripe, and Is then beheaded
nv a machine called "Ileader" which
is propelled by four or six mules abreast
that walk behind the cutting KNIFE anu
push It ahead Of them. The maclilne
works precisely like a reaper except thai
it is elevated upon high wheels SO as 10
take of the head with about SIX or eight
inches of straw, and that is passed over
by q revolving cloth into wagons which
are driven alongside while the machine
il cutting. When one wagon is loaded
another is driven up alongside, and the
wheat is hauled at once TO the machine;
and threshed and sacked for market.
The machine is fed by a revolving cloth
on each side of lthe feeding board, and
there seems to be a wagon unloaulng on
each side of the feeding board all the
tins. No man is required TO 90 tht
feeding, and straw is used for fuel u
run the engine. In the oats and barley
fields we saw ten headers and foul
threshing machines going at one time
These machines will thresh, on an aver
age. 1900 bushels of wheat in day
One hundred and fifty men are constant
ly employed on the ranch, and larg
number of extra hands at this season o
the year. Every kind of fruit is raise
on the premises that can be grown n
this climate. We have seen here tn
finest fruit of every description, includ
ing peaches, we ever saw anywhere
Tie peach orchard, covering 1000 acres
tie trees of which are literally loade
down with splendid fruit and bear ful
every year, pears, aprico's, plums {
every description, melons of all kinds
berries, grapes, oranges, almonds, wa
nut, and chCs nuts, are all to be foun
on this magnificent estate. The drive
over and through the grounds are beat
tifdl and charming beyond my pow'
10 describe. There are sixty miles {
board fencing on the property, and lC
miles of shaded avenues. There al
Touring mills, blacksmith and whee
wright shops, ,all for the use of the Ranc
General Bidwell served two terms
Congress, come near getting the nolnin
ton for Governor in 1871, and ran
an independent candidate in 1873. /
married Miss Kennedy, of Washngtt
city, twelve years ago, lady Of love
christian character, ..and preeminent
social qualities, the counterpart of i
estimable husband. w. ii. n.