Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-06-18
LETTER FROM LAssEN
A Splendid Prospect in Lassen County
Susanville improvements.
SUsANv1LLE. june TO- lssl.

SUsANvILLE, June 10, 1881.
Never since the settlement of Lasser
county have it's inhabitants had as much
cause to congratulate themselves on the
splendid prospects before them as at the
present time. The winter, which was un.
commonly mild, gave way to spring at
least one month ahead of former years,
and with its advent came weather that ena.
bled the raneher to prosecute his work
almost without interruption. In April the
thermometer reached 81 in the shade.
This warm weather was succeeded by copi.
Gus showers of rain, which brought out
the foliage and flowers of the fruit trees
weeks ahead of former years; not the
trees alone felt the influence, but the seeds
sown, and the grasses of the meadows and
hills, until to-day Lassen is one sea OF
waving green. Shower after shower has
succeeded one another, seemingly lust
when needed. Since last Saturday nearly
two inches of rain has fallen, with
prospects of more soon. In almost
every instance the rains were fol.
lowed by warm weather, although there
has been few slight frosts, doing little
damage to tender vegetables, but not in
juring grain. To sum up, so far as the
ranchers are concerned, the season is at
least month ahead of former years, the
hay crop never looking finer, with larger
acreage sown, the grain crop never promis-
ing as well, and the fruit trees of all kinds
just loaded, while berry bushes are bend
ing under the weight of their luscious
products. Lassen is generally considered
an agricultural county, but it has other in
terests which are attracting outsiders and
bringing men and capital within its bor-
ders. The mines at Hayden Hill are no
doubt immensely rich, and new strikes and
developments are weekly made there still
they have never been what older mining 10.
calities would call half prospected yet In
Diamond Mountain district much pros
pecting is being done, with a favorable
outlook. The Register of the Land Office
here recently informed me that he was
weekly in receipt of letters from the
States, Canada and Europe, asking if there
is any land within his district open for pre-
emption. Now this district contains thecoun-
ties of Modoc, Lassen and parts of Plumas
and Sierra. In this territory there are
$50 surveyed townships of six miles square,
and not one acre in fifty is claimed of this
vast area. OF course much of the most
desirable land is claimed, still there is
plenty of as good remaining in the district
as that occupied. When Eagle lake is
tapped it will open up for settlement at
least 100, 900 acres of as good land as there
is in this valley. Surveys have been made,
an engineer is on the ground, and shafts
and other work is being done, preliminary
to starting the tunnel and ditch, which 1
hear will soon be prosecuted with vigor.
The tunnel necessary to tap the lake will
be about 5000 feet long, connecting with
a V fiume IL miles long, in which it is pro-
posed to transport lumber from the borders
of the lake to Belfast, town in prospect
i've at the end of the fiume. The prose-
cution of this work will put in cir.
culation a large amount of money,
which those that are said to be
in it are known to possess
consequently all classes will reap benefits
from such an enterprise. That the Nevada
and Oregon Railway is being built, that is,
started this way from Reno, is an estab-
lished fact, and no doubt many in this
valley feel sanguine that they can soon
stand in their doors and see the trains on
F" the narrow gauge" GO whisking by. No
doubt the contemplation of this fact is
very pleasant, but still, from all l can