The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-08-31
Some Things about the Valley of the San
JOAQUIN.

10 the Editors OF the Standard
The valley of the San joaquin river extends through
the counties Of Fresus Merced, Stanisaus, San Joa
quin and Contra Costa, distance of about 20 miles,
and contains the important towns of Stockton Nodes
to- Merced and Fresno, being the capitals of San Joa
qun Stanisaus, Merced and Fresno counties -espect-
ivey Flowing through this valley except the river
whence it derives its name, San joaquin, are the
Mokelumne, Calaveras, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Mer-
ced, Mariposa, Choachis and Fresno, the Merced
having Its source in the world-renowned Yo Semitic
valley. The greater part of this valley is level
level that the farmers enabled to irrigate their
ground in checks and to provide water for such pur
pose by of canal cut for that business alone.
The level part is about so miles wide while the
whole valley averages from so to ITO miles in width.
grand scene is afforded one who will take the pains
to ascend one of the lesser peaks of the Coast Noun
tains the foothills and overlook the plains here
you have the plains and the San joaquin river appa
rently at feet while you lood beyond at the
of the Merced and Mariposa rivers with their
numerous tributaries all marked out by their lines of
green trees along their banks, while back from them
extending to the foothills the green waving fields
of grain. except in the dry this Is when
all is arid, barren, burning desert in the places
that are not reached by irrigation.
The soil of the valley contains very large amount
of akali the water attests, for it is all mpreg
mated with it, that stranger can hardly drink it,
while in some parts the ground is SO thicky covered
with it, that short distance it has the appearance
of light fall of snow but the people there
|
Snow'' and suppose editors there must be happy.
great many of the people have artesian wells and they
greatly in favor because they contain much less
akali than the surface wells, for water is plenty al
the moderate depth of from to 25 feet and is very
much cooler than the water from the artesian wells
although they sunk to depth of from so to S5t
feet but for all you may dislike akali WATER 1t has
virtue and 1t presents itself very forcibly after
you have drank it for about week ten days. viz.
i-well have need of either pills castor oil
There were great many large grants of land made
to the Spanards and others in this part the State
in tse earlier days. and measured and descrbet
as containing many leagues and were, and yet
called ranches. rode ten miles one day through one
and firm by the name of Miller and Lux own one
don't know how many square miles or acres,-but wa
about 60 20 miles long, and they have post and raj
fence constructed along the west side of it, through
out its entire length. Only think of fence 70 mile
long, and that along the side of firms farm.
would hate to have to chunk all the hog holes in tina
fence Saturday afternoon and then chop enougl
stove-wood for Sunday.
These large ranches divided into small one
containing few hundred acres and are put to grail
or grazing and let out to renters run for tn
owner by foreman.
1 stayed couple of weeks among the foothills o.
sheep ranch of 10, 600, that run by foreman.
don't-wel had better stop and finish this at som
other time as 1t isnow too long.
n AuO