Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-30
Ell DORADO COUNTY.

Ell DORADO COUNTY.
1t was in FL Dorado county, in February,
1913, that James w. Marshall discovered
gold at Suffers mill, Coloma. The news
soon spread throughout the civilized world,
and in 1850 this was the banner county of
the State, having a population of over
10000. The western boundary of this
county is about ITO miles east by
northeast of San Francisco, and about 80
miles east of the Capital City It's bounded
on the north by Placer county, on the east
BY the State of Nevada and Alpine county,
ON the south by Amador and on the west
by Sacramento county.
PLAcERvILLE,
Its county seat, is one of the most prosperous
and populous towns of interior of the State.
1t at one time, in the pioneer DAYS was the
metropolis of the State, and was known by
the euphonious sobriquet of " Hangtown, "
name given it at its earliest settlement in
consequence of the hanging to an oak tree
hear the ste of the present plaza, in 1S49,
of several famous outlaws, by what was in
those days termed a Vigilance Committee
The history of this county, especially that
during the early gold excitement, in point
of interest, is second to none in the State,
and would fill volumes replete with historic
facts The majority of the early popula-
ton were Adventures, whose only aim was
the acquisition of gold. 1t was in FL Do
RADIO where Joaquin Murietta and his band
of outlaws committed the larger portion of
their memorable and murderous outrages,
a truthful statement of which reads like
the veriest tale of fiction Placerville is
situated in latitude $50 49, west and longi-
tude 1909 At north, at an altitude of 1, 800
feet.
LOCATION.
1t occupies long, narrow val
ley, between two ranges of hills,
which rise on either side several hun
@ytreJi feel ABOVE the town. 4 view OF this
mountain city, from an adjoining hill top,
is picturesque in the extreme. Its main
street is two and quarter miles in length,
built up principally with strong fire-proof
brick buildings. The residence streets are
built up with neat cottages and handsome
residences, all of which are surrounded and
shaded with beautiful shade and fruit trees,
and the flora of California, so easily grown
in this section, lends a charm to the front
yard of every home It's church cdificeS.
four in number, whose spires tower aloft
above the other buildings, were built in
the "palmy days of yOre" and would be q
credit to any city in the State. The popu-
lation of Placerville is about 5000. Ii is
the commercial center of the county, and
is a business point of considerable impor-
lance. 1t has as fine stores, and its mer-
chants carry as heavy stocks. as are usually
found i'll towns of twice its size.
CIIIATR-LANDs
T. l. r
of climate that can be found elsewhere in
the Union. In days of travel you can go
from the orange groves in the southern por-
ton Of the county to the SHOWS that etcr-
nally clothe the SUBMITS of the SierraS.
The altitude ranges from 500 to 1900 feet
The western, or foot-hill belt, from
some ten miles cast of Placerville
to the western boundary, comprising
an area of about J0x40 miles, a good
sized county of itself contains nearly all of
the best agricultural land in the county
In this belt but little land can be found
that cannot profitably be put to use, either
for fruit, agricultural or grazing purposes
East OF this agricultural belt, extending the
entire length of the county north and
south, and to the eastern boundary, are
some of the finest timber lands, especially
sugar pine that are found in any county
For miles and miles, especially on the
Georgetown divide, W hich lies between the
south and middle forks of the American
river, these forests stand in their original
primeyal pride, having never heard the
sound of the woodlands AK. Here are
found majestic pine, 800 feet high and y
feet in diameter, standing as thick upon the
ground as trees in an orange grove. The
entire county is well timbcred. the lower
foothills with both white and black oak,
and little farther up with oak, yellow and
white pine. The whole country is literally
and well supplied with living springs,
while the hundreds of rayines and canyons
,ifsaass bead inlhe Sierras, are constantly fed
by the melting SHOWS. In no portion of
the county is there lack Of water or fuel, as
both can be found in great abundance on
every hand.
SOIL POSSIBILITIES.
Most of the land in the western portion
is rolling, yet thousands of acres may
be found in bodies as level as the
plains on the Platte and these lands for
hay, grain or fruit, are unsurpassed by any
uplands of any State in the Union In this
section floods are never known, cyclones
never heard of. earthquakes never expert
enced, and failure of crops something
That has never been chroncled by the hon
est2istorian. No matter what the season,
with proper care in preparing the soil,
seeding and cultivation, good crop is sure
TO follow. This to great extent is owing
to the fact that the system of irrigating
canals in this county, which cost the early
miners millions Of dollars, Is the most COM
plete in the State, and with irrigation the
soil can be made to produce crops and
growths astonishing to behold Those
canals since the deCadencc of placer min
lng,-haYe fallen into the hands OF the
sturdy agriculturist and now each farm has
Its own water right. Farming in FL Dorado
county is still in its infancy, and there is a
home demand for most of the products,
save cheese, fruit, wool and wine. There
is now q steady increase in her farm prod
uctS from year to year, with a certainty
that in the near future a large surplus will
be credited to her enterprising farmers.
The dairy interest is large one, and. in
the main, very profitable. Those engaged
Ill this business are possessed of two ranges
one in the lower foothills for winter use,
and another upon the Sierras, at an altitude
OF from 6,000 to 5000 feet where stock is
driven after the feed dries up in the spring
on the lower range The summer ranges
are usually covered with snow until April
and May, and when this disappears the
most luXuriant grasses and flowers spring
forth and keep green throughout the sum
mer. 1t is at the summer range where the
butter and cheese for which this county is
justly famous is made With judicious
management and the growing of an alfalfa
field, small diaries in the foothills are oper-
ated with great profit without removing
the stock to summer range. Those who
are engaged in dairying in III Dorado
county say that it can be carried on with
less expense and greater profit than in any
OF the States in the Mississippi valley.
FRUIT AND WINE
The middle section of the county. say
midway between the snow line and the
western border, seems to be especially
adapted TO fruit land wine-growing, and
both are produced in great abundance and
variety. In this section are found the
towns Calama, Granite Hill, Lotus, Green
wood, Garden Valley, Kelsey Spanish Flat,
Grizzly Flat, Diamond Springs, FL Dorado.
Shingle Springs and Georgetown. The
fruit produced in this section, especially
that in the neighborhood of Coloma, Lo-
tus and Granite Hill, is acknowledged to be
superior to that produced in any other
part of the State and commands better
prices in all the markets of the coast. The
display of fruit at the last county fair, held
in Plaeerville, was wonder 10 behold, and
perhaps was never exceled by similar
exhibition anywhere. II was the pride of
ali the residents of the county and the
wonder and admiration of strangers Fruit
growing in the foothills of Hl Dorado is a
fltaf - Eaar,,c ip,r,ocShia 10 o&rar,f,,