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

The county of Amador is bounded on the
north by FL Dorado, on the south by Gala
veras, on the east by Alpine, and on the
west bv San joaquin and Sacramento Its
northern boundary line follows the Co
sumnes river, while the Mokelumnes di-
vidcs il from the Calaveras on the south.
Amador was oneOf the earliest settled coun-
ties in the State. being in the vicinity OF
the gold strike in 1913, and was consider
ably settled up by the hardy pioneers in
1S49. 1t possesses q remarkable diversity
of wealth-producing resources, which have
made it already prosperous, and seems to
Justify the belief of its residents that 1t IS
destined to take its place at no distant day
amongst the richest counties of the State
The immense timber resources OF the upper
part of the county are something wonderful
to behold, and some day will become OF
IsfMENsE COMMERCIAL VALUE.
Forests of pine and oak of various yari-
etics, miles in extent, have never been en-
tered except by a dairyman following his
herd, or hunter tracking deer. Water
power abounds throughout the timbered
district and the cost of manufacturing
lumber would be small, indeed. All that
is requisite is a railroad to transport the
product to market. The soil, especially in
the valleys in the western portion of the
county, and the foothills lying Immediately
east is suited to the growth of cereals,
grasses, vegetables and fruits of the tenn
pcrate and semi-tropical zones Wheat,
barley, oats and rye are grown with great
profit, while the river bottoms produce lux
uriant crops of corn, which weld even
| better than the fabulous corn lands of the
| Western States The soil of the foothills,
| like that of El Dorado county, is peculiarly
| adapted to the growth of the vine and the
wine-producing and raisin- making interest
| is becoming a very profitable industry.
Here the grape thrives without irrigation,
producing fruit from which wine is made
| rivaling anything produced UP5H'2ls-Sl
| Rhine, and raisins equal in size and flavor
to those imported from Malaga. Potatoes,
| beans and vegetables of all kind are easily
produced, are of first quality, and
A GOOD MARKET
| For the same is always to be found. u >.
| climate is exceptionally salubrious and
healthy. Abundant and apparently mex
haJistible Dlines-of gold copper and coal
are found within its borders. It IS near JifIy
| two great cities of the State, Sacramento
| and San Francisco, which are always good
markets for every product of the county.
| The altitude of the county varies from 1886
| feet at the city of lone, the terminus of the
| railway, to over 5000 feet at its eastern
boundary, which is in the heart of the Sier-
ras lone City is situated in the south
we tern corner of the county, in the center
of splendid agricultural district, at the
terminus of the Amador Branch Railroad.
Itis thriving town Of about 600 inhab-
itants, well built with large stores and
Warehouses; fine churches and public
| buildings, and has splendid educational
| facilities. The gold mines of Irish Hill and
| Nhlle Town, short distance from lone,
| have been worked for years, and are now
being operated with success. The quartz
mines of this county are numerous, and
though only partially developed, promise to
YIELD WELL FOR AGES TO COME.
| Especially is this the case in the vicinity of
| jackson, Sutter Creek, Volcano, AmadOr,
Drytown and Plymouth In speaking OF
| agriculture, it can be stated that upwards
| Of AS, 900 acres of land is contained within
| the county limits, while mere fraction,
| less than $4,000 acres, is being cultivated.
IL The towns have not the population they
bad in the palmy days of surface mining.
+From 1949 to 1860 the county had at least
ltive times the population it has at pres
Itcnt. However, it was floating popula-
l.tion, whose only aim and object was gold
hunting That class has all long since gone
II III quest OF OIneT SOiO liSIuS ana tntiI
/ places taken by farmers laborers and me-
chanics, vino are steadily developing her
other interests and resources. The towns
| of Amador and Volcano are growing more
| rapidly than Others and are fast coming
| to the front as important business centers.
| Jackson, the county seat, has population
| of about 500. Sutter Creek, n few miles
! distant, is the largest town i'll the county,
and has a population OF about 1000;
Amador City, 1000 Plymouth, 900; Vol
cano, 500; Drytown, 800.
| What this county needs and what she is
destined to have, and deserves, is an in
| crease of permanent settlers. Families from
| the Eastern States with means enough TO
purchase farms, or improved lands-and
| thev can be bought cheap-and who intend
| to settle down to steady and patient life
| work, can find in AmadOr county every
| reasonable inducement In the valleys of
| the lower part of the county competences
are awaiting energetic and industrious
| men, who will devote themselves to the
raisin grape culture, wine-making, end
market gardening. For this industry COM
paratively small tracts of lands are neces.
sary. One writer, in speaking of this in
| dustry in lone valley says; On Long
Island l have known of many comfortable
| fortunes having been made by the cultiva-
| ton of vegetables for tho New York mar
| ket distant forty or fifty miles from the
| producer. and the poorest land in Amador
county will compare favorably with the
best on Long Island; to which is TO be
added climate in which gardening opera
tions can be carried on
ALMOST THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR.
| From the county line it is but little more
than thirty miles to the city of Sacramento,