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

Nevada county, one of the Wealthiest
counties of California, possesses many and
important resources. 1t has an area of
1,2O0 square miles, and extends from the
edge of the Sacramento valley to the snow
capped mountains OF the Sierra Nevada.
The scenery and climate OF this county are
also remarkable. The general direction is
from west to east; the lower half of the
county contains some OF the richest mines
in the State, and is also we'll adapted to
cultivation, more particularly to the cult
ure of fruits and grapes. The upper part
is covered with snow more than half of the
year and is therefore not well adapted to
cultivation; it is well timhered, however,
and the manulacture of lumber is one of the
most important industries Of that part OF
the county. The grazing land in this
mountainous region is excellent, and at
fords pasture, during the summer months,
to thousands of cattle which are yearly
taken up from the great valleys below
LANDS AND MINES.
The arabic lands of Nevada county are
neither large nor numerous. The soil is
generally of Il reddish. ferruginous clay.
containing considerable sand, with here
and there 4 mixture of pipe-clay, disag-
gregated granite and cchre. But, where
ever this soil is properly cultivated and
irrigated, it is remarkably productive and
capable of producing as fine fruit, grapes
and vegetables as any other portion of the
State. Several deep natural channels cut
the county longitudinally, through which
flow streams which take their rise in
the lofty Sierras. Near the summit are
many small lakes and large artificial reser-
voirs, from which water was carried
through hundreds of miles of bitches to
the hydraulic mines; but since the closing
up of such mines by Judge Sawyer's in
functions, the greater part of that water is
allowed to run to waste. 1t will be seen
from this what splendid network of
bitches the county possesses, and it is easy
to forcsee how invaluable they would prove
as a means of conducting water to other
portions of the county for irrigating pur-
poses, or as motive power for mills and
machinery. The water running through
these bitches is clear and drinkable, besides
being the very best for irrigating.
THE CLIMATE.
The altitude of Nevada county. VARYING
as it does from 4 few feet to 5000 feet above
the level of the sea, must necessarily give
rise to a great variety Of climate. Such is
the case While in the western portion of
the county frost is of very rare occurrence
at the top of the Sicrras-at Meadow Lake,
for inStance-scarcely night passes with
out at least n white frost 1t SHOWS but
rarely below Rough and Ready. and at an
altitude of $500 feet the fall of snow is
light or lies but few days on the
ground but on the summit snow is often
1
winters are not as cold by far as in the same
latitude on the eastern side of the CONT
nent The rainfall, however, is much
heavier than i'll the valley regions of the
State. At Nevada City. the county seat
altitude 1900 feet, the average rainfall is
"A inches The climate of the greater part
of Nevada county is pleasant and equable
The summer days, with but very few eXcep-
lions, are warm and sunshiny, especially
during June and July, while the nights are
delightfully."- cool and refreshing. The win
tiers are not severe, except al the highest
attitudes.
TIE GOLDEN HILLS.
Mining is at present, and will be perhaps
for some time to come, the leading industry
Of the county. Hydraulic mining having
been stopped by Il decree Of the Federal
Court, no effort will be made, for some time
at least, to wrest from those vast deposits
of gravel the fabulous amount of treasure
hidden among its blue and white pebbles :;
unless, indeed, which IS quite improbable,
some new method be discovered by which
the precious metal can be extracted from
those old subterranean river beds For the
time being, then, that successful branch of
mining, which added so much to the gem
eral prosperity of the county and State, is
entirely ruined, and mining operations are
now confined to extracting and crushing
quartz, and 10 the drifting of gravel de-
posts. The gold miner, trying his luck i'll
this county, must rely upon quartz mining
for his pile. Collaborating lodges are so
numerous in Nevada county that they may
be said to intersect it in all directions, and
with the improvements in modes of crush
ing rock and saving gold sulphurcts the
of new lodges being opened and
worked is increasing daily. Lodges that
were regarded in early days as almost
worthless are to-day worked successfully.
OTHER MINERALS AND PRODUCTS.
Nevada county is the chief gold produc-
ing section on the coast, and it will, with
out doubt, continue to be such for many
years to come Iron and copper mines are
also worked with success in the most south
erly part of the county, and there lime is
also found in large quantities The county
abounds likewise in marble, agate man
yanese and other minerals used in conf
merce. Hay, potatoes and all kinds of
raised in considerable guam