Connecticut western news., 1885-02-25
CALIFORNIA.
Aa Seen by Q Former ResideMt of Canaan, whO Spent Two Years
 Am fhe Golden State.
CHI RR I.

CHAPTER |.
 There are probably great many peo- pie who know there is such a state as California, but what its extent is, who are there and how they live is'somewhat mysterical and vague to them.
 We propose to tell you, as near as we can, what, and where California is to- day. Knowing there are great many exaggerated stories and sensational items concerning that truly favored land, we ask the reader of this sketch to pass over what may seem overdrawn and give us credit for whatever is acceptable. This much for an introduction we will now proceed to work.
 California Is large state, extending from latitude 33o to 42e north, an air hne distance of $50 miles, with an aver age width of 200 miles, covering an area of lS8, ,9S1 square miles. It had in 1880 population of S64, 4,694, not counting the heather Chinee. of whom there is probably another 1OO,O This may be large estimate but there is certainly enough of them if there is only one-half that number.
 The surface of the country for the most part is level. Two great valleys, the Sacramento and the San Joaquin, cover about eight-tenths of the state. Two ranges of mountains surround these valleys-the Sierra Nevada on the east, and the Contra Costa or Coast range on the west. Of the mountains we will have but little to say. The great, dreary, snow-capped Sierras afford httl, but gold. lumber and water. The last is really the most valuable, as all the streams and rivers have their source in the great snow banks of the Sierras, and without this water little could be done. Not an ounce of gold could be got but for the water and quicksilver, and the valleys depend, in measure, on these streams and rivers for water to irrigatt WuHe WOu1u UC OLuCIN1S0 U0 UhIT6L land.
 The days of gold mining in California have passed, so to speak You cal travel over the foot hills and lower Sier- ras from Fort Yuma to Oregon line ano see hundreds of acres of cobble stones and bed rock, the dirt having been al washed away in search for gold. This was the old fashioned placer mining. This method has been abandoned except by few whites, Chinese and Indians in the lower counties. There Is yet some hydraulic mining done in Calave, ras and Amador counties. These coun- ties are near the source of the Meoke- lumna and Calaveras rivers, which ful nish the water to rnn the mines and als, convey the red dirt or mining slum t. the valley, filling up the bed of tn, river and many times coating over tn, bottom lands along the rivers. This tn, ia mers object too, as these bolton lands are their corn and potatoe lands The state has now taken hold of this matter and has already put iniunctions on several mines in Calaveras county. There is another trouble with this debris from the mines; it is much heavier thai the common river sand or mud, and dur. ing the months of April and May the snow melts off the mountains, raising the rivers very high sometimes 15 ol g. feet-and such rise, of course, wash. es away this debris or red dirt, takes il to the valley and fills up the bed of the rivers, and sometimes overhows thou. slnds of acres of wheat, which at this time of the year is from eight to twenty inches high. In the winters of 1861 and 1862 fully one-half the wheat in the state WAS destroyed by the high water Row-boats were run across the fields from the city of Stockton to the fool hills, in several places. Judicious leg islation will, in measure, prevent the recurrence of such floods, by stopping such mines and clearing the natura channels of the rivers, allowing the sur plus water an outlet. Deep or quart, mining is carried on in the mountain districts but they require only a lttl, water, comparatively, and they are situ ated so high upon the mountains tha { debris never finds its way to tn, valleys.
 Ga the sides and tops of the Sierra grows most of the lumber which is useC in he state. It is mostly pine, whit, an yellow. But there is some cedar spruce and larch. But little sequoi O red wood grows on this range-the bil trees of Calaveras and Mariposa grove are about all. How and why thes' gigantic trees grew on these lofty peak no ne can conjecture, but they are cer tainly there-the wonder and admira tion of all who see them more will bt said of them elsewhere.
 The c ,ast range of noun aims SC utl of the Golden Gate, are fer the mos part ba and yerdureless. Little car be seen on tn, m frt m tbe valley side except sac @ bush and Jack rabbits, bu north of the Gate they are covered witt red wood and sugar p ne-a species O pine similar to our white pine. The red wood lumber is used for all outside covering and shingles but is very little used as framing timl CT for its tensile strength is consideral ly below pine. Il is of brick red color and is not easily burned. It seems to be especially adapted to the climate and state having aueh long dry seasons. Were it moi