Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-01
TAXABLE WEALTH IN 1885.
PLACER.

Adjoining Sacramento ON the north is
Placer county, than which no other section
of the State has future more full of prom
ise. Placer was one of the leading mining
counties in early days, and is still pro-
ducer of no inconsiderable portion of the
annual gold yield of the State, her average
yearly product being about 100000.
As i'll other mining counties, the placer
diggings do not now cut an important
figure In mining operations, the Yield COM
ing from the quartz, hydraulic and drift
mines. The area of Placer county is .429
square miles, or 915,000 acres The north
ern and eastern portions OF the county en-
brace the higher ranges of the Sierra Ne
vada, with the grandeSt scenery in the
world, including the most wonderful and
picturesque Alpine lakes to be found any
where. Al an altitude OF some s 600 feet
in thevefy heart of the rockbound sum
mits of lie Sierra Nevada chain lies the
beautiful Lake Tahca. whose crystalline
waters line the shores al an immense basin
surrounded by towering peaks crowned
with eternal mantles of snow, and whose
grand forests of pine. fir, spruce and tama-
rack are the admiration of the thousands of
tourists, pleasure-seekers and invaliGs that
annually visit there. This section of the
county abounds in smaller lakes and the
grandest OF mountain streams, whose waters
teem with trout, while the forests round
about are filled with deer, grouse and other
wild game that attracts hundreds of anna
teur sportsmen, and-sad to relate-the
insatiate and mercepary hide-hunteIs.
Scattered throughout this section of the
country-both along the line of the Central
| Pacific Railroad and in the more remote
parts that are reached by wagon roads-are
numerous quiet resorts that are well pat
| ronized during the summer months.
Among these are Blue Canyon. Alta, Dutch
Flat, Cisco, Summit Valley, Tahoe, Soda
| Springs, Silver Creek, Lake Valley and
scores of other delightful places. In the
cool. delightful and health-giving climate
of this piny and balsamic region the tired
thousands of the valleys and cities find
health, rest and recreation after long
months of close attention to business The
never-ceasing, soft murmurings of the
towering pines, the cooling breezes, the
roar of cataracts. the music OF the brooks
and the grand and beautiful scenery that
delights the eye on every hand, are the at
fractions that Nature offers as a relief to
men and women whose devotion to the
demands of business and domestic affairs
threatens TO sap the fountains of life-giving
nutriment.
PRACTICAL INDUSTRIES OF PLACER
But the future of Placer does not depend
alone upon her beautiful scenery nor her
health-promoting climate. 1t is one of the
coming horticultural counties of the State
All that portion of the county lying be-
tween the Sacramento valley proper and
the snow belt-wnich is at an altitude of
some 5000 feet-and which comprises
what is known as the foothill section, is
niIly coYniffn r,pIar c,,lt;vot;o,, Tho
lumber and mining industries are fast re-
ceding before the onward march of agri-
culture. Throughout the foothill section
land can be had for from $40 to $50 per
acre that needs only to be cleared of the
light growth of timber and brush to make
it valuable for vineyard and orchard pur-
poses. And then, too, the soil of these
aslls and slopes is of a character peculiarly
suited to these industries, as has been
abundanily proven.
THE CoLFAy FRUIT BELT.
So called. extends from Clipper Gap. on the
Central Pacific Railroad, TO and even above
Colfax, to an altitude of $500 feet. And
while undoubtedly the same character or
features of soil and lands extend to an in
definite extent both east and west from the
railroad line, yet the Improvements in
| fruii-culture are as yet confined to or with
in the area Of lands bounded on the east by
| the North Fork of the American river and
the west bank Of Bear river. The peculiar
fsa;Rre of this belt, which it is claimed
makes It most val6a6fetor fruit growing, is
the fact that the whole underlying bedrock
| is of slatestone formation, of light brown
color, and all very much broken up and
disintegrated to depth,9n most cases, OF
10 to II feet. This makes the soil very
retentive Of moisture, and as a heavy rain.
| fall occurs at this altitude, fne fruit cultur.
| lists are enabled to stlcce ssfully raise all
kinds Of fruits andx general produce
without irrigation md il is claimed
By shippers that Init thus grown
IS not only much finer ir
quality, hut also mudia firmer in texture