Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-26
HAY FORK VALLEY.
A Beautiful Valley in the Heart of Old
Trinity.


Trinity.
Louis Lothammer, Martin Kestler and J.
T. Griffitts of this city, some days ago left
for Hay Fork valley, in Trinity county,
with view of investing in lands in that
section. Messrs. Lothammer and Kestler
returned yesterday, much pleased with
their trip and the country they visited.
Mr.. Lothammer says Hay Fork is one of
the Oldest settled valleys in the State.
through which pack-trail from Red Bluff
to the Trinity Ilver mines was laid out in
1850, and travelled ever since Still it was
never settled to any great extent until the
past few years. Nearly all the pioneer
settlers are still living, many of whom who
went there in the prime Of life are now
three score years and ten, and are as vigor-
Gus and sprightly as men and women of
thirty. This tells the whole story of a
quiet, honest, industrious and peaceful
life, and commends the climate as one
Of the best for health and recreation on the
slope. a new wagon-road has lust been
opened from Red Bluff TO the valley.
The Sacramento party took team at
Red Bluff and drove over the valley.
They were three days going from the
bluffs TO Hay Fork, but made the return
trip in two days. The first-clasS drive
was over a rough country slightly
timbered, and was a hot and dusty ride.
The second day they struck belt of fine
timber, spruce, yellow and sugar-pine,
cedars, oaks and various spices of fir. The
country is mountainous, picturesque and
full Of clear streams of water, full of trout.
The forests abound in game, and owing to
the tact that there is no settlements, beasts OF
70
out large panther ,rossed the road few
rods ahead of them; they saw two California
lions and quite number of lynx and wild
cats. 1t is a hunters paradise, and the
fisherman can find in any OF the streams
an abundance of trout
Hay Fork valley is about six miles long
by four wide and has an elevation of about
1850 feet. 1t is surrounded on all sides by
lofty, heavily-timbered mountains, with
ODD Bally in the distance TO the north,
Bully Choop TO the east q Yalla Balla''
and = DUbitkillan to the south, and the
Mad river and Hettenchow to the west and
southwest. The valley is partially covered
with pine and oak timber and a growth of
chaparral. A considerable portion of this
land has been cleared, and with irrigation,
which is utilized by every farmer and
ranchman, is very productive The poor
and barley without irrigation. and alfalfa.
timothy and red top grow luxuriantiv
everywhere with irrigation, producing
from six to eight tons per acre, being cut
four times during the season. Timothy
stalks from five to six feet and wheat-felds
equal to the best in Colusa county are to be
seen quite frequently. AS fine potatoes as
are grown in any country are produced here
and one of the staple products of the val
ley, finding a ready market in the mines
en- the Trinity and its tributaries at re-
munerative prices. Hay is also valuable
product, selling for from $l5 10 ST. per ton
on the ranch, and when hauled TO Weaver
VILE distance Of thirty-siX miles, brings
$50 in the summer and from $40 to $50 in
the winter season. Hay Fork, quite q
good-sized stTeam-a branch of the Trinity
river-meanders through the valley from
the northeast 10 the southwest.
Salt creek is fresh stream of water. al
though its name would indicate differently.
1t was so named on account of some min
eral springs near its source. 1t rises at the
foot of the Yalla Balla mountains and
emptles into Hay Fork at the lower end of
the valley. 1t is 4 large strea M until about
the LIST of August, when the water sinks
and stands in pools, but affords stock water
during the entire year. There are several
other streams furnishing water for irriga-
ton. There is considerable vacant land in
this valley. The settlement is an old one
and the people primitive. There is one
store in the valley, two hotels, school
house, but no church. A more generous,
whole-souled, liberal hearted people could
not be found. Their hospitality is I'M
bounded. Their tables are supplied with
grouse, venison and trout, and all that is OBJ
tainable anywhere from the orchard, gar
den and dairy.
While in the valley there were several
thunder-showers, and one night while the
party were camped out and sleeping on the
ground they were caught in heavy rain
They made the best use they could of one