Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-08-01
ELKO COUNTY.
Its Location and Size.
TOPOGRAPHY AND HEIGHT ABOVE
THE SEA LEVEL.
Its Mining and Agricultural Re-
sources.
"A Full description of tho County.
A Full description of tho County.
(CoMMUNICATED.)

An artesian belt extends the full
length OF the valley and is the north
ern part Of the same one that lays
under Ruby lake. AS no wells have
ever been sunk in the valley it is im-
possible to give any idea of the water
supply it may furnish or it's value.
Although ten valleys, or districts,
have been named rs belonging to the
Salt Lake division, they cover in
reality only three valleys or water
sheds. Rock Creek, Thousand Spring
and Tecoma Valleys are three paris
OF the most north. eeasterly one; and
1T ls the only one having an outlet
to Great Salt Lake itself. Goshute
and Steptoe are in the next, and this
ia long marrow valley with no known
outlet, the waters of Goshute flowing
both ways from the ends in this coun-
ty, and, in Write Pine county, the
waters of Steptoe Valley doing the
same way. Independence, Clover,
North and South Ruby and Ruby
lake are in the last. The first two are
connected, Independence being the
lower and receiving the waste waters
of Clover, both from the slough and
the underground body Of water that
forms the artesian belt; while Ruby
lake is fed by partof the water from
North and South Ruby on the under
ground system. A low divide
separates North Ruby from, Clover,
but it may be found that the Same
artesian belt underlies the whole
large valley, instead OF there being
two. Clover and North and South
Ruby are the most important being
the ones that arc the best settled 10
this divi-ion, and 90 we'll watered
from the Ruby range.
NEW SETTLERS.
In no place in the State are there
better chances for psrsons hunting
home than in this county; either for
single family or colony OF settlers.
The old settlers have, in most places,
obtained possession of narrow strip
OF the bench lands laying at the foot
of the highest mountains, and of the
natural meadow lands bordering on
the streams. The bench lands thus
taken were first settled upon for
several reasons. Among them is that
where the streams leave the noun
tains there are very few deep channels
or canyons in which they flow, and it
is an easy matter to divert the water
over the land, while lower down the
streams have washed deeper channels
in the bench lands and requires more
work to bring the water upon trem;
ard the sagebrush is larger and
thicker below than ut the foot OF the
mountains. Close TO the mountains
also the soil IL coarser, underlaid with
gravel and boultlers that have been
washed out or rolled down the noun
tain slopes, and the larger part Of the
waters sink either just above the
mouth Of the cany ons or just below.
As rule fully one.half of tho water
in any canyon, during the irrigation
season, sinks before it reaches tn.
bench lands, and there IL only one
case in. this county, known to tho |
writer, where this loss has been over
come. This is at the Taylor ranch on
the road from Ruby Valley to Cherry |
Creek nine miles n"rth OF the south |
boundary OF the county, and on the
west slope Of Egan mountains. Here
a ditch has been taken out ono mile |
up the canyon from the foot of the |
mountain, and the water, which for
merly sank above the mouth OF tho
canyon, now flows in the ditch |
four miles to tho ranch with
only slight loss by evaporation, ,