Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1891-08-09
ELK0 COUNTY.
Its Location and Size.
TYPOGRAPHY AND HEIGHT Asoys
THE SEA LEVEL
Iti Mining md agricultural Re-
=
A Full description oftho County.
Its Location and Size.
A Fun description orthc County.
(ooMMuSIcATED. J

Continued from last treck)
An nrtpsinn belt extends tho full
length OF tho valley and ia the north
crn rart Of the same one that lays
under Ruby lake. AS no wells have
ever boon sunk in tho valley it is im-
possible to give any idea of tho water
supply it may furnish or its valuo.
Although ton valleys, or districts,
have been named ns belonging to the
Salt Lake division, they cover in
reality only three valleys or water.
sheds. Rock Creels, Thousand Spring
ind Tecoma Valleys nre three parts
of the most north. ceasterly one; and
it is the only one having an outlet
TO Great Salt Lake itself. Goshute
md Steptoe are in the next, and this
Is a long narrow valley with no known
outlet, the waters of Goshute flowing
both ways from the ends In this coun-
ty, and, in White Pine county, the
waters OF Steptoe Valley doing the
same way. Independence, Glover,
North and South Ruby and Ruby
lake are in tho last. Tho first two arc
connected, Independence being the
lower and receiving tho waste waters
Of Clover, both from tho slough and
the underground body OF water that
forms the ~artcsian belt; whilo Ruby
lake is fed by partof tho water from
North and South Ruby on tho under,
ground system. A low divide
separates North Ruby from Clover,
but il may DO found that the same
artcsian belt underlies tho whole
largo valley, instead OF there being
two. Glover and North and South
Ruby are the most important being
tho ones that are tho best settled in
this divi ion, aud 30 we'll watcrcd
from the Ruby rnnge.
NEW. SETTLERS.
In no place in the State are there
better chances for persons hunting n
home than in this county; either for
Il single family or IL colony OF settlers.
The old settlers huvc, in most places,
obtained possession Of n narrow strip
OF tho bench lands laying Mt tho foot
at tho highest mountains, and Of tho
natural meadow lands bordering on
the streams. The bench lnnds thus
taken wo-e first settled upon for
several reasuns. Among them is TINT
w.ore tho streams leave the moun.
tains There are very fow deep channels
or canyons in which they flow, and it
is an easy matter to divert the water
over tho land, while lower down the
streams have washed deeper channels
in the bench lands and requires more
work to bring tho water upon item;
ard tho sagebrush is larger and
thicker below than ut the foot Of tho
mountnins. Close to tho mountains
also tho soil 10 coaTler, underlail with
gravel and boulders that have been
washed out or rolled down tho noun
tain slopes, and tho larger part Of the
waters sink either just above the
mouth of tho cnny )ns or just below.
As u rule fully one-half % the water
in my canyon, during tho irrigation
season, sinks before it reaches the
bonch lands, and thero is only ono
cnso in this county, known TO the
writer, where this loss hns beon oyor-
come. This is III tho Taylor ranch on
tho road from Ruby Valley to Cherry
Crock nine miles north OF tho south
boundary OF tho county, and on tho
west slope Of Egan mountains. IIere
II ditch has boon taken out ono milo
up the .s2nyon from tho foot OF tho
mountain, nnd,;.e wator, which for
morly sank above Tho mouth Of tho
canyon, now flows in Inc ditch
four miles to tho ranch with
only n slight losS by evaporation.
What has boon done hcro can easily
be done elsewhere, and thore Ia hardly
u ranch located on tho bcnch lands
in tho county that can not DO dupli-
Gated in amount OF water used in
irrigation, aud Of creator si2o because
tho lands now irrigated require, in
most places twice ms much wator per
acre than n milo or moro below, whore
the soil is not only linor but deeper
and richer. Tho meadow lands wore
takon up 10 SECURE tho hay upon
thom and for pasturngo. In mcst
casos thoeo lands aro OF tho thiid
group, only til for graes on account of
the cold nights. Tho bcnci, lands
cultivated and those vacant have
nearly tho samo climate. Persons in.
tending to settle in tho county can
therefore, still find land aud water
unoccupiod and unappropriated
simply requiring n little n.Or work
to creatca homo than required OF our
first s~cttlers which wRs very little in.
dred. TimIbcr can DO found In tho
mountains for log houses similar TO
those on u largo number OF tho
ranches; fences constructed for $50
gnr mile; and %sagobrnsh lands cleared
OH aid pioughed FOR s2.j0 per aero or
lefe Tho cost OF bringing wator up
Oh Tho land il IL problem unsolvcd.
~ saluo caecd IL n b. done with u
Few plow throws aa was done In inoh
cases by the first settlers. In Others
long ditcbca or canals may DO needed. |
IN nlHDg. cascS tho problem Of con.
Quoting the water ovor or around tho
siakiug places will have 10 be met,