Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-21
GIVE Us A RAILROAD
And ALI Our Busless Will
Come to Los Ageles.
InyO County and Wit 1t Offers
to This City
A Statement of the SuatiOn by
Editor Charles Mulliland.
A Graphic Description ofIis County.
What Trade 1t Wou1dIive Los
Angeles IL Railroad Cnnec-
tion Was Compiled.

Mr.. Charles Mulholland, iitoi of the
Inyo Independent, is in tt city on
short visit, and is employinpart of his
time in speaking a good ord for his
mountain home.
To HERALD reporter he eadily ac-
corded an interview.
"Inyo county was given bNature to
Southern California" he begn, in re-
sponse to an inquiry for som informa-
tion about that comparatively Unknown
land. "It has an area of 1880 square
miles. The last census gave popu-
lation of 1914, and the total nount of
assessed wealth, for the year 800, was
81, 1855, 1853"
What is its general topography?
That of great mesa running north
in sort of an A shape. with tb mouth
to the south, it's sides bounded by two
tremendous chains of mountains cer-
tainly among the greatest and ,randest
in the world. On the west tie Sierra
Nevada tower up to generalaltitude
OF $4,000 feet; on the eastern boundary,
next to the Nevada state line is the
Telescope range of mountains with an
average altitude of 5000 feet. Owens
valley, its greatest inhabitable area, is a
beautiful mountain-walled valley in the
western part of the county. The valley
is 100 miles long north and
yUIf xxF1df
of eight miles, and quite level,
excepting, of course, the small slope
from the mountains on either side and
the general slope to the south. With
the Sierras on the western side $4,000
feet high and the Inyo range on its east
ern side with height of 1000 feet,
and the average width Of the valley be-
ing about eight miles, you can imagine
the grandeur OF Its scenery. Above you,
the pine-clad, snow-capped mountains
on either hand; before you, long strip
of verdure fading away in the dim per-
spective, with the silver thread of Owens
river coursing its whole length,
and emptying into Owens lake. This
lake is eighteen miles long and eleven
miles wide, and Of unknown depth. 1t
has no visible outlet, and its waters are
very dense; no trouble to learn to swim
there. 1t is 5000 feet above the sea.
The eastern topography of the county
consists of succession of parallel
mountain ranges with small valleys be-
tween them, containing from few hum
dred to several thousand acres. Some
of these valleys have water, and will
be eventually settled others have no
water. The largest is the famous Death
valley, which is forty miles long and
eleven miles wide. Its lowest point is
200 feet below sea level.
How is the climate?
Owing to the elevation of Owens val
ley above the sea, and the high noun
tains lying between it and the ocean, its
atmosphere is very dry, but this makes
the extremes endurable. AT Independ-
ence our hottest weather has been 106
degrees Fahrenheit, and in the winter it
has dropped to % degrees, but these ex-
tremes are OF short duration. The low
est marked at Keller by the govern
ment station was 81 q degrees. During
all the summer months light breezes
blow up and down the valley, mostly
from the south, making it very comfort
able. There is sometimes little snow
in the valley during the winter, but it
only lasts few hours. There is never
any interruption of outdoor work all
the year around.
What are the present principal indus
tries?
Farming and stock-raising. They
grow all the cereals, wheat, barley, oats,
Tho alfalfa bn
ever saw. They raise seven tons of
age ton to the acre and oats ton and
half. At present they cut only three
crops OF alfalfa per year, as that is all
that is needed for home consumption.
The distance to the markets is SO great
that we canuot compete with Sacra-
mento valley and other places nearer
the markets than we are, till we get
transportation.
What has been done in the way of
fruit growing?
Only beginning has been made Our
apples are the peer of the world, and no
country can raise better or finer cher
ries. We have fine apricots, nectarines,
peaches, pears and prunes, such as the
French, German and Hungarian. Also
grapes, almonds, hard and soft shell
English walnuts, figs and all the small
fruits, berries, etc. Nothing yet has
been done towards canning fruits. Our
apples find ready market in Nevada
The orchards are all young. Last year
one orchard of six acres, containing
peaches, apples, apricots and few
plums, netted its owner $500.
How about the irrigation interests?
Up to this time very little Of the land
in Owens valley is irrigated from Owens
river. Nearly all the land under culti-
walton is irrigated from the streams that
flow down from the mountains, but a
beginning has been made towards tax
ing water out of the river. A canal is
now completed beginning at point a
little north Of Independence, and run
ming south towards Owens lake !;
it will irrigate about 10000
acres. This land is intended for col
ony. 1t is most excellent for raisin cul
ture. This canal is about 80 miles long.
Two other irr;gating enterprises are on
the west side of the river commencing
nearly opposite to the head of this last