Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-11

10 demonstrated ii favor OF those lines
On the banks OF the ROMANTIC snd
world-renowBed American rlyer are
many nlagnihcent orchards and yine-
yafdss one N particular, that OF the
Satoma company, when - SAID 10 DC
the second largest vineyard IN tue
world, there besng ABOUT 3,Ooo acres IN
actual bearing. The annual produe-
ton of wine from snls vineyard u over
900 900 gAlions-
The hanks and beds Of the American
river have produced weziihs Of gold.
Some of the flnest nuggets ever found
weIe found here
The Sacramento river Was at the ex-
traordlnary height of twenty-seven
feet At the time OF our vlsis, aud Il sp-
peared like lake.
Our visit to Grass Valley and sur
roundlngs was most deiikhtfui one
We regretted that Ne could not remain
longer 70 enjoy . few of the delightful
summer EVENING" Of this favored re-
gion and to innale more OF the pure,
cool air Of this mountain town. which
lies nestled among gentle rolling bills
surrounded by gold mines, ripping
brooks. productive orchards, grain
fields and fiowersL
No Mosquitoes Poster.
Though the summer days are occa-
slona.ly warm, the evenings are irvari-
ably cool and pleasant. without even
the hum of q mosquito to mar the
pleasure II the twilight hours. or TO
present her bill for newspaper mems
I blood.
! erase Valley 10 among the oldest.
largest ard most prosperous Oh the
gold quartz Mining towns IN California.
II Is the metropolis of the county and
Of the Sierra Nevada foothills, possess
| ing 9 population OF from seven TO eight
Thousand. Ii 10 situated IN what In
the early days was beautiful valley,
carpetsd In gIass and surrounded oy
verdure-clad hills, now occupied oy
business blocks and neat as we'll
a. beautiful. picturesque homes.
That the sights about here, with the
practical mining operations OF quartz
gold. was novelty to most OF the VS.
itors goes without saying. While as
newspaper men and newspaper mems
wives and daughters are OF course
| somewhat familiar with the FINISHED
product of gold mines, but few OF
them ever saw tho interesting process
Of extracting the raw material from
| the bosom OF Mother Earth" and pre-
| pairing ii for market.
| Though the buildings and plants oil
| the ordinary gold mine are not so i'm
| poeing in their magnitude and elegance
| ~ are our eastern manufacturing es-
| Adjustments. vet there 10 an exciting
charm and . ghttering about the article
| that is turned out from these rude
| structures that makes it and the pro
cess by which it is obtained OF absorb
ing and fascinating interest. The Wis
| itors were men and women from al
parts Of the country, and were glad Of
the opportunity to be shown tho greai
resources of tho Golden Gate state.
We now bid adieu to Grass Valley and
Its people. May they ever prosper And
be happy.
Grsatess Orchard.
The greatest orchard in the world, the
l immense orchard Of Hatch & Rock q
Rio Bonito, covers 1000 acres.
The splendid orchard Of General
John Bidwell at Chico, late prohibi
ton candidate for the president of the
l United States. numbers $4,000 bearing
trees and 40. 900 trees not yet in bear
ing. The fruit product in 1892 wal
l 5. 500, 900 pounds. There are 10000
| peach trees that yield 2. 400. 900 pounds
or an average Of about $50 pounds pei
tree. A single cherry tree bore .S0t
pounds in this orchard. General Bid
we'll has over q. 900 acres of the fines
land ever looked upon. There art
many other fine fruit orchards in this
! section.
Olive and ng growing is becomini
quite extensive in that section Of
country.
st. Helena gave our party . mos
royal reception. IL has MANY hand
some buildings and is surrounded b.
fine vineyards. One of tho numerou
wine cellars 10 built Of cut-stone and i
very handsome. II has . capacity q
over 5000, 900 gallons. The whole
country about st. Helena 10 beautifully
picturesque.
Our next letter will be Mount Shasta
c. q. s.