Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-11
ON TO THE NORTH
Prof. Swensberg Describes His
Journey
OVER THE CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS
The Mountains and Valleys, the Minss
snd Orchards Of That Fzr-fzmed
Region of Sunlight.

Journey

lLzrrEs 40. xxxu.I
At Collar our party. occupying eigh-
teen Pullman sleeping cara. finds itself
making up trs.ns for the return trip to
Chicago, with such changes Of psssen-
gers from one car 10 another - 10 en-
sbis each one to return by the route he
had chcssn- From this point four cars
started direct for Ogden by the south
ern Pacific, while ten went 10 Portland.
Ore. and four for 81. Paul by way Of
Tacoma and seattle. Al Portland
there we're other subdivisions for DIFF
fsrsnt directions. VIA the Union Pacific
70 salt Lake and other places of note.
stopping AZ such places As were de-
sred ana whicn furnished the editors
with chanxeAble fresh topics Tor news
paper articles anu letters Many re-
grets were expressed that there must
be . separation at TINS point-many
side trips were made for the purpose OF
waiting the different portions OF Cali
forni4 and 10 see rs diversified inter
esfs-
siskiyoa Visited
sisk you . AT present one Of the lead
irx mining towns Every stream and
cullen IN the southern AMI western por-
uon of TINS district - said to contain
gold and quartz. Placer, hydraulic
and deep channel mining 10 carried on
ia numerous localities Much OF the
placer inning Is done III the old fash
ioned way. and good results are OF
tanned. There are also mines of iron,
coal. copper. einuaoar. marble, stone.
onyx. etc. The Klamath river is
mined nearly us whole length OF 100
miles. by means OF wing dams with
current wheels To work the derricks,
pumps, electric lights etc, while huge
dlp-vhsels raise water from the
s'uices. Siskiyou county - said to
have inexnanstIble resources Of rich
gold-bearing quartz, As yet scarcely
touched
General Scenery.
On the western slcpe of the Sierra,
and within q ANAL belt, can be found
the grandest scenery in the world. Al
the foot OF Mount Whitney. the hign-
est mountain IN the United States,
$4,000 feet 10 TO b. seen at =
great distance. Also three Of
the grsndest canyons and valleys on
the continent. One Of them rivals
and even surpasses Yosemite Ia the al
titude OF Its surrounding cliffs. $50
says Prof. Whitney. The walls rise at
VARIOUS points from $500 to 5000 feet
above the base. At the head Of this
valley. occupying . position similar 70
Half Dome IN Yosemite. - . wall near
~ vertical, between $500 to 5000 feet
nigh-' In these valleys are the highet
waterfalls, and grand and sublime
49, IS
are said 10 surpass those Of any other
locality
Piumes 10 strictly . mountain county,
extending on its eastern aide to the
crest of tho Sierra Nevada range; it,
scenery Is wild and picturesque, being
made up Of snow-covered mountains,
wnose slopes are clothed with magnifi-
cent forrsts, high ridges, alternating
with dark canyons and ravines. From
the base OF the Sierra divide . series Of
valleys stretching across the country in
. southeasteriy direction, connected
with each other by canyons, passes, or
low divides. The highest mountain
on this range 10 Lassen's Peak, 1917
feet
Valuable Quarts Lodss.
Mining 10 still IN important industry
IN Placer. West OF Auburn and about
cphir are . number Of exceedingly
Ticn quartz mines, while in the eastern
part OF the county some valuable dis
eoveries of quartz iodes have lately
been made. On the ridge between the
north and middle forks Of the Ameri-
can rlver are situated the deep gravel
minss, said 70 be the richest in the
state. In this section are still unex-
plored fields, offering the highest in
ducements 10 the capitalist and work
ing miner. Placer county occupies the
vantage ground IN transportation. II
10 trAversed by the man trunk line of
she shortest route across the continent,
when places tue producer one day
nearer the eastsrn market than any
other shipping point IN the state.
Along the base of che sierra there 10
. warm belt Of country ten TO fifteen
miles vide. In the central part OF the
state this belt begins 1T an elevation Of
about 800 feet above the Sea, but ~ IL
trends TO the south It's elevation 10 IN
creased. The climate in the belt is
especially adapted 10 the growth of
semrtropical fruits. while the time Of
rIpening 10 I'm advances OF the country
below the belt. This belt has become
famous for its climatic features. The
theory Of It's existence is related in .
few words As the sun SINKS the upper
stratum OF the air IN the valley and
Foothills q cooled and being heavier,
Hows down into the valley aud the
warm ar rises. This motion ls aided
b. the cool winds from the ocean which
begin to reach the interior late in the
dav. Hence At night the atmosphere
- warmer on the hills than that OF the
valley. and the growth of fruit and
trees receives check. This thermal belt
ia Placer extends from about Rocklln
~ midway between Newcastle aud Au-
burn. Cherries are snippsd ss early a.
April. sppFicots and rsspberries rIpen
in May, and oranges Are saipped by the
M ddis Of November. They claim that
tne aest % never Oppressive Michigan
: Biuf, Forest Hill, Iowa Hill. Opnir
ana Sheridan are also places Of I'M
pertanes-
Aleox the sacramento
For fully thirty miles along the ro-
mxnlic bsaks and Oats of the sacrs-
msnto river can DE seen . continuous
growth Of bearing trees, vines and
hewers. which produce ali varieties OF
fruit. For excel snce 4 flavor and
Keeping quality. the Bsrtlett pears and
peaches claim especial merit, for the
lnvsrisble record of higher prices and
better deui zsd "a oil eastern nlsrsets