The record-union., 1893-01-16
sac ControlIer's report.

estate Controllers report.
'Great as has been the development of
Fresno County as whole, the
First township, since 1888 when vine
yard and orchard planting began extern
siYely), shows a still greater percentage of
increase. The population of the First
township of Fresno County, according to
the census of 1890, was 4,56S. A carefully
prepared census taken by census mar
shals during October, 1892, shows the
population to be 6,372, or an increase of
39{ per cent in two years, or an annual
increase OF over Is per cent. Tho town of
MADEIRA has alone increased from $50
population, according to census of $780, to
population of l,O00 IN 1892, according to
the October census, showing an increase
of over 6o per cent. in two years, or over
% per cent. annual Increase. The in
crease in the remainder of the First town
ship was very largely within fifteen miles
OF MADEIRA. One-third of the pres
ent population of the First town
ship reside within ten miles OF MADEIRA
and more than one-half within fifteen
miles.
"One word regarding the future of the
country surrounding MADEIRA may not be
out of place here. The John Brown
colonies, the Howard d Wilson Colony
Company, and the Richland Vineyard
Company have planted thousands of
acres of vineyard and orchard and have
been caring for them for Eastern colonists.
The first of these colony plans natures
December 3lst next, and as each natures
hundreds of families must be added to the
population. New settlers outside of the
colonies are arriving almost daily. No
boom is in progress, but a substantial de-
YelOpment OF the surrounding country
With the progress of the country old con-
ditions are outgrown; new and more con-
venient means for the transaction of busi-
ness are demanded. Among those i'm
peratively required are better facilities
Tor the transaction of county business.
1.-The inconvenience and expense of
travelling over the vast domain of Fresno
County 10 transact legal and county busi-
ness are so self-evident that argument on
these points is scarcely necessary, and it
must be obvious that the nearer the citi-
zen to the county seat the less his expense
and inconvenience.
''While the development, progress and
future of the country lying around Ma
dera has been dWelt upon at some length
it must not be understood, by any means,
that all the resources of the proposed new
county are within radius of a few miles
of MADEIRA. The entire valley portion
possesses vast and as yet but little de-
veloped agricultural resources. The de-
velopment OF agricultural resources alone
insures the steady growth of population
and an increase OF wealth for years to
come; but besides agricultural and horti-
cultural resources, the possibilities for
the development of mineral wealth
within this territory are almost bound
less. The town of Raymond has ex-
haustless quantities of the best quality of
granite, which is being successfully quar-
ried and shipped to constantly growing
markets. A number Of gold mines are
being successfully operated at the pres
ent time. A number OF valuable copper
Ill IL
operated in the near future. The Nina
rets, one of the wonders Of the world, on
account of their picturesque and beautiful
scenery, and OF their marvellous display
of their mineral wealth. may at no distant
period be the busy scene of great mining
activity. The numbering business has for
years been well-established industry and
gives employment to large number of
men. This growing industry gives to the
new county the name MADEIRA, signifying
lumber.
THE foothill districts present vast
fields for development of their agricult-
ural, horticultural and mineral re-
sources"
The proposed county Of MADEIRA has an
area of 1904 square miles. 1t is about 100
miles long from east to west, with an ay-
erage width from north to south of about
twenty-three miles, but about thirty
miles on the east, III the high sierras, and
ten miles on the west are practically un-
inhabited, so that the territory containing
nearly all the inhabitants is about sixty
miles long and twenty-three miles wide.
The boundaries of the new division are
defined as follows: Beginning at a point
where the third standard line south of
Mount Diablo base line crosses the San
joaquin River, thence up the middle of
said river, following the meanderings
thereof southeasterly and northeasterIy
to the point where said river crosses the
south boundary line OF township six
south of range twenty-four east Mount
Diablo base and meridian; thence run
ming northeast to the boundary line of
Mono County, thence following the line
now established between Mono County
and the county of Fresno westerly to the
corner common to the counties Of
Tuolumne, Mariposa and Fresno, thence
following the line now established be-
tween the counties of Marfposa and
Fresno to the southeast corner of the
County of Merced; thence westerly fol-
lowing the line now established between
the county Of Merced and the county of