The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-30
A TYPICAL VALLEY.

The plains of California are embraced in
the immense continuous stretch of level
land comprising the great interior basin,
which in turn is made up of the valleys of
the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers.
This is one of the distinctive features of
Californias topography. The assumption
is that when, in ages past, the Coast Range
was upheaved, a great inland sea was
formed which covered these plains, and
that the accommodating waters broke a pas
sage through the range to the Bay OF San
Francisco at the opening, which are now
known as the Straits of Carquinez, thus
leaving the great basin dry.
Other notable valleys in Northern Cali
fornia, though much smaller than the
great basin, are those which open directly
upon the bay, widening as they approach
it-such as the Santa Clara, Sonoma and
Napa valleys-which are assumed to have
been at one time, before being lifted above
the level of the sea, widely extended arms
of the bay.
There is still a third class of valleys
wholly distinct from these, and therefore
presenting conditions peculiar to them
selves. They are the comparatively small
valleys which nestle wholly within the
Coast Range, having no wide opening
either upon the bay or the great basin.
There are very few of these of any consid-
cradle size, and the most notable of all is
the Livermore Valley, in Alameda County.
Even this valley has peculiarities en-
tirely distinct from any others thus in
closed, and these peculiarities have a spe-
cial and important value of their own.
These are: First, such an elevation above
the frost line as permits of the growing of
some of California; most profitable fruits;
second, a sufficient removal from the coast
to escape the fogs, which induce an injuri-
Gus mildew on certain kinds of vegetation /;
third, natural absence of forests, and yet
at the same time generous abundance of
vegetable mold in the soil, and hence great
fertility. The Livermore Valley embodies
all these peculiar advantages in the high
est form, and as, in addition to all this, it
is surprisingly beautiful and is a natural
sanitarium and is blessed with sufficient
natural water supply and excellent rail
communication with the outer world, it
possesses every esthetic charm and ma
terial advantage that the heart could wish.
This was one of the first sections of
Northern California that enjoyed the ad-
vantages of an overland railroad. When,
in 1869, the Central Pacific finished its line
from Sacramento to Ogden, there was
railroad, owned by local capitalists, rnn-
ming from Oakland to San Jose. 1t was
necessary for the Central Pacific to extend
its line from Sacramento to the bay, and SO
it acquired the road from Oakland to San
Jose and ran line southwark from Sacra-
mento to Lathrop, and then westerly over
the Coast Range, through the Livermore
Valley, and then down the narrow canyon
of Alameda Creek to intersect the San Jose
road at Niles. Had it not been that the
necessity of securing a shorter and more
level route required the Central Pacific to
construct another line from Sacramento to
the bay, choosing the route via San Pablo
Bay, thus diverting overland traffic from
the Liyermore Valley, the incompatible
charms of that valley garden would have
had wider advertisement.
As it is, Californians themselves have
made it the wonderful valley that it is,
where the finest wines and fruits and
sugar beets than one could wish are pro-
duced, and from which there are generous
profits, and where the best effects of resi-
dence in California are seen in the high in
teligence of the people and their beautiful
homes and towns.