Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1895-03-25
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
A brief history and sketch of Grass
Valley, "The Quartz crowned En-
press of the Sierras."

Grass Valley is a prosperous and
beautiful mining city, first in size anG
Importance in the State of California
1t is notorious for the extent and rich
ness of the gold bearing veins known
to exist within its borders. From
these veins has been extracted large
percentage of the gold productions OF
Nevada County. No other similar
area in California has yielded such a
vast amount of gold to the circulating
medium of the world, and it's past
production is only the beginning of
it's future prosperity. Lying hidden
in the underground depths are mil
lions of untold wealth that await the
application Of capital and science to
extract it.
The city is situated in picturesque.
valley, surrounded by gracefully slop-
ing hills, covered with pine, oak, fir,
etc. The cenery is most exqui site
A view of this beautiful city from Ell
Their of the surrounding hills is charm
flowers are beautiful and profusive.
The climate of Grass Valley is
healthful and bracing, and in every
respect delightful. In summer the
temperature ranges from 90 to SO de-
grees, while the nights are cool and
pleasant. In winter we have consid
cradle rain, averaging 40 to so inches,
and some snow. The latter seldom
falls to a depth of more than five or
six inches and remains on the ground
but few days. There are many sun
ny days in the middle of winter, days
when people may be seen working in
the open air in their shirt sleeves and
ladies on the street without wraps. In
the month of October, 1S48, white
men first invaded this beautiful val
ley, and trampled upon the bright
verdure which covered the entire val
ley. At that time the site upon which
the city now stands was lovely val
ley through which ran a refreshing
stream that sparkled in the eye of the
weary traveller. Such was the con-
dition when trio of men came from
Oregon, having been attracted hither
by the discovery of gold in the stat
1t is stated that they found gold in
heavy pieces and large quantities in
the crevices where the Well-known
and famous Eureka and Idaho mines
are now situated.
The great event of the year 1850,
which you might say was the era from
which Grass Valley may date her
prosperity, was the discovery Of gold
bearing quartz on Gold Hill, about
one half mile from town. There
were but fifteen cabins in the city at
that time, but on account of the dis
covery it soon built up, and by March,
1851, the city contained about one
hundred and fifty buildings, several
stores, hotels and saloons.
In 1855, Grass Valley was visited by
the most disastrous conf1agration it
has been it's misfortune to suffer. In
one night fire destroyed over three
hundred buildings, with an estimated
loss of over 100000. There have
been several other large fires but
none so destructive as the conflagra-
ton of 1855. Contrast the Grass Val
ley of to-day with the hastily con-
structed city prior to the fire of 1866.
She has risen from small, insignifi
can't village, surrounded by a dense
forest, to be one of the leading cities
of Northern California. The census
of 1890 credits her with population
of thousand inhabitants, but it is
safe to say that at the present time
the population approximates 5000.
The city is supplied with water from
large reservoirs on Alta Hill, north of
town, afford an enormous pressure.
The city is lit up till midnight with
arc lamps. Within year after the
arc system was introduced, an incan-
descent system was established and
nearly all the business houses are US
ing incandescent lamps for illumina-
ton.
The Nevada County narrow guage
railroad passes through one of the
most picturesque regions in the State
and connects the cities Of Grass Val
ley and Nevada with the Central Pa
cific railroad at Colfax. The road is
22115 miles long, and there are abouU
5000 feet of trestle- work, the steepest
grade being 121 feet to the mile. Bear
River, which is on the road, lis crossed
by Howe truss bridge, $50 feet long
and 95 feet above the stream, the
Green Horn creek by a similar struc-
ture of 81 feet. The road is one of
the safest, and three trains day con-
meet at Colfax, with those of the Cen
troll Daoifio OF md hoI1,ad