The San Francisco call., 1896-04-06
possession of ancient and valuab BILE water

average altitude of over 5000 feet, collect
water derived from melting SHOWS during
the rainy season for distribution in the
foothills during the dry season.
One of these, the Fordyce, is as large as
the better advertised Bear Valley reservoir
in Southern California, and is restrained by
q dam SIS feet long, so feet high and l2o
feet deep, beside which the Southern Bear
Valley dam is a mere playthlng, and
which cost $500, 900. Meadow Lake dam,
yet higher up among the clouds, cost $75,-
coo. Thirteen smaller distributing basins
among the foothills bring the total of
artificial reservoirs up to thirty one. BE-
sides these the company has some fine
reservoirs sites at high attitudes for future
erection of dams and extensive increase of
storage. One of the latter could be made
to double the total present storage, al
thou this now amounts to over 2,OOO,-
600 600 cubic feet.
The distributing canals form network
over Nevada ard Placer counties, and have
reached the gateway OF Sacramento
County. These ever-dividing lines of
ditch tunnel, flume or pipeline are carried
along the crests OF the ridges, and are thus
available everywhere for power, for irriga-
ton or for municipal supply. The total
length of these waterways is 400 miles, of
which at least 500 are of capacity suffi-
cient to allow of flow of 1000 miners
inches. Important and valuable mining
ClalluS UtIOuS 10 Tile pIOpeItN, Dut are
worked only by lessees. The entire orig
inal cost of this plant was immense, not
Jar short of S3, 600, 900, and at present, with
modern machinery and skill and lower
wages, it could not be replaced for less
than 81 800, 900.
The most important interest of the COM
pany is power. The fall in elevation be-
tween Bear Valley, Placer County-the
outlet of the upper storage system-and
the terminals is over 1900 feet, and in many
places the hills drop so abruptly as
TO furnish power in large amount and
of not expensive application. Some OF
Shls Is utilized and the source OF large in
comes in the rich mining regions of Ne
vada City and Grass Valley, while other
blocks of power are in the service of mines
and factories in other parts of the system.
At Newcastle 5000 horsepower is avaiia-
bic for use and is about to be transmitted
electrically TO Sacramento, where the South
uba VIII compete on equal terms with
the Folsom Light and Power COMPANY for
the lighting and heating of the Capitol
and the running of shops and factories.
Already Newcastle, Penryn, Loomis and
Rockun are supplied with both arc and in
candescent lamps. 1t would not in the
least EN- barrass the South 4uba Company
10 furnish power to run the Central Pacific
trains from Rocklin to the Summit, and at
less than half the present cost by Stesm
and COAL The outlook in the line OF
power not only in Nevada County but along
the railroad in Placer and Nevada coun-
ties, is vast and far reaching.
Municipal supply has become an i'm
portant branch OF the business. Nevada
City, Grass Valley. Colfax, Auburn, New
Lincoln all use South Yuba water Sooner
or later Sacramento, Oakland and San
francisco must come to the mountains 20
insure amount and quality. The South
1uba, on better terms than any other
company, can compete for their custom.
The purest melted snow can be supplied
San Francisco in any amount at figure
so low as 10 render the outlay of the
capital necessary profitable investment
not only for the water company, but for
the citizens. Indeed, q rate is at present
offered the metropolis SO much beneath
what taxpayers are assessed by the Spring
Valley Company that the difference in
pipe lines and all apparatus necessary for
conveyance from the divide to the sea-
shore. Before long the wisdom OF accept
ing this offer will be seen.
Irrigation also has become an extensive
source of profit, ana at the present time
over 1000 acres are warered at cost TO
the skillful rancher of $6 per acre. From
this source the unsurpassed foothill region
lying about and below Newcastle derives
its prosperity. Many schemes for the ex-
tension OF this system are in the air, and
the near future may see perpetual verdure
of garden and orchard creeping down 10
the very river bridge of the capital.
Thus the South Iuba Water Company
has an immense future before 1t, and IS
already one OF the great properties OF the
State. Its management is sagacious and
enterprising. The well known John
SpauldIng is and has been for many wears
its trusted and valued general manager,
and II would probably beimposSible TO find
his superior in this line in California, or
anywhere else on the coast. The other
officers are: Warner Van Norden (presi-
dent OF the Bank Of North America in
New York City,, president; William Dowd
OF New York, vice-president, and Charles
Van Norden, resident director for Caifor-
MIA.
Auburn keeps up with the times. Since
its incorporation it has made vast i'm
provements. Too much credit cannot be
given our municipal government, which
ls managed by an economical board OF
i've Trustees. John Morgan is the present
Mayor and w. r. Wildman, S. NJ. Stevens.
". A. Freeman and G. ". McCreedy are
the Trustees. The city has been thor
oughly severed at an expense of $50. .O0O.
although Auburn has natural drainage
The main streets have been macadamiZed
and everything put in city dress. To-day
the city S population numbers about 1850
and new buildings are constantly being
erected, within the last two years no less
than thirty-fve new residences having
been built, including city hall at cost
OF $751; 600, an L. Q. o. +. hall which cost
$4,000, and our present new courthouse.
1t has live Board of Trade, which is do
ing effective work, and Charles Van Nor
den is the president. The people are pro-
gressive and the merchants are doing
thriving business.
lEolla Heights has become through the
enterprise OF some OF our best citizens one
OF the most charming residence spots in
the city. To an unrivaled view, every
sanitary adjunct of sewer, water supply
and beautiful evergreen trees has been
supplied, and now the spot is the chief