The morning times., 1896-01-02
COAST MOUNTAIN RANGE.
An Attractive Country That Is Not
'--' Yet Much known.
Fresno, Cal, Interior

California mountain scenery is not con
Tined to the great Sierra Nevada Range by
I=any means Mounts Shasta, Whitney, God
| ard, Lyell, and other numerous and well
known peaks OF the Sierra associated with
such famous fields OF plea sure as Yosemite.
Tahoe, Tehipite, the Craggs, the Palisades,
t-nnd the Big Trees, constitute such a mass
1 of mountain grandeur that one would ma tur-
| ally be led to believe that nature had cx
tsllaustcd herself in the production of beauti
iui scenery in the one great mountain range
along the eastern boundary or the Golden
State But such is not the case.
The Coast Range, Tehachapi, and Sierra
,Madre Mountains contain their just pro
portion or attractions. Lake Menlocino,
Humboldt, and Del Norte counties atCund
in enchanting scenes. while Santa Cruz,
Monterey, Santa Barbara, Kern, and San
Bernardino all afford numerous enticing
fields for seekers after pleasure.
The western slope of the Coast Range
south of San Francisco Bay abounds in
attractive woodland scenes. The big red
wood forests OF Santa Cruz county are q
favorite summer resort for hundreds Of
campers, while the numerous mineral
springs are sought out by inyalids or seek
ers after better health. Along the roads
throughout this region are many objects
which attract more than passing attention.
and bridges of unique structure are not
uncommon. Where sawed timbers and iron
trusScs are considered too expensive, the
favorite substitute is coast redwood. This
Will last for years, is strong, seryiceable,
and not very expensive.
=. There is at present a lack of RAILWAY
facilities in the whole interior coast region.
Lines OF road ought to connect the great
interior valley with the seacoast through
the Pacheco, Panoche, and Chealome Passes
hp
scaboard points To be reached being Sa nta
Cruz. NJ ontcrey, and Port Hartford
No part OF the Pacific coast is richer i'll
natural resources than the mountainous
country lying between the San Joaquin
Valley and the Pacific Ocean. Petroleum
quicksilver, coal, gypsum, bituminous rock.
limestone, and asphalt abound IN different
localities, and various hot and cold springs
of known beneficial medical properties are
also found.
The small valleys and rolling hills are
largely composed OF a very rich. black |
soil, which requires little irrigation for |
orchard or vineyard, and produces good |
crops of grain annually without any arti |
ficial moisture. In some sections dairying |
is already extensively followed, and this |
business Will no doubt rapidly increase rs |
transportation facilities are improved. No /
large streams are found in this region. but
numerous small ones are found, each |
cdpapie OF supplying water SulIlcicnt 10 lr-
rigate considerable areas if the water was
properly husbanded.
California as whole is pra ctically un- /
known to her citizens, and the coast noun
tain region is perhaps less familiar to the
Inhabitants than any other section. In
creased population is essential 10 a proper
utilization Of the resources now lying dor
mant, and SO long as the valleys offer such
favorable opportunities for capital and
home seekers there is little show for rapid
development of the mountainous sections,
particularly those distant from railroads.
Every new railroad opens up another line
OF populous communities, therefore, we be-
lieve that new lines OF railway are of more
Importance to interior California at the
present time than any other class of inn
prUveTnents.