The San Francisco call., 1898-03-31

RENO, March 29.-If all you know of Nevada has been learned from car window it will surprise you to hear of the beauty and productiveness or the Truckee Valley. in whose heart the city of Reno is located. Reno, in winter time with the broad valley snugly en- circled by the snow-topped mountains, with the lovely Truckee River rushing through on the way down from it's mountain source, and the exhilarating Nevada air like a tonic to challenge every drop of blood in ones veins, might pose as the type of an ideal win ter town. And Reno in summer, when the valley sniles-it smiles in alfalfa and the town is embowered in trees and flowers, and the beautiful mountains grow dim and hay in the warm dis tance, and the Truckee murmurs quietly and sleepily, is the most charming of summer residences.
 Reno's growth as health and pleas ure resort Is the natural consequence of the unusual combination of attractions the fortunate city possesses. It is but fourteen hours ride from San Fran cisco. It lies in a valley, but an ele- Yated valley, where one may benefit by the proximity of the mountains. Best of all, it is situated in Nevada, and when a valley city possesses a Ne vadan climate-the healthiest, the most inspiring in the world-and a fertility supposed to be exclusively Californian, she may well be inclined to throw a golden goblet into the sea to placate the jealous gods.
 Reno's golden goblet is her right to fair treatment by the Central Pacific. hot lot thrown voluntarily is evidently unknown to the aforesaid jealous gods, who, be- ing pagan and easily cheated, no doubt suppose COllis P. Huntington to be the agent of Reno in the matter. At all events that their natural resentment is stihed is evidenced by Reno's accumu- lattng wealth. by the growth of her fame as a coming great city, by the contentment of her people and their trust in her future.
 we made a mistake thirty years ago. said one of the foremost men in Reno, when we insisted upon being known as producers of silver alone. People have learned to think of Ne vada as the place where silver was once produced and sagebrush is now the sta pie article. Since the depreciation in silver Nevada has turned her attention to the development of her other re- sources. Within a few years we have made such advances in the develop IlSnI O1 our IoldlC TtSOQ1CSS IIldl We might more properly be called a cattle State, or a sheep State, or a dairy State, or a farming State than a silver State. And, of course, Reno is our nat ural metropolis"
 The City of Reno was incorporated by a special act of the Legislature of the State or Nevada, approved March 8, 1897. It is the largest city on the line of the Central Pacific Railroad between ~-1sE Utah, has had a steady and continu- ous growth ever since its inception and is situated in the midst of the richest agricultural and stock raising country between the Sierra Nevada and the Rocky Mountains. Its resources are agricultural and pastoral rather than those of mines. It is the terminus of the V. and T. R. R., extending south with it's connection $50 miles, and also of the N. c. and O. R. R., extending the State University. of the State Hos pital for Mental Diseases, and of the Steee zAzsrfcslItaral Society. At the gen. eral election of 1896 it cast 1900 votes and its present estimated population is $500. Its assessed valuation in the year 1887 was the sum of S1.745,S90 which was upon a low and very con- servative basis of valuation. Its total bonded indebtedness from all sources Is $45 900. The total rate of taxation in the year 1897 for State county and Aocal purposes was 8 S7 on each one @ undred dollars valuation.
 One of the best indications of the city's prosperity is in it's determination to have municipal ownership of light ing facilities and water supply. The electors of Reno by vote of four to one voted in favor of bonding the city in the sum of S130,000 for water works and $20,000 for an electric light plant The constitutionality of the incorpora- ton act has been sustained by the Su- preme Court. and the City Council is now advertising for bids for Reno's bonds. In about ten days the time for the receipt of bids will expire, and the City Council is confident of the success of Reno's first great municipal under taking.
 Tt is only beginning" said the president of the City Council, "a foun- dation. Other things will be attempt ed later. But 1t is of the first impor- tance that a city should own its own utilities. should be free to give the best and the cheapest water and light to its people. Reno is improving every day The best sign of that improve ment is in the attention she gives to the public health by providing SUD- ply of pure water, and to our peoples comfort and safety in arranging for properslighting. Situated as Reno is, with the pureSt mountain water so close at hand, and with thousands of horse power going to waste in the energy of the Truckee. our water and light plants should be the finest in the West Anc that we hope to make them We shah get our water from the Truckee fur ther up than the present water com pany does It will be filtered and piped to town. There will be no opel: ! ditch to catch the seepage from the !