The Record. (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1902-1904, 1903-08-21

douglas Is one OF the nine counties
created by the Territorial Legislature
on the twenty-fifth day of November,
1851, when Nevada was first subdivid-
ed by that body into minor divisions.
Originally it comprised portion of
Millard county, Utah, and later, of
Carson county. The Act of the Legis-
lative Assembly at that time establish
ed the county boundaries ss follows.
Beginning at Mason's ranch, on
Walker river, and running westerly,
i'm straight line, to the mouth of
Clear Creek; thence along the middle
of said creek to its source; thence due
west to the California line; thence
due south and southeasterly along
the said line to the western boundary
of Esmeralda county; thence northerly
along said boundary to the place of be-
ginning.
In 1868, the County Assessor, $. G.
Chase, estimated the agricultural lands
of Douglas county to be $4,000 acres
1900 of which would require irriga-
ton to be made. productive; that but
one inch of water per acre would be
required fer that purpose, and that
the cost per acre for irrigation would be
three dollars. The lands thus rated
and treated, ii was conceded would be
exceedingly productive in character
raising wheat, barley, oats, corn,
buckwheat, and peas, besides yielding
large crops of potatoes of superior quail
ity, as we'll as other root crops, with
unfailing certainty, thus proving its
capability to not only sustain large
population, bnt furnish considerable
surplus for export. Swamp and over
flowed land was estimated at ., 600 acres
all of which could be reclaimed at a
cost Of ten dollars an acre.
The same authority places the pas
ture lands at 100000 and the desert
lands at 100000 acres. Since then
ls6S-no doubt the area upon which
stock and dairy cattle can be profitably
Kept has been somewhat enlarged by
the destruction of the forests, and con-
sequent growth of shubbery and bunch
grass, upon which animals thrive, on
the land formerly occupied by large
pine and other trees. Besides it is safe
to assert, that the so called desert"
lands are covered to great extent with
the white sage, a shrub upon which
cattle thrive in winter.
The climate, water, and nutritious
heritage of Douglas are unexcelled for
dairying purposes; and there are many
reasons why the products of this branch
of industry should be greater in the
future than they have been in the past.
The butter product of Douglas County
for 1880 Is given at 10000 pounds, an
increase III five years of 5000 pounds,
which is an indication that it may be
greater in the near future. The manu-
faeture of cheese, as yet, seems not to
have been undertaken.
The greater portion of the arabic land
of Douglas County lies in Carson,
Long and Jacks Valleys. The first
named is the largest, and its southern
extremity lies within the limits of the
State of California. The remainder,
what il known as Carson Valley proper
is wholly within Douglas County. The
valley receives its name from the Car
son river, which has its source in the
high Sierras, entering the plain from
the south, and winds its serpentine
way northeasterly throughout its entire
length. This valley, or more properly,
large inland plateau has mean ele-
vation of about 4,500 feet above the
level of the sea, is about thirty miles
long, and eighteen wide; the lofty
peaks of the snow-clad Sierra sending
down their tentacle-like, pine-envelop-
ed ridges to skirt its western and
southern border; while lesser range
the Pine Nut Observation-Disclosures by
comparison with its loftier neighbor on
the west sage-brush mantled, and now
only with an occasional stunted pinon
upon its crests, forms the eastern side.
Carson Valley embraces about so, ,OOC
acres, one-tenth, or 5000 acres, OF
which lies within the limits of Califor.
mia.
This valley, and river which runs
entirely through it, received theiI
name from Fremont, in honor OF the
famous mountaineer who first entered
it when it WAS portion of the territory
of the Republic of Mexico. The Ter
ritorial Entrprise, when first issued Al
Genoa, in speaking of the discovery O.