The San Francisco call., 1905-03-27


eIed more than one thousand miles in
the great Sacramento Valley. From
one end of the valley to the other it
is evident that the year 1905 will
be one of the most prosperous in its
history. All the residents of the val
ley say they have never seen the feed
better. A man who has lived in diff
ferent parts of the valley forty-nine
years says he has never seen the
forage as good. Already l have seen
men cutting hay higher than their
knees. There has never been year
when the outlook for fruit growers
has been more favorable. The season
is so far advanced that the bulk of
the crop from the valley will doubt
less be marketed ahead of all material
competition. The growers will realize
fully 80 per cent more on shipments
than might be expected under normal
conditions. Grapes and pears are about
the only fruits that would be very
seriously affected by frosts at this
time, and the grapes are about a
month ahead OF the season.
But the most remarkable thing
about the Sacramento Valley is the
great number of developments in
many diversified lines.
There has never been time in
so many projects were either under
way or being planned. Electric and
steam transportation systems. irriga-
ton systems, mining, the development
of electric power plants whereby the
energy of Sierra streams will
be converted into electrical en-
ergy, the impounding of noun
tain waters, the breaking up
of great ranches so that intending
SAfflarS n f0OrhnlH the m
prCvement OF the Sacramento River
and Its tributaries and the reclamation
of a million acres of swamp land-all
these are among the projects either
under way or proposed-and a great
many of them are under way. The
vastness of the enterprises is in con-
sonance with the vastness of the val
ley and the diversity of its resources.
One can hardly appreciate the change
that is taking place in the valley till
one sees the opportunities that nature
has given and the manner in which
these natural resources are being
utilized.
ACTIVITY IN MINING.
In the mountains at the head OF the
valley there is activity in mining.
Thomas W. Lawson, among others. has
been attracted to the copper mines.
Redding is unusually active and Ken
net looks almost like boom town
with its new buildings. Greater inter
est than ever is taken in the gold
dredging at Oroville and In other
points in the valley. 1t Is surmised
that the recent visit of John Hays
Hammond, the mine expert. to Oro-
Vile may have been for the purpose Of
consolidating all the gold dredging in
terests in the district. Practically the
entire country around Oroville is
bonded for gold dredging purposes.
There Is every promise that this gold
dredging industry will double in the
next three or four years. Contracts
were recently let by one firm for five
new gold dredgers to cost $4,000 each.
The dredgers go through the country
like grubs through a rotten log, leav-
ing a pile of debris behind them. They
do not, however, turn fertile country
into an irreclaimable heap of barren
rocks. as has been enormously stated.
Much of the country that was mined
by the. Chinese in the early days has
been leveled off and Is now covered
with fertile orchards. Contracts have
been let for the leveling of some of
the thousands OF square miles raised
by the dredgers. There Is much fertile
soil among the rocks which does not
show upon the surface
The coming of the Western Pacific
into the valley from Plumas County is
now assured. The writer converSed
with Engineer Keddie of the Western
Pacific Railroad and obtained the
news that all rights Of way with the
exception of a few nonresident own
ers) between Oroville and Beckwith
Pass had been secured. This railroad
will open up region marvelously rich
In timber, mines and agricultural
lands. The snow on Beckwith Pass.
the highest point along the road. has
never been deeper than one foot and a.
half. The valleys of Plumas County
and there are no less than thirty great
valleys-produce excellent apples and
other deciduous fruits. But there has
been no market and the fruits have
often been fed to the hogs. There are
fields of oats in Plumas County almost
as high as a mans shoulders and one
photograph in Oroville shows a mans
hat above a field of oats. The mines
are rich, but 1t has been difficult to get
modern machinery to them.
MANY ELECTRIC LINES.
The building of electric railroads
promises great things for the valley in
the next few years. Within the last
three weeks franchises have been