The San Francisco call., 1910-03-05
BRILLIANT FUTURE
AWAITS RICHMOND
All of Rich Contra Costa COun=
ty Lies Back of the
Growing City

Great as Richmond is as a manufac
turing center and as a seat of Industry
on deep water, it is. like other portions
of California, backed up by grent eli
matte advantages and enriched by be
ing part Of q county that is opulent
in products OF the soil. both agricuI-
tural and mineral Contra Costa is
suite central on the map OF California
il IS close to san Francisco. san Pab-
10 and SuIsun bays are on the north
with the bay OF san Francisco on the
west The county area is 734 square
miles. or about 444.5 acres, The
entire county is picturesque, fertile
and wen adapted to home making
Richmond in the back country has an
admirable hinteriand. In it there is
promise OF great population.
Richmond is admirably situated as
% all requirements that 4 young and
tast growing community may have
The University of California is reached
in short and pleasant ride by cleo
trio cars. Two great cities, Oakland
and San Francisco, are in close touch
by electric and steam ears and by
water rouTe- A growing population
viii need great supplies. These
The surrounding country may be relied
upon 10 produce. a. J. Wells. noted as
"a writer Of literature about California
Tor The sunset home seekers bureau,
whose conservatism and accuracy will
hardly be called into question. writes
of Contra Costa county and makes an
allurinE picture 10 draw immigration
I'm the direction of ana close to Rich
moud
4 part Of a recently completed de
scription bE Wells is as follows.
Contra Costa has been very modest about ad
verfising AID Is but little known Yet her re
s1arces the advantages ~ her geoSra phical po
s'r-ou. tle uroducriTeness OF her soil aud hei
proximity tg market. der Eusul passed transpor
tstlcu facilities 81 the head IF the bay Of san
hrau--Sco. ana her commanding advantages toi
Flriots AiHaS ot mannl acturlng are certain te
give the county prominent place IN the INDUS
rrloS NJ r-e coast Great strides have been made
ID ulslf-ts-rlrlnS recentlF- ana Jhe wage Garner;
r-e farmer. tile shop Keeper and the professional
msu have aH interest in the statement Of facts
Contra costa SIS land Of hills and valleys,
and las great diversity of surface IN the cen
trsi pam ol rhe county il Mount Diablo- i,sit
f-er liCl. rising from almost 4 tide water level
Both lle western and northern boundary are
closely berlered with hills and two ranges OF
hls -lB Saurhwari. With large intervening val
legs Considerable marsh land l. found. mostly
~al- marsh. and rs the northward and between
lie upICuGs and tle san Joaquin river Is a body
't reclaimed land aeslegatlns more tnan sVVVt
Locally the Contra Costa valleys are known as
-ae Allamhr8- pacheco. Ienaclo Clayton and san
Ramon valleys ln reality they constitute one
valley and are rout iuuous for about 80 miles,
having VARYING width of one-laf 10 u males.
Evidently a wide arm of the bay thrust out
here. and rae lands are Setilmentary and very
rich and productive. In places the soil depth l.
very great. showing an enormous accumulation
cf-an slluvial soil mass.
Separate valleys. usually small. are called Sau
Pablo, Pinole, Rode0 snd Brlones. ana are on the
western side II the county, close 10 Berkeley,
Oakland and Saa Francisco. They produce hay
cEsiu csrrle- dairy products and fruit Rear "a
large towns aul cities a ready market is found
almost ~ the door These yalleJs are well
"alrle4 ~ running streams ~
san Pablo valley j. the largest valley in the
county and contains over 1900 acres Of arabic
lalL. if is on the western side and faces the
bay u san Francisco. wen down toward oakland.
Having the climate If the bay. this is not a
grape and fruit section. but is given 10 wheat.
barley. oats and hay, the cereals being now
largely cut for forage and much attention paid
Anofher pleasant little valley lies here on the
northern and western side Of the mountain and
extends 10 rho Suisun bsy. It Is central valley
~ the county and II miles wide by - miles
long Il merSes almost tH-perceptihy into
T-rario valley and Is watered iu part by Walnut
creek rle principal stream # the valley. Mount
Ing Walnut creek. fails into the tules Of Suisun
bay
IRON Icuacio valley we drop over q low ridge
and iu the town Of Walnut creek and at the
foot of tile long. bUt beautiful and fertile
San Rsno valley Seldom than a mile
wide. it j. about y miles long and merges into
The Lirermore valley of Alameda county. II
contains about 1000 acres and has on side
rhe fumbled and rounded hills of Contra Costa
and on the other the spurs and foothills Of Mount
Diablo.
one of the most picturesque spots in the
county. this valley lies 10 the south Of Mar
rinez. where ii opens up 70 the bay or straits
of tarquinez. i is about six miles long and a
uile wide. IT ls grape region. the nnest oi
table and wine grapes being grown here. 4
crear variety of dpcidu0us fruit is also produced
The Alhambra mineral springs are in this valley