Year: 1859

NCN AIN COItkESEOND DENCE.


Further description of Honey Lake VAL


ley--MonOpOly of Land, s.c., &c.


GlDsoNyIrLE, Dec. 25th, 1859.


EDITOR DEMOCRAT In consequence ofmy
last communication having reached an OBJ
Jectionable length, did not as minutely de-
scribe all the peculiarities of the Honey
Lake Valley as l had intended and that
deficiency it will be my present object to
supply. Through the politeuess of Mr. Mil
ton Craig, one of the first settlers in the valley
who was kind enough to accompany us on
our excursion over the valley, we obtained
very reliable history of the rise and progress
of the valley, as well as the most of the par
uculars relating thereto. Honey Lake Val
ley runs almost exactly North and South, and
Is bounded on the West by the eastern slope
ofthe Sierra Nevada mountains, and on the
East by quite low barren hills The noun
tains on the west side of the valley are very
lofty, steep and abrupt, and covered with
splendid pine, fir, and oak timber down to
their very base The west side of the valley
has still another important advantage. 1t
has the best of water in abundance. Fine
cool springs ooze out from the foot of the
mountains, trickle down in beautiful rivulets,
and spread out over the green meadows of
Natures make. Could anything be more
grandly inspiring than to sit on hot sum-
mer's day under one of those majestic pines.
and listen to the voice Of God, as manifested
In the gentle cadences of his universal crystal.
like beverage as it travels pown the gulchcs?
And then the moaning wind as it softly
sweeps through the tops of the trees, cools
the atmosphere, and causes one to forget for
the time, the excessive heat pouring down on
the opposite side of the valley. Near the
foot of those mountains are located some of
the most charming cosey little farms that |
ever saw. But the east side of the vallevap-
peared to me to possess many disadvantages.
AS before remarked, the east side is bounded
by low hills, without tree or scarcely
shrub to be seen and the consequence is that
the settlers on that side of the valley not only
have to haul their building and fencing tim
Der, but even their frewood from the oppo-
site side. tedious operation indeed. And
what is still worse, there is no water on the
east side of the valley except what is OBJ
tained by digging, aud even that is of a very
inferior quality. But Mr.. Craig informed us
that in the winter season the east side has
many advantages that the west side does not
possess. For instance last winter when the
snow was upwards Oftwo feet deep on the |
west side, in consequence of its being pro-
tected from the heat of the sun by the tower |
ing mountains, an the east side there was
none at all; and when the snow obtained a
still greater depth on the west side there was
but very little at all on the eastern side
Crops, and every kind of vegetation natures
much earlier on the east side of the valley
than it does on the west and were | going to
locate in the valley think that | should |
consider it very desirable to have a summer
residence on the west, and winter residence !
on the east side of the valley. One thing
that is decidedly detrimental to the general |
prosperity of the valley. is the enormous
amount of land which their local law allows !
each individual to hold. Every man, let him
be married or single, is suffered to preempt |
and hold GAO acres of land; which is certain /
ly too much. But the law of self interest if |
not necessity will eventually regulate that
matter They will soon find that they have
more land than they know what to do with;
also, that it would be much more pleasant to
have nearer neighbols; and those considera-
tions will be sufficient inducement for them
to part with portion of it for nominal |
sum. Yet do not think that such custom
should ever have been. .inaugurated and, fur
thermore, am under the impression that our
government will not respect, or recognize as
valid such an anomalous departure from the |
acknowledged territorial regulations 1t is |
true that government passed a special act of
that kind for the benefit of Oregon. but that
will certainly not apply to any other terri
tory; and even that only extends to married |
men, as family homestead. | am very APP
prehensive that there will be much future
contention over land in that valley for, as If
not satisfied with even the large quantity |
which their land law allows them, some are
holding still larger tracts. There are three
brothers in that valley by the name OF Adams
all single men-holding seven sections
Such monopoly will never do,


All kinds of vegetables as well ns small
grain, flourish most splendidly in the Honey
Lake Valley: and thus ends the chapter.


w. WELLINGTON G.


CONVERSION OF AN OREGoNIAN DAMsEL.-
The following story is vouched for by tray-
eler of our acquaintance


A Protestant Missionary went up, not very