Year: 1865

that hides the future. We cannot say for y
certainty that prosperity awaits US, or tn at
adversely must inevitably be our doom; all
that we can do is TO Judge of probabilities
There are certain Indications from whicl,
even the most casual observer can form a
judgment that can lie relied on with reason
able certainty Of being correct. In looking
at the State Of California at the present
time, and its prospects for the year that is
before us we see nothing discouraging, ex
cept to the faint hearted and those who
dream of sudden wealth; who depend on
some golden wndf,Il, or those who have
been spoiled by good fortune in the past few
years, and who are now living on the hope
that something will turn up" to once more
place themselves on fortunes ladder, Lu, on
the other hand, in looking over the State, we
see everything to encourage the determined,
resolnte, industrious and enterprsing. No
country that the sun ever shines on offers
greater scope aud farer opportunities for in
dus,ral enterprises Here, in California, we
teel certain that If we have abundant rains
in winter, we shall have an abundant har-
vest. Tie present season bids fair to be an
emlnenlly prosperous one. No farmer com
plains of the want OF rain; none complain of
having too much, and, f,r once, all seem to
he suited. Wheat, barley, and grass never
looked better than at present. A greater
breadth Of land has been put under cu,iva.
ton in California than ever before, and we
understand that more corn will he planted
than in any former year. The copious rains
OF the past winter are security TO the farmer
that his granaries will be well filled, and the
warehouse of the merchant will of course be
well filed. 1t the farming interest tlouri>hes,
all departments Of human industry. pariici
pate in its prosperity. Our infant manufac-
lures are already in hourishing condition,
and have so far been SO successful as to slim
uate TO the erection of Others. The past
has taught US all some useful lessons of econ
omy, which vii! not soon be forgotten. Iron
fouudeiies and machine shops have full en-
poyment in turning out steam engines for
the mines and for steam vessels navigating
our waters. The mining interest of this
State is prosperous, as is evinced by the ship
ments Of gold to the East. Mining no lon
ger depends on mere muscle, but mind is
brou.'I.t into requisilion. and we are inclined
to believe the year 1865 will show as much
gold taken out in placer and quartz mines as
in any year since the discovery OF the mines,
and the silver coming into California from
her sister Nevada, will he counted by the
lun. The discoveries of rich silver mines on
the slopes and crest of the Sierra Nevadas,
and in Alpine county particularly, will give
profitable work for thousands Of miners
Copper will he no small item in the mineral
account book Science and skilled labor
never had so great field to operate in as
California and Nevada presents, and what
contributes to the prosperity of the one State
is Of advantage to the other.


Years ago, and long before the everlasting
and adventurous Yankee landed in CaIor'
MIA, the prophet said that "Westward, the
Star of Empire takes its way" We shall
soon have ocean steamers connecting us with
China, and ere long The Pacific and Atlantic
Railroad will be constructed and that Star
will be above the horizon. With The most
salubllous and healthy climate in the world;
with soil unsurpassed in fertility; with hills
and gulches rich in minerals, and will be
for years, what more can man, who is will.
ling TO earn his bread by the sweat of his
brow, ask for! Those only who are too
proud or too lazy to work. and would grum-
ble and growl in Heaven itself, if by chance
they should get there. Find man who
curses California and the chances are you
find one who tries to live 10y his wits, and
fails for want Of stock; he is waiting, waiting
for something to turn up, and ends in turning
out to be poor devil. Let all who are try
ing to ''raise the wind" in other ways than
by work, 60 to raising vegetables or miner
ais, and they and the State at large will be
infinitely better off than they now are.


We close by saying we honestly believe
that the prospects Of California for this year
are as good as in any other country where
grass grows and water runs" that we shall
this year raise from tho bowels of mother
earth, gold, silver and copper enough TO sat-
isfy even the ''dreans of avarice;" that we
shall raise provisions enough to feed all that
are now here aud a hundred thousand more,
should they come, and that our wine grow
ers can wash these provisions down with ten
millions of wine-the estimated product Of
this year. llave we not abundant reasons,
then, to thank the Gi.er of all good, for the
many blessings in store for us. and ought we
not to prove ourselves deserving them!


Alpine Chronicle


Deep-sea soundlngs have at last become
something like reliable. The result is, that
the ocean, so fAr'as yet explored, is not