Year: 1859

EDITOR DEMOCRAT AS the folks of Marys
vile and vicinity hear but seldom of this far
off region, conclude, after taking a quiet
snack by myself, (for am what people term
bachelor,) to send few lines posting you
up in regard to matters and things in this
part of the country, giving you the privilege
of consigning it to the flames or putting it
on the compositor's hook.


Clear Lake Valley is about ninety miles


west from Marysville, situated in the coast


range of mountains. 1t is truly beautiful


valley of large extent, being, | should judge,


forty miles long on the west side of the lake
and about three miles wide at the widest


part The other side of the lake is quite


narrow, in consequence Of the mountains be-


ing so close to the lake. Clear Lake Valley


is us valuable farming land as there is in Cal


ifornia; it is quite thickly settled, and those


who have been here year or two will raise


large crops-yet the people will not make
/ extensive improvements until it is decided in
regard to the Spanish grant, whether it proves
good or no. We have four post offices, two
churches and three school houses. There is
about being erected another school house,
with Masonic hall in the second story
There are two firms, Messrs Boyd and Giles,
who are extensively engaged in manufactur
ing cheese. We also have a sufficient guam
tity of blacksmith shops and stores-i. e.,
whiskey bunks-but no public houses for the
convenience of Travellers all such have to
find accommodation at ranches


Clear Lake trade is extensive 1t is chiefly
carried on at Napa. One house, l am told,
did business to the amount of thirty thou
sand dollars last year from Clear lake alone.
The Sacramentans have opened their eyes to
this trade and are about opening a road from
here to Sacramento. 1t is said to be about
twenty-five miles further than from here to
Napa City. which is called one hundred
The Napaites are also on the alert for Clear
Lake trade At the last session of the Board
of Supervisors they let out contract at
$4,000 for making a road between here and
there. Healsburg is also agitating the ques-
tion of constructing a road if she does, they
will do all the business, as it is but forty
miles, which distance can easily be packed
over in q day. The contract for constructing
a canal up Cache Greek to Clear Lake is let
out, and when we get a road from here to
Marysville, if we are ever so fortunate, and
tIa 9Th ,tl. al H. . tI,a
ing is in town"


Clear Lake is beautiful sheet of water,
about thirty-five miles long, twelve wide,
and deep enough to float sixty four gun
ship. For beauty and scenery, it can vie, no
doubt, with any of the famous lakes of Scot
land, and as for fish, have not heard of any
water of its size that can come up to it. AT
this season of the year they run up the small
streams which empty into the lake, so thick
that by throwing a stone into the water
number can be killed. They run chiefly in
the night, when person wading in the wa
ter with torch can kick them ashore, two
and three at a time. The Digger Indians
latch them in vast numbers to dry them for
summer consumption, for in the sun,mer the
fish retire in the deep water of the lake.


The Indians are very numerous here; al
though they are harmless and inotfensive
set, yet the people generally desire them re
moved to reservation. An Indian was shot
a few days ago under the following eircum-
stances: A young man by the name of
Smith, who lives with a squaw, (he is not the
only one who does the same in these parts)
adjoining ranch here, called to an old In
lan who was passing by his house, to give
lim some fish; the Indian refusing to do so,
Smith picked up gun and shot its contents
nto the body of the Indian, who lived but
,wo or three days afterwards Smith, to
Justify himself, says it was accident. The
people have not arrested him as yet, but if t
lad been the white man that was shot in
stead of the Indian. the Indian would have
been swinging to the limb of some tree ere
this But so it goes-oftentimes crime goes
and the innocent suffer.


As do not meddle with politics, do not
know the feeling of the people on that sub
ect, but, when election day comes round,
Clear Lake will poll more votes than cut
;iders imagine. l have been in the lake
country over four months, and l have never
yet seen Marysville paper. must excuse
myself for not taking one by saying l am
not permanet resident.


When the weather is such that it requires
Capt. Bayley's services to lay the dust, and /
so hot that it is necessary to make constant
demands upon the Dickey Ice Company to
keep cool, and editorials scarce, (as they are
in dog days just straddle one of o. II. s best
and spend a week or two in fishing or hunt
ing, and | will venture to say you will go
home much healthier if not more corpu-
lent man.


Yours, truly, II.


In Co 4, Al