Year: 1872

| tne lacL tnat tne moment step outside
Of Douglas folks seem to have an idea
that there is {" chiel amang them, takin
notes." and begin to speculate on what
will appear in the next JOURNAL. Last
week | went over to the Hay Fork Sec
ton, as l had been notified that my pres
ence would be deemed very desirable
there on the 9Th of June. The occasion
of my being thus sent for was dance at
Jack Kellogg's, given as a farewell party
to some Of the good people of Kettenchow
who were on the eve of their departure 20
Colorado. Kettenchow valley is about
% miles from Hay Fork in Il south by
southwest direction, and although the
boundary lines have never been run be-
tween this county and Humboldt and
Mendocino, it is generally believed that
the Kettenchow valley lays within our
limits. Hay Fork is the nearest point at
which wagon-road communication can
be reached, consequently the emigrants
brought in their families here to be taken
out by way of Shasta, while large band
of horses which they propose to drive
East will be sent through the mountains
direct.


Kettenchow is the Indian name of the
valley, and it is so-called from small
edible root which formerly grew there in
great abundance. 1t is rather an out of
the way place for families to be found
yet nevertheless, in addition to those who
are now going East, after residing there
several years, Il number of families re-
main there. George Burgess will soon
open school there, so you can judge that
there must be number of the rising
generation left. While on the subject OF
schools, let me say here that | dtopped
in on the Hay Fork school, at present
under charge of our poet friend Luke
Wells. Some forty scholars, of all sizes
and ages, are on the register, and the
school is wel-conducted and making, |
should judge, good progress. If d" Young
America " continues to increase in the
same ratio as since my last trip to the
valley there will have to be condition"
put to that school-house.


Contrary to general expectation in the
early part Of the year, the wheat crop of
the valley will be comparatively small.
The lack Of Spring rains has made the
crop failure except in some favored
localities, and the dry winds of April
carried off much of the moisture necessary
to the growing grain. Still, it is thought
that as much grain will be raised in the
valley as last year, though there is a diff
ference of opinion on that point. The
mining season, too, has drawn to q close
earlier than was anticipated when it
opened SO favorably. , l did not learn
much Of the yield but believe that in some
lied as was expected. In the foothills
of the valley there is plenty of gravel
wash which would indicate chance for
good diggings in places that are yet un-
prospected. Jake Hilliaid has notion
Of prospecting some this Summer, on the
range where his claim is located, and if
is AS favorable as he anticipates, he con-
templates bringing on ditch from Salt
creek or the main Hay Fork and no
longer be dependent upon guch water
If Jake starts after anything Of the kind
he is one of the chaps that will drive it
ahead, and it strikes me that the proposed
ditch would not only be useful in opening
up mining ground, but could be used to
advantage in rrigatng grain fields along
the line in a dry season such as this has
been.


AS l intended to go straight across the
mountain. from Hay Fork to junction
City, where | had to be ON the 7th, and
had never Travelled the road, rs soon as
struck Hay Fork begun inquiring the
distance between the two places. The
first man asked said sixteen miles, the
next eighteen, and so they kept increasing
until it got up to twenty-tour, when
concluded l had better stop if wanted
to make the trip in single day. IL was
sun up before the gents balanced to the
right for the last time, then | took
snooze and started. Reaching the head
of the valley was tempted to inquire
once more, and my informant seeing that
the day was hot and | looked a little
tagged already, very good -naturedly put
the distance down for me at eighteen
miles to "Uncle Joe's." guess it's just
about that in an airline, but with the
thermometer at about 110o, | notice |
prayed most devoutly to see, not the
Dutch Cap" but the gap of Dutch
creek. The mountain ridge coming out
is not very high, as the altitude Of the
valley must be thousand feet above the
Trinity, but when it comes to descending
this side advise all weak-knee Repu5-
lcans not to try it. There is some talk
of building IL wagOn-road over this route,
of which | heard the cost estimated at
three thousand doEars but it looked to me
that it would require more than that sum
to take it up the mountain on this side.
Inc dlley lOlk5 ll1u lnelf Oest HluIkcI
down the river, and a road across would
obviate the necessity Of the long journey
around by Weaver and back. and they
further claim that in no place will the
grade be SO steep that a load Of grain
cannot be hauled over it with greater
ease than it can be hauled up Weaver
creek Still Notwithstanding these adj
vantages, do not think the road will be
built, for l think the outlay will SO far
| ...n...I thn rrn.nnt orti,nntnc thnt ~ hnrn