Sacramento Valley and Foothill Counties, California:
An Illustrated Description of all the Counties Embraced in this Richly Productive Geographical Subdivision of the Golden State.*
Compiled and Edited by Emmett Phillips and John H. Miller.
Published Under Direction of The Sacramento Valley Expositions Commission,
J. A. Filcher, Director-in-Chief.
January, 1915
* * * * * * *
Text transcribed by Peggy B. Perazzo,
Yolo County CAGenWeb Project Coordinator,
http://www.cagenweb.com/yolo/index.htm
Stone Quarries & Beyond web site
email: [email protected]
2004.
(* The
following counties are included in this booklet: Amador, Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Nevada, Placer,
Plumas, Sacramento, Shasta, Solano, Sutter, Trinity, Tehama, Yolo, and Yuba
Counties.)
(Front and Back Covers)
(Caption For Photograph Inside Front
Cover: ÒDAIRY HERD FEEDING IN
ALFALFA FIELD, SACRAMENTO VALLEY.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
2: ÒTROPICAL VERDURE IN PUBLIC
PARK, SACRAMENTO VALLEY.Ó)
(Caption For Photograph Inside Back Cover: ROAD THROUGH FOREST IN SACRAMENTO VALLEY.)
THE SACRAMENTO
VALLEY AND FOOTHILLS
OF CALIFORNIA
ÒThere are many flourishing cities
and towns in the Sacramento Valley with churches of all denominations,
elementary and advanced public schools, steam and electric railroad
transportation, electric lighting and power, water transportation, and all
things essential for the prosperity and comfort of the human family.
ÒThe following paragraphs contain
much information in detail on the Sacramento Valley that cannot fail to prove
interesting to hundreds of thousands of industrious men and women who know
little of the unlimited opportunities afford them for the achievement of
health, happiness and prosperity in this wonderland in the heart of
California. The reader will find
in the following pages of this booklet a condensed but accurate description of
each county of the Sacramento Valley and foothills region, together with a
brief and uncolored statement of its resources.
ÒEvery county of the Sacramento
Valley is easily accessible by railway connection with all cities in the State
and it would be a journey replete with pleasure and instruction to visit this
fertile Valley where deciduous fruit gardens blossom in the foothills and on
the river banks, where orange blossoms perfume the breezes of Summer, where
gold is taken from the hidden recesses of the eternal hills, where happiness
and prosperity are the distinguishing features of every home, and where the
warm hand of fellowship and hospitality is ever extended to the stranger.
(Caption for photograph on page 4: Drying Fruit In The Sunshine, Sacramento Valley.)
Climate the Chief Factor
Climate in California is a magic
word because it means so much for the prosperity, happiness and comfort of the
people. It is probably the most
precious asset in the Golden State because it is the chief factor that has to
do with making California the most wonderful producing State on the American
continent.
ÒClimatic conditions in the
Sacramento Valley are ideal. The
average rainfall is about 26 inches.
This rainfall is distributed through four months of the year and is
always ample to assure abundant cereal crops. In the Summer of Ôdry season,Õ as it is called, the
temperature is never oppressive because of the low percentage of humidity in
the atmosphere. Work in the fields
is never suspended because of high temperature nor is there ever danger of
sunstroke. In the Sacramento
Valley the evenings are invariably cool and the nights balmy and
delightful. There is no such thing
as perspiring through the night and awakening in the morning thoroughly
enervated and exhausted. Each
afternoon during the Summer season, the Pacific trade winds blow landward from
the Pacific Ocean and towards evening they lower the atmospheric temperature of
the Sacramento Valley, which is situated about fifty miles inland from the
ocean shore.
ÒThe coast trend of the State
being northwest and southeast, presents a right angle front to the Japan
Current, that ever comes up from the southwest to lave its shores. It is this warm current that gives
California its temperature and equable climate.
ÒLatitude has no bearing
whatsoever upon climate in California, although topography and altitudes affect
the temperature to some degree in different latitudes.
ÒIt is a tremendous advantage that
the California farmer has in climate where growth and production go on without
pause. In the Sacramento Valley
the grower finds his vines and trees, field and truck garden producing
something for the market every month in the year. Climate also has a decided effect upon the cost of
living. Where the pastures yield
natural forage, green or dry, every day, where the water never freezes, where
the vegetable growth goes on forever, and the storage of vegetables for Winter
use is never necessary because they are growing and fresh daily, it is clearly
apparent that the cost of living must be less than where the Summer and Fall
are spent in hard labor to store food and fuel against the long Winter that
suspends production.
(Caption for photograph on page
6: Tourists Visiting An Orange
Grove In The Sacramento Valley.)
Market Value of Land
ÒPrices of land in the Sacramento
Valley and contiguous counties very greatly. They range from $30 an acre to $300 for unimproved
land. The wide variation in price is
due to the difference in the kind of land and the location. The cheap lands are mostly unirrigated
rolling uplands. In many
localities these lands have to be cleared before they can be planted and this
increases the cost. Irrigated
lands can be purchased for $150 to $300 per acre. The prices of river bottom land range from $175 to $300 per
acre.
ÒThe prices of improved lands vary
according to location, the value of the improvements, transportation
facilities, etc. Well kept paying
orchards, however, are often valued at as high as $1,200 an acre. Frequently good opportunities are
offered to purchase improved places for very reasonable figures.
ÒAs there is such a wide
difference in soil types, and as location has much to do with land values, it
is advised that all prospective purchasers visit and inspect personally any
land that they contemplate purchasing before making their initial deposit.
Prospective Settlers and Cost
of Living
ÒFrequently prospective settlers
of the Sacramento valley and surrounding territory ask the question, ÔHow much
money must I have before coming to the Valley?Õ This, of course, is a very difficult question to answer, as
the personal element enters into each case. Many men have come here with very little and have made
wonderful successes. They had
pluck and energy and were not discouraged at the first obstacles that they had
to overcome. Generally speaking,
however, a man with a family should have about $3,000 in cash before coming
west. This will enable him to make
a substantial payment on his land and still have enough money left to tide him
over the first year, which is always the hardest.
ÒIn the preceding chapter upon
climate, it was stated that the cost of living is less in California than in
States where the climatic conditions are more severe. Some commodities, however, and especially manufactured
articles, are slightly high in the Sacramento Valley than in Eastern
localities. The freight charge
from the point of manufacture to California is added to the Eastern selling
price.
ÒThe cost of building in the
Sacramento Valley and foothill region is slightly higher than in Eastern
States. This is due primarily to
the fact that wages paid skilled mechanics are higher here than east of the
Rocky Mountain States. But in
building homes, it is not necessary to make them as substantial in California
as in the East, because of the difference in climate. Double floors, windows and door are not necessary.
Ordinary farm laborers in
California are paid $35.00 per month and board and from $2.00 to $2.50 a day
when employed by the day. Skilled
mechanics are paid from $4 to $6 per eight-hour day.
ÒFuel is not a heavy item in the
Sacramento Valley. Crude oil is in
general use for many purposes. Its
cost averages about a dollar a barrel.
Oak stoves wood costs from $6 to $8 a cord. Gas is used to a great extent for fuel in cities and
towns. The average cost is about
$1.00 per 1,000 feet. The price of
electricity for power and lights ranges from 4 to 7 cents per killowatt (sic)
hour, according to the amount used.
(Caption For Photograph on Page
8: GREAT MANUFACTURING PLANT IN
SACRAMENTO VALLEY.)
Electric Energy in Sacramento
Valley
ÒDuring the past few years
electricity has been an important factor in everyday life. In the Sacramento Valley and
surrounding territory, it is as much in use as in the large cities. There are many uses to which this power
is put on the farm, such as running irrigation pumps, lighting purposes,
turning the churn, etc. Power is
very cheap in the Sacramento Valley and hence it is used extensively.
ÒThe swift streams fed by
perpetual snows, which course down the steep sides of the Sierra Nevada
mountains, furnish unsurpassed opportunities for the development of power. These opportunities have been taken
advantage of largely by investors and to-day there are several very large
companies supplying electric energy to the farmers as well as to the city
dwells in different parts of the Sacramento Valley. The possibilities of power development in this part of
California have only been touched and this magic force which lights cities,
moves trains and turns the wheels of industry will become cheaper to the farmer
as its use becomes more general.
Modern Improved Highways
ÒThat good roads increase the
profits of farm products by lessening the cost of transportation is a declaration
of a recent bulletin published by the United States Department of
Agriculture. It is a well known
fact that California is one of the leading States in the nation in the
construction of good roads, and the counties of the Sacramento Valley and
surrounding mountain districts are not behind the rest of the rest of the State
in this respect. Several years ago
the people of California voted $18,000,000 for good roads and a great
percentage of the mileage of this great State road system is now
completed. Two main trunk lines of
the highway pass through the Sacramento Valley – one on the west side and
one on the east side. These roads
meet at Red Bluff, in Tehama County, and the road then continues through
Tehama, Shasta and Siskiyou Counties to the Oregon line.
Another link of the State highway
leads form Sacramento through El Dorado County across the Sierra Nevada
Mountains to Lake Tahoe. This is
one of the noted scenic roads of California and is the route most frequently
selected by tourists entering California by automobile. The Emigrant Gap road is also a scenic
highway that leads from Sacramento to the northern end of Lake Tahoe through
Placer County.
ÒIn addition to the State road
system, many of the counties have spent large sums of money improving the
lateral roads. Road building has
reached a high standard here and the abundance of rock, gravel, cement, sand
and petroleum used in highway construction found within the borders of the
State make it possible to build the best roads for the minimum cost.
ÒCalifornia has more automobiles
per capita than any other State in the Union and is second only to New York in
the number of automobiles in use, and hence the people are fully awake to the
benefits of good roads. The
movement now underway will result in providing in California the finest highway
system in the world.
(Caption For Photograph on Page
10: VINE COVERED HOME SURROUNDED
BY TROPICAL PALMS IN SACRAMENTO VALLEY.)
Excellent Transportation
Facilities
ÒOne of the important factors to
the prosperity of any community is the matter of adequate transportation. In this respect the Sacramento Valley
is indeed fortunate. The Valley is
served by rail and water transportation facilities which provide ample outlets
for the millions of tons of foodstuffs that the rich Valley soil produces
annually. First, let us consider
the rail transportation. The
Valley is traversed east and west by one and north and south by two main lines
of the Southern Pacific Company.
The east and west line is the western link on the great transcontinental
line of this company and leads directly to the great markets of the Eastern
States. Of the north and south
main lines, one serves the east and the other the west side of the Sacramento
valley. they meet at Sacramento on the south and Tehama on the north. They lead directly to the large cities
of the Northwest, which are large consumers of Sacramento Valley products. All of these lines lead to San
Francisco and other main lines of the same company lead direct to Los Angeles. In addition to the main lines, the
company has many branch roads which serve as feeders and reach out to fertile
valley and rich foothill sections which are off the main route.
ÒThe Western Pacific, also a
transcontinental road, crosses the Valley, passing through the counties of
Plumas, Butte, Yuba, Sutter and Sacramento.
ÒThe Valley is also served with
several electric lines, which converge at Sacramento. These are the Northern Electric, running from Sacramento
Chico, the Sacramento and Woodland, running between the two cities named in the
road title, the Central California Traction, running between Sacramento and
Stockton, and the Oakland and Antioch, between Sacramento and San
Francisco. There are also several
roads in course of construction, among which are the Sacramento Valley Electric
which will traverse the counties of the west side of the Valley, and the
Vallejo and Northern, which will serve a very rich fruit section and connect
Sacramento and Vallejo, the largest city in Solano County.
ÒWater transportation is an
important factor to the producers of the Sacramento Valley, and the Sacramento
River, which is navigable as far as Red Bluff, 200 miles from its mouth, not
only provides means of transporting many crops to market, but acts as a rate
regulator. Freighting on the
Sacramento River is of vast importance and the stream ranks fourth among the
rivers of the United States in amount of tonnage floated on it. During certain seasons of the year when
the river carries a large volume of water, it is navigable to light drafts
ocean going vessels as far as Sacramento.
Much work is being done by State and Government on improvements on the
Sacramento River. Passenger
traffic on the river between Sacramento and San Francisco is important, several
companies operating lines of fast steamers and advertising the voyage as one of
the sightseeing trips of California.Ó
(Caption For Photograph on Page
12: UNDERGROUND GOLD MINING IN
FOOTHILLS BORDERING SACRAMENTO VALLEY.)
School and Educational Progress
ÒThe Sacramento Valley and
contiguous counties offer to their youth educational facilities that are the
equal of those found anywhere in the world. Californians have always been liberal with their
expenditures for schools and colleges and it is the aim of the people of the
State to keep the educational institutions equal to the best. Every district has its school and every
county has one or more high schools where students are prepared for higher
education. In many of the counties
there are what is known as Ôunion high schoolsÕ - high schools built by a union
of one or more school districts. A
great many of such schools have been formed during the past few years and they
are very popular in the rural sections as they give the country students
opportunity to prepare for higher institutions.
ÒGraduates from these high schools
may enter the great University of California at Berkeley, which is but a short
train ride from any part of the Sacramento Valley. At this university a student may follow any branch of higher
learning desired. The tuition is
absolutely free, the students, however, provide their own books, clothing,
board, etc. The University of
California is endowed with $11,000,000 and is second in the United States in
the number of students enrolled.
Another great institution of learning available to the Sacramento Valley
students is the Leland Stanford, Jr., University, at Palo Alto, endowed with
$30,000,000 and one of the richest universities on the American Continent.
ÒOne of the most important
institutions of learning in the State in view of the importance of the great
industry of husbandry in all its branches in California, is the State Farm
School at Davis, Yolo County, in the Sacramento Valley. This school is a branch of the
University of California. It
teaches practical knowledge on every phase of farm work. Its courses cover every topic of
interest to the farmer of the Sacramento Valley and contiguous district
(sic). As it is a part of the
University of California, tuition is free. The enrollment is large and is increasing year by year as
the institution is spreading knowledge among farmers as to how they get the
greatest production for the least cost from their land.
ÒAnother important institution in
the Sacramento Valley that should be mentioned, is the State Normal School at
Chico. This school is supported by
the taxpayers of California and its object is to prepare young men and young
women for the important work of pedagogy.
ÒAppropriations amounting to more
than $9,000,000 a year are made by California to her educational institutions,
which shows clearly the importance placed upon the necessity of educating the
youth by this State.Ó
(Caption For photograph on page
14: A MODERN OSTRICH FARM IN THE
SACRAMENTO VALLEY.)
Denizens of Forest and Stream
ÒWhile the fame of the
horticultural and agricultural products of the Sacramento Valley and contiguous
country has spread throughout the United States, comparatively few know much of
the wild life of this most favored section. It is but reasonable to expect that a country so richly
endowed by nature with fertility of soil, abundance of water and salubrity of
climate as the Sacramento Valley, should support a large and varied population
of wild folk. In this region the
antelope, deer, elk, etc., fattened on the plans before the white men settled
up the country.
ÒDuring the early days of the
history of the State the slaughter of deer, elk and antelope was ruthless and
it became necessary to pass stringent laws protecting these game animals. As a result of these laws there is more
game in California now than at any previous time during the past quarter of a
century. The protection measures
have given the animals a chance to multiply and the hunter of to-day has no
difficulty in getting his limit of two deer a season in any of the foothill and
mountain sections contiguous to the Sacramento Valley. Bear, wild cats, mountain lions, etc.,
are to be found in the higher altitudes by those who care to penetrate the
mountain depths for big game.
ÒOn the floor of the Sacramento
Valley there is an abundance of rabbits, squirrels, etc., which not only
furnish excellent sport in bagging them, but are toothsome when properly
served.
ÒGame birds are numerous and
varied in the Sacramento Valley. There
are a number of native ducks, also quail and dove, and in the mountain
districts there are mountain quail and grouse. The Fall of each year also brings large flocks of migratory
ducks and geese form the far north to entertain the Valley hunter.
ÒThe lover of the rod and reel
will find plenty to amuse him in the Sacramento Valley and surrounding
country. Trout streams are
numerous in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and there are hundreds of mountain
lakes that furnish excellent fishing.
In the rivers of the Valley black and striped bass, perch, cat fish and
crappie may be taken by the angler.
Bass were introduced into the Sacramento River many years ago and have
multiplied rapidly until they are now numerous enough to furnish the best of
sport. They are a gamey fish and
often weigh as much as eight and ten pounds each.
ÒThe king salmon is one of the
important fishes of the Sacramento River.
This fish is taken in large quantities and is shipped to markets all
over the American continent.
ÒIn order that the trout streams
of the State may not be depleted of fish, the State Fish and Game Commission
maintains a number of hatcheries.
The trout spawn is taken from the fish and developed at the hatcheries. When the little fish attain a size so
that they are able to take care of themselves, they are shipped to streams in
various parts of the State and liberated.
In this way millions of fish are provided for the sport of anglers every
year.
(Caption For photograph on page
16: TYPICAL OLIVE GROVE IN THE SACRAMENTO
VALLEY.)
Wide Variety of Products
ÒProbably no like area in the
world produces such a wide variety of crops as the Sacramento Valley. The list of products that are farmed
for profit contains citrus and deciduous fruits, grapes, berries, nuts, olives
and other sub-tropical fruits, alfalfa, cereals, and vegetables of all
marketable varieties.
ÒThe Sacramento Valley supplies
the markets of the nation and also many cities of northern Europe with
deciduous fruits for a period of eight months in every year. Not only are the Sacramento Valley
fruits the first to ripen each season, but they contain a delicacy of flavor
not often found in fruit produced elsewhere.
ÒThe principal varieties of
deciduous fruit grown in the Sacramento Valley and surrounding foothills named
in the order in which they appear on the market are as follows: Cherry, apricot, peach, plum, pear,
grape, apple. Some other varieties are produced to some extent, such as the
nectarine, but those named are generally considered the standard fruits. The fig is also grown in many
localities, and now that the secret of caprification has been learned, the
production of commercial white figs promises to be an important industry in the
future.
ÒCherries usually come into market
in May. The first shipments are
made by express and the first boxes sold bring fancy prices. The Valley cherries continue to be
shipped until the middle of June and when they are about gone the mountain
cherries from the foothill districts come into market. The apricot follows cherries closely on
the market. This is a delicious
fruit and is one of which the Sacramento Valley practically has a monopoly, as
it is not produced extensively elsewhere.
Peaches and plums ripen in June, July and August and the Valley pears come
into the market about July 1st. In
six weeks they are about all gone, but are followed by pears from the foothill
and mountain districts. Grapes
ripen in August and continue to be shipped to markets as late in the year as
December. The finest varieties of
table, wine and seedless raisin grapes are grown. The deciduous fruit season ends when the grapes are all
harvested. Summer apples are
produced in the Valley to some extent and the mountain districts surrounding
the Sacramento Valley are not excelled for Winter apples.
ÒThere are three channels through
which the fruit from the Sacramento Valley and contiguous counties is
marketed. It is shipped in the
fresh state in refrigerator cars by fast freight and sold in the markets in all
parts of the American continent.
It is also sold to canneries, where it is preserved and packed to supply
the markets of the world in the Winter months. It is also cured by being sun dried and is sold in that form
in many different civilized countries.
The deciduous fruit crop brings many millions of dollars to the
Sacramento Valley farmers each year.Ó
(Caption For photograph on page
18: HARVESTING HAY IN THE
SACRAMENTO VALLEY.)
Culture of Citrus Fruits
ÒIn the production of citrus
fruits, the Sacramento Valley is destined within a decade to be the leading
citrus fruit producing section of the United States. Within the past few years thousands of acres have been
planted to orange and lemon trees, which thrive here vigorously. Sacramento Valley oranges are the first
to reach the markets in the Fall of the year. They ripen about the first of November and by Christmas Day
the crop is entirely harvested.
This fruit is six weeks earlier in the Sacramento Valley than anywhere
else on the coast, and consequently the growers get the best prices. The orange production of the Valley is
now about a thousand carloads a year and this will be materially increased when
all the groves recently planted begin to bear.
ÒThe olive is a popular fruit of
the Valley and foothill counties.
The best olives and the biggest crops in the world are produced in this
region. The industry is profitable
and is growing rapidly. Some of
the biggest oil and ripe olive pickling plants in the State are in this Valley,
yet they have to contend for supplies with the buyers from Southern California,
who invade this region to replenish their stock.Ó
Alfalfa and Dairying
ÒAlfalfa, the greatest fodder
plant that grows, produces better in the Sacramento Valley than anywhere else
in North America. Conditions here
are ideal for it. Ten tons to the
acre is not an uncommon yield of this plant on irrigated land. Alfalfa is put to many uses. It may either be baled and sold as hay,
or fed to stock and thus converted into dairy products, which are very profitable. It is also a good fattening food for
hogs, and poultry growers find it a big help in their business.
ÒAlfalfa is a sure profit payer,
if that degree of intelligence necessary in any farming venture is exercised in
its production and use. It is probably
the best crop to engage the attention of a newcomer because it will pay
dividends the first year. Hundreds
of settlers who are now prospering in the Sacramento Valley and foothill
counties, began with alfalfa production and later branched into dairying, fruit
growing or stock raising, as they became firmly established. There is always a market for the
crop. In some localities it is
sold to alfalfa mills, which grind it up into a meal for Winter fodder.
ÒAlfalfa can be grown without
irrigation on river bottom soils, but on uplands the best results are obtained
when the crop is given an abundance of water. When the seed is planted early in the Spring, the plant will
yield a fair crop the first season and a normal crop the second year. It is cut from four to eight times a
year.
ÒThe dairy business goes hand in
hand with alfalfa production and is a rapidly growing industry in the counties
of the Sacramento Valley and foothill regions adjacent thereto. There are creameries in nearly every
county and cheese and butter making are followed extensively. There are also several large dairies
devoted exclusively to the production of certified milk for consumption in the
large cities of California.Ó
Livestock Industry
ÒDuring the past few years great
strides forward have been made by the Sacramento Valley and surrounding
foothill counties in breeding of thoroughbred cattle, horses, sheep and
hogs. With conditions so favorable
this section of California is certain to take its place in the near future, as
one of the leading stock producing valleys in America. The advantages offered here to breeders
are many. First, may be mentioned
the climate. The mild Winters of
California enable the growers to run their stock in the open all year
round. Where snow scarcely ever
falls and where the mercury in the thermometer rarely drops below 32 degrees
above zero, it is never necessary to lock the stock up in the barn for weeks at
a time, as is done in colder regions.
Secondly, the abundance of cheap feed is a big factor in favor of the
stock grower. Where alfalfa
produces as heavily as it does here, and where grass for grazing is green in
the fields throughout the Winter months, it is plain that the cost of
production is much less than where the animals are stall fed for long
periods. Thirdly, stock that is in
the open air so much of the time is naturally stronger and better able to
resist disease, than stock that is snowbound for part of the Winter.
ÒSeveral stock farms in the Valley
are devoted exclusively to the production of thoroughbred dairy and beef
cattle. The breeds most favored
are the Holstein-Friesian, Jersey and Guernsey in the dairy classes and
shorthorns and the white-faced Herefords in beef cattle.
ÒRambouillets, Shropshires,
Hampshires, Southdowns and Dorset Horns are the leading sheep breeds that are
produced.
ÒMuch attention is being given to
the breeding of fine draft horses, some excellent stallions and mares of the
Percheron, Belgian, Clydesdale and Shire breeds having been introduced in the past
few years.
ÒThe Farm School of the University
of California at Davis, Yolo County, in the Sacramento Valley, has done much to
further stock raising by the introduction of new blood and by encouraging and
fostering the breeding of pure breeds.Ó
Hogs Always in Demand
ÒProbably no branch of the stock
raising industry offers greater opportunities for expansion in the Sacramento
Valley and foothill counties than hog raising. There is no place in the world where natural conditions are
more favorable for pork production than California and yet the production of
pork in this State is far below the consumption. The only apparent reason for this is that California farmers
have never given this important industry the attention it deserves. Hogs fatten on alfalfa, as well as they
do on corn and on the diary farm hogs converted skimmed milk into profits. They eat up the waste and increase the
income. The principal breeds now
raised in the Sacramento Valley are Berkshires, Duroc Jerseys, Yorkshires,
Poland China and Chester Whites.Ó
(Caption For photograph on page
20: ONE OF THE GREAT POWER PLANTS,
SACRAMENTO VALLEY.)
Vegetable Production
ÒIn the production of vegetables,
the Sacramento Valley and surrounding districts must be recognized as one of
the foremost sections of the nation.
Vegetables of all varieties are grown.
Fresh cabbage from this section
has been shipped in carload lots to the markets of New York and Sacramento
Valley celery finds a market in many States. The most widely distributed vegetable, however, is the
asparagus. On the Sacramento River
delta 20,000 acres are devoted to asparagus growing. This delicious vegetable is not only shipped in the fresh
state to markets in the East in the Spring, but as a canned product it is sold
the entire year round in many countries of the world. Dried beans are also an important crop, particularly on the
low lands. The United States
government annually purchases many tons of Sacramento River beans for use in
the army. Potatoes and onions are
extensively grown and are profitable.
Perishable vegetables of almost endless variety are produced for local
markets. In fact, practically
every vegetable mentioned in the seedmanÕs catalogue is grown in the Sacramento
Valley.
ÒIn mentioning vegetables, a paragraph
should be given to the sugar beet.
This is grown in many parts of the Valley. There is a large sugar factory in Glenn County that takes
much of the crop and the rest is shipped to factories in Alameda county. The beet does exceedingly well on all Sacramento
Valley land. It attains a large
size and carries a high percentage of sugar. Growers who have planted beets have found that they pay
well.Ó
Hops Produce Heavily
ÒCalifornia is one of the leading
States of the American Union in the production of hops, the only other States
that produce this profitable farm product being Oregon, Washington and New
York. The Sacramento Valley is the
leading hop growing section of California and its production annually exceeds
75,000 bales. Hops are grown on
the river bottom lands of the Sacramento River and its tributaries. Hops grown here are of a very fine
quality and the yield per acre is heavier than elsewhere in the United States. The vines are usually free from insect
pests which give growers trouble where climatic conditions are less
favorable. Hops grow on trellises
and are picked in September. An
acre of Sacramento Valley land produces about a ton of cured hops.Ó
Success in Poultry Raising
ÒPoultry raising is a field that
offers excellent opportunities for success in the Sacramento Valley and
foothill region. The business is
followed both as a side issue in connection with other farming and as a
specialized endeavor. It does not
require much capital to make a start in poultry production in the Sacramento
Valley, but it is essential that the poultry man understand the business. In the large cities of California there
is always a brisk demand for fresh ranch eggs. Poultry raisers can produce much of the food for the flock
by growing alfalfa, sunflowers, Egyptian corn, etc. The average profit is about a dollar per hen per year,
although many poultry men exceed that figure.
ÒIn the northern part of the
Valley turkeys are raised extensively for marketing in the large cities on
Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Turkeys are permitted to range over a big acreage and are herded in much
the same way as sheep.
ÒThere are many fanciers in the
Sacramento Valley who devote their time to fancy breeds of chickens, pigeons,
ducks, geese, turkeys, etc.Ó
(Caption For photograph on page
22: DRESSING GRANITE FOR BUILDINGS
IN SACRAMENTO VALLEY.)
Wheat, Barley and Other Grains
ÒA quarter of a century ago the
Sacramento Valley was one of the greatest wheat producing sections on the
American continent. Grain was the
principal crop grown and the great farms contained from 1,000 to 50,000
acres. Most of these rancheros, as
they were then termed, were land grants obtained from the Mexican Government
before California became the property of the United States. These farms were held as originally
granted for many years. Gradually,
however, in recent years, they were subdivided and diversified farming was
introduced. Wheat farming, therefore,
declined and will never again be the important crop in the Sacramento Valley
that it was in former times.
ÒBut much grain is still grown,
particularly on non-irrigated lands.
The Sacramento Valley also produces barley of a very excellent
quality. Oats are grown in abundance
and there is a large production of grain hay. Many farmers have had much success by rotating the barley
with other crops, such as sugar beets.
This method has been found to increase the yield per acre considerably.Ó
Culture of Berries and Nuts
ÒThe great cities of the
Northwest, as well as those of the Rocky Mountain States and the Middle West
are familiar with Sacramento Valley berries. Ripening early in the Spring as they do, the berries of the
Sacramento Valley and contiguous foothill districts supply other districts for
two months or more, before their local berries come into the market. This makes berry production a
profitable business. These small
fruits are shipped by express in refrigerated cases and arrive at their
destination in perfect condition.
Shipments have been successfully made as far as New Orleans.
ÒAlmonds and walnuts are two very
profitable crops in the Sacramento Valley and adjoining foothill districts. The
black walnut is a native of the Sacramento Valley, but the nuts, because of
their adamantine shell, are not commercial. It has been learned, however, that the English walnut
grafted onto the black walnut stock is a successful producer. Many acres have been planted to walnuts
during the past few years and this promises to be one of the important crops of
the future.
ÒThe Sacramento Valley virtually
has a monopoly on the almond production in America. Being an early blossomer, the tree will not produce in
countries subject to late severe frosts.
Certain sections of the Sacramento Valley, however, have been found
ideal for this nut and it is a heavy and profitable producer.Ó
(Caption For photograph on page
24: TOWING PRODUCE ON SACRAMENTO
RIVER TO MARKET.)
Rice - a New Cereal Crop
ÒThe successful production of rice
in the Sacramento Valley has added a new crop to the long list of products now
grown for profit. There are
certain lands in Butte, Colusa, Sutter and Glenn counties on the floor of the
Sacramento Valley that are unexcelled anywhere for rice production. The new
crop was experimented with for several years before it was grown on a
commercial scale. The experiments
were highly successful and it has been learned that rice will produce about
twice the yield per acre in the Sacramento Valley as in other rice growing
sections of the United States. The
United States Government conducts a rice experimental station at Biggs, Butte
County, where hundreds of varieties are grown under different conditions for
the purpose of ascertaining which treatment and which variety will produce the
best. Rice requires constant
irrigation and can only be grown where there is an abundance of water. The crop for 1914 in the Sacramento
Valley totaled half a million bags.Ó
Irrigation
ÒIn the days when wheat kings
owned much of the farm land of the Sacramento Valley, irrigation was scarcely
thought of. The land owners sowed
their crops and trusted to a kind Providence to take care of them. Since intensive cultivation has
supplanted the former farming methods, irrigation has become an important
factor in the development of the Valley lands.
ÒThere is an abundance of water to
irrigate all the lands in the Sacramento Valley and contiguous foothills, and
the irrigated area is constantly being increased. Irrigation practiced here is of two kinds - by well and by
gravity canal. Irrigation by well
has been found to be a very cheap and dependable method in practically every
part of the Valley. Underlying the
entire Valley is a vast subterranean water supply, which can be tapped almost
anywhere. A pumping plant,
operated either by electricity or by gasoline motor, can be installed for
prices ranging between $250 and $300.
Such a plant is sufficient to irrigate about ten acres.
ÒThe foothill lands and much of
the Valley lands are irrigated by the gravity system. The water is taken from the mountain streams and piped to
the farms. The Orland Irrigation
Project, installed by the United States Government in Glenn County, is one of
the important systems in the Sacramento Valley.
ÒEnough water runs to waste every
year through the Sacramento River to irrigate a far greater area than that
contained in the Sacramento Valley itself.Ó
(Caption For photograph on page
26: EXTENSIVE AND FULL BEARING
VINEYARDS, SACRAMENTO VALLEY.)
Mineral Production
ÒSince the days of Õ49 mining
always has been and it always will be one of the leading industries of the
Sacramento Valley and foothill counties.
Practically every county of which a sketch appears in this book,
produces mineral wealth of some kind.
The production of gold is, of course, the most valuable of all mineral
outputs of this part of California, and it is the gold produced by these
northern counties that keeps California in the lead among the gold producing
States of the Union.
ÒQuartz mining after the most
improved methods is followed in the mountain counties, while dredging mining
along several of the rivers – notably, the American, the Feather and the
Yuba – is annually producing millions of dollars in fine gold.
ÒThe gold production in California
in 1913, according to a report of the United States Geographical Survey, was
valued at $20,406,958. This was an
increase of $693,480 over the output of 1912 which was $19,713,478. Of the gold production of the State 55
per cent is derived from deep mines and 45 per cent from placers.
ÒWhile the output of gold is of
greater value than that of any other metal in California, mining for copper is
an important industry in Shasta County, where enormous deposits of copper ore
have been found. Plumas is also
opening up promising copper deposits.
Iron ore in large quantities has also been found in different localities
and an electric process smelter for reducing the iron ore has been in operation
for several years at Heroult, Shasta County.
ÒThe manufacture of cement is
another important mineral industry in the Sacramento Valley. California ranks third among all the
States in America in value of the cement output. One of the largest plants in the State for the manufacture
of this necessary building product is located in Solano County.
ÒAmong other minerals produced in
this rich mining region may be mentioned:
asbestos, potterÕs clay, macadam, limestone, slate, chrome, building
stone and tremendous granite deposits.
ÒThe total value of all mineral
products of California in 1913 was $100,791,369.Ó
(Caption For photograph on page
28: TYPICAL DAIRY HERD OF
SACRAMENTO VALLEY. WORLDÕS RECORD
COW IN CIRCLE.)
Advice to New Comers
ÒFarm methods in the Sacramento
Valley and contiguous foothill region differ greatly from those of Eastern
States, mainly because of the vast difference of climatic conditions. Newcomers to this section, therefore,
are advised to seek information from reliable sources on all farm matters upon
which they may be in doubt.
ÒIn each county there is a
Horticultural Commissioner, who will gladly give advice if called upon. Horticultural Commissioners usually
have offices in the Court Houses of the various county seats. They are thoroughly acquainted with
every section of their respective counties and will give advice on what to
plant and how to plant it on the different soils. These men are experts in their line and the advice they give
is free of charge. They are paid
by their respective counties for this work.Ó
Opportunities for Settlers
ÒProbably no place in the world
offers better opportunities for new settlers than the Sacramento Valley and
foothill region. In this land,
every man will succeed if he farms intelligently and energetically; no soil on
earth pays greater rewards for labor expended upon it than that of this fertile
part of California.
ÒThe valley is now experiencing an
era of great prosperity. It is
growing steadily both in population and wealth. Each day brings new farmers who are developing the lands and
aiding in the upbuilding of the community. New towns are springing up and the older ones are growing in
industrial and commercial importance.
New railroads are being built and there is a general expansion of all
industries. Under diversified and
intensive cultivation the output of farm products is increasing
enormously. As prices have been
uniformly good for many seasons, the producers are enjoying a profitable era.
ÒThe citizens of the counties of
which this book tells are energetic, happy and prosperous. Many of them are natives of other
States, but have made California their permanent home. They are contented with their present
environment and want others to know of the many advantages this section offers.
ÒFarm life in the Sacramento
Valley and foothill section is not drudgery. Here the farmer in many communities enjoys all the
advantages that the city man has and many others that only rural life can
give. He has his telephone and his
electric lights. His farm shop is
run by electric power and his water is lifted by an electrically driven
pump. A rural free delivery gives
him his mail every morning and his newspapers on the day they are printed. A fast electric line keeps him in close
communication with surrounding counties and with the large cities, where he may
go when he chooses to enjoy a theater or some such pleasure and return home the
same night. He has his automobile
to take his family on a pleasure ride when he wishes. The butcher, baker, grocer, laundryman and iceman all call
at his door to take orders and deliver supplies. His garden supplies him with fresh fruits and vegetables for
his table the year round. His
children go to the district school or to a nearby high school or the State
University. He enjoys a healthful
life in the open air and is prosperous and independent.
(Caption For photograph on page
30: ONE OF THE LARGE FOOD PACKING
PLANTS IN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY.)
Cost of Production and Profits
ÒProspective settlers on Sacramento Valley and adjacent foothill lands frequently ask for figures as to the cost of bringing some of the best paying crops into bearing and the probable profit per acre after maturity. To supply this information, the accompanying table has been prepared and the figures have been verified by Fred. C. Brosius, deputy County Horticultural Commissioner of Sacramento County. The figures quoted are average; individual instances can be given where profits are much greater. In the business of farming, much depends upon the man and the greatest success is always attained by the individual who not only understands how to grow products, but who masters the selling end of the industry as well. Most important of all is the selection of soil suited to the crop to be planted.
(The table on page 31 will be
scanned separately as a jpeg image in addition to the photographs. You can choose whether to use the table
below or the scanned image.)
Product |
Cost of Suitable Land |
*Cost of Bringing Crop to Maturity and Years Required |
Average Profit |
Alfalfa |
$100 to $300 |
$20 - Pays first year |
$25 to $40 |
Almonds |
$85 to $200 |
$275 - Bear fourth year |
$100 to $200 |
Apricots |
$100 to $200 |
$275 - Bear fourth year |
$75 to $200 |
Apples |
$40 to $75 (foothill land) |
$100 - Bear fourth year |
$75 to $150 |
+Beans |
$100 to $300 |
Pay first year - $20 to $40 |
$45 to $90 |
Beets (sugar) |
$100 to $200 |
Pay first year - $30 |
$40 to $80 |
Cherries |
$200 to $300 |
$275 - Pay fourth year |
$75 to $200 |
Figs |
$100 to $200 |
$125 - Fourth year |
$100 to $200 |
Grapes (table) |
$100 to $200 |
$50 - Third year |
$75 to $225 |
Grapes (wine) |
$100 to $200 |
$50 - Third year |
$60 to $75 |
Grapes (raisin) |
$100 to $200 |
$50 - Third year |
$50 to $150 |
Oranges |
$200 to $300 |
$300 - Fourth year |
$100 to $200 |
Olives |
$125 to $200 |
$275 - Fourth year |
$100 to $300 |
Lemon |
$200 to $300 |
$300 - Fourth year |
$150 to $400 |
Grape fruit or Pomelloes |
$200 to $300 |
$300 - Fourth year |
$100 to $300 |
Plums |
$100 to $200 |
$275 - Fourth year |
$100 to $250 |
Prunes (dried) |
$100 to $200 |
$275 - Fourth year |
$100 to $400 |
Pears |
$200 to $300 |
$325 - Fourth year |
$150 to $500 |
Peaches |
$100 to $200 |
$225 - Third year |
$75 to $200 |
Rice |
$100 to $200 |
$35 - Crop every year |
$30 to $50 |
Strawberries |
$100 to $200 |
Pay first year |
$100 to $400 |
Walnuts |
$100 to $300 |
Intercrops pay cost of bringing
into bearing |
$100 to $250 |
* The cost figures in this column
refer to land planted on contract.
the cost frequently will be much lower if the work is done by the land
owner himself.
+ Land suited to the culture of
beans and other vegetables may be rented on a division of crop basis. The usual terms are one-third of the
crop to the land owner and two-thirds to the tenant.
ÒThis table includes only such
crops as are not generally grown in other farming States of the American
Union. Such products as hay, wheat
and barley are not included, as the cost of production and profits are about
the same in California as elsewhere in the United States.
Amador County
(Caption For Photograph on Page
32: DEEPEST AND ONE OF THE RICHEST
GOLD MINES IN AMERICA, AMADOR COUNTY.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
34: ORCHARD SCENE IN IONE VALLEY,
AMADOR COUNTY.)
ÒAmador is one of the smallest
counties in California, its total area being only 601 square miles. Yet it is one of the most prominent
mineral counties of California, the total annual value of its mineral output
being over $3,000,000.
ÒFoothill and mountain lands make
up the county. Its western
boundary touches Sacramento County in the rolling grounds of the low
foothills. Its north and south
boundaries are marked by the Cosumnes and the Mokelumne River respectively and
its eastern line extends to the 7000 foot level of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
ÒThe soil of Amador is rich and
productive. It is alluvial in
character in many of the small and fertile valleys. In the mineral belt rich red lands predominate and in the
upper foothill sections it is of decomposed granite. These lands will produce all kinds of deciduous fruits and
are particularly adapted to the culture of pears and prunes up to the 2500 foot
level and for apples in still higher altitudes.
ÒThe climate of Amador County is
like that of all the foothill sections of the Sacramento Valley. The rainy season commences in October
and ends in May. The annual
precipitation at Ione, which has an elevation of 287 feet, varies from 15 to 30
inches in a season. The
precipitation increases as higher elevations are reached. The temperature in Summer at times
reaches 100 degrees, but the atmosphere is dry and the heat is not
oppressive. Cool evenings are the
rule.
ÒThere never has been a failure of
any crop suited to AmadorÕs soil and climatic conditions. All lines of farming are followed and
the agricultural and horticultural products are increasing the countyÕs
wealth. There is plenty of
opportunity for further extending the great industry of husbandry. Land is cheap and there is ample water
available for irrigation.
ÒAll crops find a ready
market. Many of the growers devote
their attention to supplying local markets in the mining districts. There is plenty of opportunity for developing
profitable markets beyond the borders of the county.
ÒThe county is at present a heavy
producer of cereals. Wheat,
barley, oats and corn are all grown profitably. Much alfalfa and grain hay is also produced.
ÒThe horticultural products of
Amador include practically all the fruits grown in the Sacramento Valley. The full list includes apples,
apricots, plums and prunes, pears, grapes, peaches and nectarines, oranges,
lemons, olives, figs, almonds, English walnuts and cherries.
ÒTruck gardens are found in all
the fertile little valleys and the owners find the mining towns profitable
markets for their crops of vegetables and fruit.
ÒStock raising is followed
extensively. The foothills and
mountain plateaus afford excellent pasturage the year round.
ÒNumerous streams cross the county
from east to west, supplying ample water for mining operations and electric
power development. Water is
plentiful for irrigation but this valuable resource has yet not yet been taken
advantage of. One of the great
power plants of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company is located at Electra, and
here is developed 33,000 horse power of electricity, which is sent over long
distance transmission lines to Stockton, San Jose and the cities surrounding
San Francisco Bay.
ÒWhile the county has soil and
climatic conditions that are favorable to the development of horticultural and
agricultural resources, it is the mineral wealth that has made the name Amador
famous. The Mother Lode, or great
mineral belt of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, crosses the county from north to
south for a distance of about twenty miles. Mining has been followed without interruption since 1848,
and millions of dollars have been produced. Gold, silver and copper are extracted from the earth.
ÒDuring recent years with the
introduction of modern scientific methods, deep mining is followed extensively. Some of the best paying properties in
the State are now being developed.
ÒAmador is one of the leading gold
producing counties of California and its output is entirely from deep quartz
mines. In this county are located
some of the richest and deepest quartz mines in the world. The Kennedy mine at Jackson is operated
at a vertical depth of 3900 feet, and is the deepest gold mine in the United.
States. It is equipped with a
100-stamp mill and employs steadily about 400 men.
ÒDirectly south of the Kennedy
Mine is the Argonaut, another large producer. This property is operated at a depth of 4600 feet on an
incline, with a vertical depth of about 3000 feet. This mine is equipped with a 40-stamp mill and employs about
250 men. Its monthly production
averages $60,000.
ÒNorth of these two mines at
Sutter Creek are the South Eureka and Central Eureka Mines. The South Eureka is operated by
electricity and its underground workings reach a depth of 2600 feet. It has an eight-stamp mill and employs
300 men. It produces $50,000 in
gold a month.
ÒFurther north are the Keystone,
Original Amador, Bunker Hill and Fremont mines, all steady producers. At the northern boundary of the county
is the Plymouth Consolidated. This
is one of the oldest mines in California.
It was a heavy producer in early days, but remained idle for a period of
thirty years. Within the past two
years it has been newly equipped with the latest machinery and is to-day
operating on a large scale, with prospects of producing heavier in the future
than in the past, even though it has produced more than $2,000,000.
ÒAn excellent grade of potterÕs
clay is found in Amador County near Ione, and is shipped in large
quantities. Coal is also mined at
Carbondale, and lime, marble and building stone exist in large quantities.
ÒThe principal towns are Jackson,
the county seat, Sutter Creek, Amador City, Drytown, Plymouth, Pieta, Volcano
and Ione.
ÒA branch railroad which connects
with the main line of the Southern Pacific Company at Galt, in Sacramento
County, affords transportation facilities to the principal mining and
agricultural centers.
ÒWith a population of only about
10,000 Amador offers excellent opportunities to the farmer, the miner and the
cattleman.Ó
Butte County
(Caption For Photograph on Page
36: SCENES IN BUTTE COUNTY –
LEFT, HOME OF MRS. BIDWELL, NEAR CHICO:
RIGHT, PICKING NAVEL ORANGES IN OCTOBER.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
38: GATHERING HOPS AND SHEEP
SCENE, BUTTE COUNTY.)
ÒButte County is situated on the
east side of the great Sacramento Valley.
Its boundaries extend from the Sacramento River on the west to the
higher altitudes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the east and hence it
embodies within its confines every variety of scenery, valley, foothill and
mountain.
ÒThe Sacramento River, which forms
the countyÕs western boundary, is CaliforniaÕs largest stream and is navigable
by river steamers throughout the year.
Other important streams that traverse Butte are the Feather (and its
branches), Butte Creek, Chico Creek and Honcut Creek, all of which rise in the
Sierra Nevadas and flow through the county into the Sacramento. The Feather River is a large stream and
drains an area of approximately 4,000 square miles, furnishing numerous sites
for power plants and irrigation dams.
Its scenic beauty has made it world famous.
ÒThe products of Butte County are
many, in fact, its soil will produce practically every variety of crop that can
be grown in California. The list
of products includes cereals of all kinds, hay, deciduous and citrus fruits,
nuts, grapes, berries, melons, vegetables, sugar beets, hemp, flax, hops,
forest products, gold and other minerals.
The fruits principally grown for market are oranges, olives, figs,
peaches, pears, prunes, plums, apricots, apples, cherries and nectarines. Among other furits (sic) grown are the
avacado (sic) or alligator pear, lemons, limes, pomellos, pomegranates,
Japanese persimmons and loquats.
Banana and date palms are grown in favored spots for ornamental purposes. Many nurseries exist for the
propagation of these plants.
ÒOlives have been grown for half a
century and it has been fully demonstrated that the tree has found a natural
home here. Climate and soil are
particularly adapted to olive culture.
The trees bear heavy crops and are free from tree diseases and insect
pests. Butte County olives are
known the world over. The growth
of the industry may be judged by the fact that the value of the olive crop has
increased 400 per cent during the past five years.
ÒApproximately thirty thousand
acres in Butte County are devoted to deciduous fruit trees. All the standard shipping and canning
varieties are grown. Deciduous
fruit orchards are found in every part of the county, although the bulk of the
fruit, with the exception of the apple yield, is grown on valley and foothill
lands. The mountain sections
produce Winter apples of superior size and quality. The future of the apple industry can hardly be overstated.
ÒFigs are grown in many parts of
the county. This is a crop that is
now attracting much attention.
Since the Calimyrna fig has been introduced, which is a delicious white
variety, suited for both fresh and dried sale, fig growing is becoming another
important and profitable industry.
ÒThe orange is one of ButteÕs most
valuable crops, several thousand acres being planted to this delicious citrus
fruit.
ÒGrapes attain early perfection in
Butte County. An almost endless
variety of table and wine grapes is grown. These grapes are marketed in the eastern part of the United
States and in Europe. The first
raisins produced in California were dried at a vineyard at Pentz, in this
county.
ÒThe almond is yet another
important crop. In some
localities, particularly adapted to culture of this nut, growers make large
profits.
ÒThe growing of cereals is an
important industry in Butte.
Thousands of acres are planted to grain. During the past few years rice culture has been undertaken
on a large scale. Experiments have
proved that certain valley soils are excellent for rice production and the crop
is now a means of steady and substantial incomes to hundreds of farmers. The United States Government maintains
a rice experimental station near Biggs, where several hundred varieties of rice
are being grown under different conditions to ascertain what variety of the
product and what conditions are best adapted to the soil and climate of the
Sacramento Valley.
ÒThe United States Government also
maintains a large Plant Introduction Garden near Chico, where thousands of
varieties of vines and trees are being propagated by government experts for the
purpose of improving old and introducing new varieties of fruits, berries,
vegetables, cereals, forage plants, etc.
ÒFine forests of merchantable
timber clothe the slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Butte County at
altitudes ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 feet. the principal woods are sugar pine, the finest of soft
pines; yellow pine, spruce, fir and cedar. The larger trees grow to a height of 200 feet or more and
attain a diameter of from four to ten feet. The great mountain forests of Butte are most valuable
possessions and are contributing much to the material prosperity of the county. Properly fostered, they will continue
to contribute to prosperity for many generations. The rapidity which characterizes growth of young trees is
assurance of inexhaustible timber wealth in the future.
ÒAmong the forest trees is one of
great value. This is the Abietine,
or orange-flavored pine, which is not known to grow in quantity elsewhere. The Abietine pine contains medicinal
properties of great value. At the
headwaters of Butte Creek, fifty miles northeast of Oroville at an altitude of 6,000
feet is a large grove of these rare trees.
ÒThe gold mines of the county have
been famous since early days. The
placer mines along the streams yielded big fortunes to the first gold
seekers. To-day mining is still an
important industry and the total gold output exceeds $2,000,000 annually. The mountains are seamed with
gold-bearing quartz ledges, and deep mining on scientific methods is followed
with success. The gravel along the
river beds contains much fine gold and this has given rise to dredge mining,
which is now a big industry. One
of the richest dredging fields in the State is along the Feather River in the
vicinity of Oroville.
ÒButte County is also the scene of
extensive electric power development.
The swift mountain streams afford a wealth of energy, the value of which
can hardly be estimated. Upon
these streams electric power is being developed to light cities and to turn the
wheels of industrial plants hundreds of miles away.
ÒOroville, on the Feather, is the
county seat, and Chico, the seat of a State Normal School, the largest city;
they are thriving modern cities. There
are many fine schools and churches and the county as a whole is one rich in
industries and its people progressive and prosperous.Ó
Colusa County
(Caption For Photograph on Page
40: PROLIFIC GROWTH OF CORN ON
COLUSA COUNTYÕS FERTILE SOIL.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
42: RICH CROP OF GRAPES IN COLUSA
COUNTY, THE NATURAL HOME OF THE VINE.)
ÒColusa County lies in the west
central portions of the Sacramento Valley. It consists of valley and foothill lands, the western
boundary extending into the Coast Range Mountains. Butte Creek and the Sacramento River mark the eastern
boundary of the county. The
Sacramento River runs in a southerly direction through the county for a
distance of about twenty miles.
All the land along the river is wonderfully rich and is planted to
alfalfa and orchard. A few miles
back from the river is a large area of fertile plain land reaching to the
foothills, farmed mainly to grain and held for the most part in great tracts. There are about 450,000 acres of
agricultural land and 60,000 acres of mountain land in the county. The balance is classed as grazing land
and lies on the east slope of the Coast Range.
ÒThe foothills of Colusa do not
contain much commercial timber, though there is some good pine in the higher
sections. A small oak grows in the
foothills valuable for fuel and there is but little brush. There are many small pretty fertile
valleys in the westward lying hills.
They are mostly occupied by attractive farms. Small streams are numerous in these valleys and furnish
water for irrigation. The soil on
the hill slopes is productive and in the higher elevations there is much good
apple land. The rounded hills are
suited for grapes and, if irrigated, for deciduous citrus fruits.
ÒThe depth of the soil of the
river and plain lands is almost incredible. An unusually deep well five miles out from the city of
Colusa, showed no bedrock at 288 feet.
It is believed that in many places a depth of 1,500 feet could be
shown. the Valley of the Nile
shows no better soil.
ÒClimatic conditions are about the
same as those of other counties of the Sacramento Valley. The temperature is not excessive in
Summer and the Winter is characterized by the fall of ample rain to assure
sufficient moisture for all cereal crops.
The average annual precipitation is about 25 inches and while successful
farming is done without irrigation, the tendency during the past few years is
to irrigate and thus get the maximum production from the land. Irrigation in the county is done by
gravity canals and by deep wells.
In almost any part of the county ample water can be found by sinking
wells. This source of supply has
never failed, even during the dryest (sic) seasons. The lands along the Sacramento River do not need irrigation
for ordinary crops. These lands
are very productive; the soil is silty and easily worked.
ÒMuch of the land of Colusa is
farmed to wheat and barley, which a quarter of a century ago was the chief
crop. In recent years, however,
many new settlers have been buying farms and they have been introducing
diversified crops. Alfalfa is
becoming an important crop and in some sections, where water is not far beneath
the surface of the ground, it is grown without irrigation. Stock raising has followed alfalfa
growing and there are many dairies and several creameries and skimming stations
in the county.
ÒA large acreage in Colusa County
is devoted to the culture of rice, which produces heavily on certain irrigated
lands. In 1914 the yield was
150,000 sacks. Rice pays well and
it is sure to become one of the important crops of Colusa.
ÒEvery kind of deciduous fruit
grows to perfection in Colusa.
Prune growing is particularly profitable. The orchards produce a fine grade of drying prune and the climatic
conditions are ideal for curing this fruit in the sun during the cloudless
Summer days. Peaches, pears,
cherries, apricots, figs and grapes grow to perfection and excellent raisins
are produced.
ÒThe almond is an important
product of Colusa. Certain favored
sections on the higher plain lands are ideal for the almond. These lands are in a practically
frostless belt and there is little danger of injury to the almond crop by cold
nights, after the blossoming time in the early Spring.
ÒThe lands of Colusa are also well
adapted to the culture of citrus fruits.
During the past few years thousands of acres have been planted to lemon
and orange trees by a single company of Southern California capitalists. After a thorough investigation as to
climatic and soil conditions, these capitalists planted thousands of acres of
foothill lands to citrus trees.
When these groves reach maturity, oranges will be one of the chief
fruits shipped out of the county.
Oranges have been grown in small groves for a quarter of a century, but
it was only recently that planting has been done on an extensive scale. Colusa oranges ripen in the latter part
of October and in November.
ÒTransportation facilities in
Colusa are excellent. The main
line of the Southern Pacific Company traverses the county from north to south,
affording direct passenger and freight service with Sacramento and San
Francisco. The Southern Pacific
also operates a branch line through the rich sections that are not served by
the main line. The Northern
Electric operates a branch electric line from Marysville, in Yuba County, to
Colusa. This line makes
connections at Marysville for all points on the east side of the Sacramento
Valley. Cheap water transportation
on the Sacramento River is available for all non-perishable products. The new west side electric road, which
at this writing is in course of construction, will pass through Colusa County,
giving transportation facilities to sections not before served by a road.
ÒThere has been a marked growth in
Colusa County during recent years.
This has been due in a large measure to the fact that the great grain
ranches of former years are gradually being subdivided and sold in small tracts
to new settlers. Irrigation has
also played an important part in the development of the lands of the county,
and cheap electric power has been a factor in irrigation development.
ÒWhile the county is not noted for
its mineral production, still, it possesses some valuable mineral lands. The foothills of the Coast Range yield
a blue sand stone, which is valuable for building purposes. Mineral springs, from which flow waters
valued for their curative powers, are numerous in the higher foothill sections.
ÒColusa, a pretty little city of
3,000 inhabitants, is the seat of the county government. It has good schools and churches and
excellent business and county buildings.
Other leading towns, which are centers of farming districts, are
Maxwell, Williams, Arbuckle, College City and Princeton.Ó
El Dorado County
(Caption For Photograph on Page
44: BEAUTIFUL LAKE TAHOE AND
LUMBERING SCENE, EL DORADO COUNTY.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
46: PEAR ORCHARD AND CATTLE SCENE,
EL DORADO COUNTY.)
ÒFrom a historical standpoint, El
Dorado will always be one of the most interesting counties of California, for
it was here that James Marshall discovered gold in a mill race at Coloma on the
American River in 1848, and for the first time directed the attention of the
world to this land of wonderful resources. In the early days of CaliforniaÕs history, El Dorado was the
scene of many deeds which have been vividly pictured by some of the best
writers of American literature.
One of the main overland roads across which the pioneers came upon
entering California in their ox teams from the East, leads directly to Placerville,
the county seat, in the early days known as Hangtown, which was one of the
liveliest of all mining towns in the Ô50s.
ÒBut it is not from historical
interest alone that El Dorado is attracting attention to-day. The county is exceedingly resourceful
and offers just as good or better opportunities to settlers in 1915 as it did
to fortune hunters in Õ49. The
principal industries of the county are mining, fruit raising, lumbering, stock
raising and general farming. In
all of these branches of endeavor there are excellent opportunities for
development, as land is to be had for a reasonable price in El Dorado and there
is abundance of water for irrigation.
For certain products soil and climatic conditions are unexcelled and the
husbandman who plants Bartlett pears, plums, prunes, apples, peaches, olives
and walnuts is sure of success.
Oranges are grown in the western part of the county. All of these fruits have been tried and
found profitable year after year for the grower. The Bartlett pear grown in El Dorado County cannot be
excelled. Prices realized in
Eastern markets for all El Dorado fruits are the very highest. This county was the first to adopt the
standard pack, which assures quality of the first class to the purchaser.
ÒBeing a foothill and mountain
county, the products of El Dorado do not ripen as early as those in the
counties in lower altitudes on the floor of the Sacramento valley. This fact is not a disadvantage, as it
might at first seem, but a decided advantage to the El Dorado grower, because
his fruits come upon the market after the valley crops of the same varieties
have been harvested and marketed.
Hence, the mountain products do not meet with competition.
ÒUnimproved land in El Dorado
County can be purchased for from $20 to $80 an acre. In most cases it is covered with a growth of timber, which
has to be cut before cultivation can be started. This in most cases does not add to the cost of the land, as
the cut timber can be sold and it pays a large portion of the cost of clearing. The soil is rich sandy loam and
decomposed lava, a gray volcanic rock.
Most of the soils are formed by the disintegration of slate and allied
rocks. They are deep and well
drained and readily retain moisture.
ÒThere is abundance of water for
irrigation in El Dorado, derived from the American River on the north and the
Cosumnes and its tributaries on the south. These streams rise in the higher altitudes of the mountains
and flow in a general westerly direction through deep canyons to the valley lands
below. Not only do they supply
water for domestic purposes to towns and cities for irrigation of money-making
farms, but they offer unlimited opportunities for electric power development. There are now several power plants in
El Dorado, where electricity for many uses is generated.
ÒSince early days the mining
industry has been one of great importance in El Dorado and it will probably
continue so for many generations to come.
The county lies on the Ômother lodeÕ or rich ore vein which extends
through several counties on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada
Mountains. In the first few years
following the discovery of gold, all the streams of the county were Ôworked
overÕ with the sluice and rocker, the crude method followed by the pioneers in
seeking gold. Later, deep mining
on modern scientific lines was introduced and is now followed. El Dorado County has produced upwards
of $150,000,000 in gold from gravel alone and the source of this supply lying
in the higher regions northeast and southeast of Placerville, has as yet been
only partially explored.
ÒThe precious metal is not the
only mineral product of the county.
There are large deposits of slate, granite, lime, asbestos and other
building stones and some diamonds have been found.
ÒThe lumbering industry of El
Dorado gives employment to hundreds of workmen and distributes thousands of
dollars in wages annually. The
trees cut for commercial purposes are coniferous and the wood is soft. The most important kinds are the sugar
and the yellow pine, the Douglas spruce, the cedar and two varieties of fir.
ÒThere are several large lumber
mills in the county. One of these
is located at Pino Grand, 25 miles northeast of Placerville, and is reached by
a narrow gauge railroad from Camino.
At Camino are situated the lumber yards and box factory of the company.
ÒThe California Door CompanyÕs
mill is located at Calder and is reached by a narrow gauge railroad from
Diamond Springs, with the lumber yards at the latter place.
ÒEl Dorado is also a resort county. Some of the most popular Summer resorts
in California are found within its borders. This is particularly true of the higher altitudes of the
Sierra Nevadas, where lakes and streams are numerous and fish and game are
plentiful. El Dorado County, it
should be added, extends over the summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the
boundary line of Nevada. It is
approximately seventy miles long and thirty-five miles wide. About two-thirds of the total area of
Lake Tahoe, one of the most celebrated mountain lakes in the world, and a spot
that delights thousands of pleasure seekers during the Summer months, lies in
El Dorado County. Trout of many
varieties abound in the mountain streams, and game, such as bear, deer, rabbit,
grouse and mountain quail, is plentiful.
ÒThe State Highway, which will be
the Lincoln Highway, leads from Sacramento to Lake Tahoe and passes through the
full length of El Dorado County from west to east. This is one of the famous scenic highways of
California. Delightful resorts are
numerous along this road, which follows the course of the south fork of the
American River. Good trout fishing
is to be had at almost any point in this stream.
ÒThe county seat of El Dorado is
Placerville. It is a progressive
city with good schools, the county high school being located there.
ÒThe average rainfall of the county is
from 40 to 60 inches.Ó
Glenn County
(Caption For Photograph on Page
48: HARVESTING A RICH CROP OF
ALMONDS IN GLENN COUNTY.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
50: WATER IN WONDERFUL ABUNDANCE
FOR IRRIGATION FOR GLENN COUNTY.)
Glenn County lies in the west
central portion of the Sacramento Valley.
Its eastern boundary for the most part is the Sacramento River, and its
western line extends into the Coast Range Mountains. It is about thirty miles wide with an average length of
about fifty miles, and contains one million acres of land.
ÒThe eastern half of the county
lies in the valley proper and is level and adapted to farming of all
kinds. About midway between the
eastern and western boundaries, the land becomes broken by low rolling hills,
which increase in altitude as they near the western line, until they become the
Coast Range Mountains. The
foothill and rolling land is adapted to grain and fruit growing, much of it
being cropped. In the higher
altitudes there is a great area of fine grazing land, almost numerous small
valleys, which are exceedingly productive. The mountains are clothed with forests of merchantable
timber.
ÒThe county has undergone rapid
development during the past ten years.
Great farms of 10,000 acres or more, which were formerly cropped only to
grain have been and are now being subdivided and sold in small tracts to
newcomers. Thousands of new
families have settled in the county and new methods of farming and new crops
have been introduced. Irrigation
has been practiced and wrought wonderful changes. Alfalfa has to a large extent taken the place of grain, and
dairying and stock raising have become important and profitable industries.
ÒOne of the most successful
irrigation projects ever carried to completion under the supervision of the
United States Reclamation Service, is in Glenn County. This is the Orland Project which will
irrigate 21,000 acres of land near Orland, a rich section in the northern part
of the county. The system was
built and is now managed by the United States Government. Eventually it will belong to the land
owners benefitted (sic), as they are paying the government the cost of
construction in ten equal yearly payments. Under the law governing the project no land owner can hold
more than 160 acres within the project.
Wonderful prosperity has followed the completion of this system. The water is taken from Stony Creek, a
tributary of the Sacramento River.
ÒThousands of acres in Glenn are
irrigated by the Sacramento Valley Irrigation Company, which takes water from
the Sacramento River and conveys it by canals to the fertile farms, consisting
of about 200,000 acres. Deep well
irrigation is also followed, there being an abundant subterranean supply.
ÒArtesian water has been developed
at Germantown in great quantities at a distance of about 500 or 600 feet, which
adds materially to the irrigation of the uplands.
ÒIn former years Glenn was noted
for its great yields of barley and wheat.
While it still produces quantities of these important grains, much of
its best land has recently been planted to other and more profitable
crops. The planting of fruit trees
has been particularly heavy during the past few years. These new orchards include all
varieties of deciduous and citrus fruits and nuts. Indeed, Glenn County has been selected by the James Mills
Orchard Company for a plantation of 10,000 acres devoted exclusively to citrus
fruits. The planting of this
orchard has been under way for several seasons and when it is completed, it
will be the largest citrus fruit grove in the world. The deciduous fruits produced include all the standard
profitable varieties of the Sacramento valley, which are the apricot, cherry,
peach, plum, prune, pear and grape.
Berries of all kinds are also grown, and as stated in a preceding
paragraph, alfalfa is an important crop.
It is one of the best crops to engage the attention of a newcomer.
ÒThe production of sugar beets has
been found profitable in Glenn.
There is a large sugar factory at Hamilton, in the northern part of the
county and it is supplied with beets grown in this and neighboring
counties. Beets produce heavily on
the river lands and on the uplands when irrigated.
ÒBroom corn is another crop that
is grown extensively along the river lands. It yields about 100,000 pounds to the acre and pays well.
ÒGlenn is also one of the counties
of the Sacramento valley that has land within its borders suited to the culture
of rice. Rice has been grown
successfully here for several seasons.
ÒEnglish walnuts and almonds are both paying crops and there
is a large acreage in the county suited to the successful culture of the olive.
ÒStock raisers and poultry raisers
find unsurpassed natural conditions here.
In the northern part of the county there are many farms devoted
exclusively to the production of turkeys.
ÒVegetables of practically all
kinds are produced and find ready markets in the large California cities.
ÒGlenn has excellent rail and
water transportation facilities.
The main line of the Southern Pacific Company passes through the county
from north to south and a branch road serves the river districts of the county. The West Side Electric Line, which is
now being built, will pass through the county. The Sacramento River, which separates Glenn from Butte, is
navigable the year round.
ÒThe principal city and county
seat is Willows, a growing community situated near the geographical center of
the county on the main line of the Southern Pacific Company. Willows is lighted by electricity, has
a good water and sewer system. It
has good business buildings and large stores. One of the countyÕs high schools is located here.
ÒOrland is another growing
community in the northern part of the county. It is in the center of the Orland irrigation project,
previously mentioned. It is out of the frost belt and noted for its almonds and
a rapidly growing and profitable citrus industry.
ÒHamilton is on the Southern
Pacific branch road. It is in the
center of the beet growing districts and is the location of a large sugar
factory.
ÒGermantown is in the center of a
rich farming district in the valley section of the county. Other important towns are Butte City,
on the Sacramento River, Elk Creek, in the foothills, and Norman, on the
Southern Pacific Railroad.
ÒGlenn offers excellent
opportunities for new settlers.
Land is cheap, when its productive capacity is taken into consideration,
and water for irrigation is abundant.Ó
Nevada County, by J. E. Taylor.
(Caption For Photograph on Page
52: RURAL HOME SCENE, NEVADA
COUNTY.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
54: YOUNG PEAR ORCHARD IN NEVADA
COUNTY.)
ÒFrom a county formerly given over
almost entirely to mining, lumbering and their allied industries, Nevada County
has leaped within the last five years into prominence as a horticultural and
agricultural county. Being of the
foothills, its claims were at first considered rather presumptuous, but repeated
successes at the California State Fair, apple carnivals and land shows have
proved conclusively that it has the product to back up every claim made.
ÒThe county is the natural home of
the Bartlett pear, that delicious food product which takes rank with the
oranges, the peach and the cantaloupe as an universal shipper. Like the orange, the Bartlett has its
favorite belts, comparatively small and restricted, outside of which it does
not attain its fullest perfection.
The proven Bartlett belt of Northern California includes a large portion
of the area of Nevada County. It
is grown there both with and without irrigation with practically equal success
as to financial returns. Large
areas adapted to its culture are still unreclaimed from their timbered state
and may be had at a low first-cost price.
ÒThe county has a remarkable
variety of climate and elevation, its length of 80 miles stretching from
Sacramento valley, with an elevation of 500 feet to the crest of the Sierra
Nevada Mountains, with an elevation of 6000 feet, and on to the Nevada State
line. Since the earliest
settlements it has been a producer of the things which go to increase the sum
of the worldÕs wealth. Since 1848
its stream of virgin gold has never ceased to flow until it now aggregates over
three hundred million dollars. Quartz
mines discovered in the early fifties are still producing, an almost unheard of
circumstance in gold mining.
During the year 1913 the quartz mines of the Grass Valley and Nevada
City districts yielded, according to records kept by the government, $2,918,733,
thus placing the county in the lead of all California counties as a gold
producer.
ÒSince these mines are all large
corporate concerns, involving vast capital, the small investor may conclude
that they are of no concern to him.
It should be remembered, however, that in order to produce the nearly
three million dollars in gold the services of over 1500 men were constantly
required, their wages aggregating in excess of $125,000 monthly. This army of men connected directly and
indirectly with the mines, forms an insistent consuming population.
ÒAside from the big mines of the
Grass Valley and Nevada City districts, there are scores of smaller mines now
producing, or which have produced, and within the county there is still a
fertile field for the prospector and the small mining investor. The Rough and Ready, Washington,
Graniteville and the great San Juan Ridge section, famous for yields of gold in
the old hydraulicing (sic) days, are open ranges for men skilled in the search
for precious metals.
ÒPassing into the Ôupper country,Õ
varied industries present themselves, the most notable being the power, water
and lumbering enterprises. Three
large power companies operate there and at one point, Lake Spaulding, one of
the largest dams in America, has been constructed for the development of
electric energy, which finds its market at points hundreds of miles
distant. At Hobart Mills, in the
extreme east end, large lumber mills are maintained, while at Floriston are
found immense factories for the manufacture of paper from wood pulp. At Truckee, a town of 1700 population,
the southern Pacific Railway carries on divisional activities. It is also the center of a large
tourist section and abounds in excellent hunting and fishing.
ÒSpecial mention has been made of
the Bartlett pear, but from this it should not be inferred that the soil of
Nevada County is not equally well adapted to the production of other
fruits. The list includes about
everything which grows on trees outside of tropical regions – apples,
peaches, plums, cherries, prunes, quinces, walnuts, almonds, and of the vine,
grapes in great variety. Of the
small fruits, there is an equally long list.
ÒBut here is the wonder of Nevada
County – the lower portion is well within the famous citrus fruit belt of
Northern California. To harvest
oranges and olives coincident with ice, is indeed, strange, but it takes place
within this small civil division every year. The culture of oranges and olives, too, is not merely a
garden fad. In the lower end of
the county there are several fine groves of citrus fruits and the number are
rapidly increasing. Oranges grown
there are pronounced perfect by experts from Los Angeles. Orange and olive lands, unreclaimed,
can still be purchased at prices extremely low.
ÒThe citrus fruit area of Nevada
County has been estimated at 100,000 acres, a small region as compared with the
deciduous area, which extends through the foothills well into the
mountains. It is here that, perhaps,
the greatest opportunities lie for the homeseeker. These lands are cheap, irrigation is optional and it is
possible for an industrious family to live comfortably while an orchard tract
is being reclaims from its timbered state and brought into bearing. Bearing orchards also are for sale at
prices well within the reach of the ordinary investor.
ÒIn order to help the homeseeker
and develop the resources of the county as rapidly as possibly, a cannery has
been established at Grass Valley.
During the season of 1914, this institution paid out about $12,000 for
fruits and vegetables and $6,000 in wages. The cannery is owned by the farmers and businessmen of the
county.
ÒTwo years ago a party of farm
experts from the State University Farm selected land in this county for the
establishment of a model farm, it being determined after wide search that
conditions of soil, climate and altitude here were most nearly suited to the
enterprise which they hoped to develop.
ÒIn social features, Nevada County
compares favorably with other counties of the State – schools, churches,
libraries, railway facilities, good roads, mail delivery and telephones.
ÒOf the cities, Nevada City and
Grass Valley, connected by electric railway, are the largest. Nevada City is the seat of
government. Chambers of Commerce
in each, together with the Nevada County development Committee, are engaged in
the work of developing latent resources.Ó
Placer County
(Caption For Photograph on Page
56: TYPICAL ORANGE GROVE IN FULL
BEARING, PLACER COUNTY.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
58: MOUNTAIN ROAD TO TAHOE, PLACER
COUNTY.)
ÒValley, foothill and mountain
lands are found within the confines of Placer County. The county extends from the floor of the Sacramento Valley
across the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the western boundary line of the State of
Nevada.
ÒIts general direction is
northeast and southwest; it is about 100 miles long and varies in width from
ten to thirty miles, this being determined by the course of rivers that mark
its northern and southern boundaries.
ÒThe total area of the county is
1,395 square miles, of which 810 square miles are mountains, 450 foothills and
the remainder valley lands. The
altitude ranges from 40 feet above sea level in the Sacramento Valley to 8,000
or more at the summit of the mountains.
From an elevation of 2,500 feet to the summit of the Sierras snow falls
in winter, increasing in depth as the altitude becomes greater.
ÒPlacer is one of the most noted
fruit producing counties in California.
The fruit belt extends from the western boundary lines to Colfax and a
considerable distance beyond. In
this belt is produced practically every horticultural product known to the
temperate zones. The list includes
oranges, lemons, limes, pomellos, peaches, plums, prunes, cherries, apricots,
pears, persimmons, nectarines, loquats, grapes, figs, olives, almonds, walnuts,
apples, etc.
ÒRoseville, Rocklin, Loomis,
Penryn, Newcastle, Auburn, Lincoln, Bowman, Applegate, Weimar, Colfax, Dutch
Flat and Towle are all important fruit shipping points during the fruit
season. In the lower altitudes of
the fruit belt the principal horticultural products are oranges, peaches,
plums, cherries, pears and grapes.
In the higher altitudes fine winter apples are raised, also Hungarian
prunes and Bartlett pears that are the equal of any.
ÒThe soil of the western portion
of the county is of alluvial composition, as is all the soil in the Sacramento
Valley, and is very productive. In
the foothills the prevailing soil is a decomposed granite, rich in all
essentials for plant production.
ÒPlacer County orchardists are
prosperous and contented. Some of
the prettiest farms in the State are to (be) found here. Most of the product is shipped to
Eastern markets in carload lots.
Several thousand cars are shipped annually.
ÒAs in all counties whose
boundaries extend into the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, lumbering is
an industry of considerable importance in Placer County. The sugar pine, yellow pine, fir and
cedar are the commercial trees that compose the great forests on the
divides. There are several large
lumber mills in operation, and there is a wealth of uncut timber on the
mountain plateaus.
ÒPlacer is rich in minerals. Its gold production since 1849 is
estimated at more than $75,000,000.
Several large drift mines are now in operation and they are among the
largest in California. There are
great bodies of gold, copper and iron ore, and valuable deposits of asbestos,
lime, clay, and other useful minerals.
ÒIn the vicinity of Lincoln are
great deposits of potterÕs clay and one of the leading industries of the county
is the manufacture of pottery. At
Rocklin are quarries that produce granite that ranks with the best in the
United States as a building material.
ÒPlacer County is well watered,
its northern and southern boundaries being mountain streams fed by numerous
tributaries that rise within the confines of the county. These streams furnish water for three
purposes – domestic use for cities, irrigation and power
development. For the generation of
electric energy by water power, Placer is in the very front rank of the
counties of California. A great
electrical development and irrigation project has just been completed in the
higher altitudes of Placer County.
By the construction of great dams an immense quantity of water has been
impounded. This water is used to
turn the wheels of generators to create electricity for lights and power in the
cities of Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco and elsewhere, and after it passes
through the power houses, it is again taken from the streams and conveyed in
canals to the foothill and valley farms, where it is used to irrigate the
growing crops. There is an
abundance of water for irrigation in every part of this rich and resourceful
county.
ÒPlacer County is sometimes spoken
of as the gateway to the Sacramento Valley. The appellation is not inappropriate, as the county is the
first through which the tourist passes while en route to California from the
East over the lines of the Southern Pacific Railroad. The visitorÕs first glimpse of California is of the rugged
Sierra Nevada Mountains with their deep canyons, timbered plateaus and
snow-capped peaks. As the train
winds down from the mountain, the visitor next sees the pretty foothill
orchards and finally the fertile valley lands.
ÒThe mountain scenery of Placer
County is magnificent. From the
peaks are presented views as awe-inspiring as can be seen from the world famous
Alps. Lake Tahoe lies partly in
Placer County many of the resorts on the shores of that magnificent body of
water are in this county. Mountain
streams and lakes are numerous and here the gamey trout awaits the skillful
anglerÕs fly. This is also a
huntsmanÕs paradise. Grouse,
valley and mountain quail, doves, wild pigeon and deer are found, and for those
who wish to test their skill and courage against big game, bear and California
lion are to be had by penetrating into the depths of the mountains.
ÒThe freight terminal of the
Southern Pacific Company is located at Roseville, where the eastern and
northern main lines of the railroad converge. A pre-cooling and icing plant, by which deciduous fruit is
cooled and iced before being shipped East, is located here.
ÒNear Loomis, the United States
Government maintains an experimental station for fig raising, which promises to
become an important industry in California within a few years. Figs grow readily in California and
begin to bear the second year, producing an abundant crop by the fifth year.
ÒThe county seat is Auburn,
situated in the heart of the foothills.
It is a delightful little city surrounded by thriving orchards.
ÒThe climate of the foothill
section of Placer County is delightful at all seasons of the year, and the air
being laden with a balsamic ozone is a tonic to those with weak heart or
lungs.Ó
Plumas County
(Caption For Photograph on Page
60: HARVESTING ALFALFA HAY IN THE
FERTILE MOHAWK VALLEY, PLUMAS COUNTY.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
62: A GIANT OF THE FOREST NEAR LA
PORTE, PLUMAS COUNTY.)
ÒPlumas is a mountain county, and
is noted for its mines, forests, productive valleys and scenic beauties. Its entire area lies on the slopes of
the Sierra Nevada Mountains, its lowest elevation being about 1,800 feet and
its highest peaks reaching an altitude of 10,000 feet. Drained and irrigated by the waters of
many rivers, the valleys which lie between the mountain ridges are wide sweeps
of fertile land, where soil and climatic conditions are the best for dairying,
stock raising and culture of hardy fruits. Nearly all of the land of these valleys is under
cultivation. Uncleared land sells
for from $25 to $40 per acre and cleared land from $40 to $75, the price
varying according to location, water rights and quality of the soil.
ÒThe most important of these
valleys are Indian, Sierra, Mohawk, American, Big Meadows, Genesee, Humbug,
Meadow, Butt, Warner, Grizzly, Lone Rock, Red Clover, BuckÕs, Spring Garden and
Last Chance. The total valley area
of the county is 191,240 acres.
All of these fertile nooks produce immense crops of grain and hay and
hardy fruits and vegetables.
ÒA big factor in the development
of Plumas County is its mineral wealth.
Running through many of its mountain ridges are ancient river channels
whose gravel beds hold vast stores of gold. Millions of dollars have already been taken from the Plumas
Mines, and those who have studied the mineral production of the county say that
the extraction of the previous metal will continue for many years to come. There has been much surface mining done
in Plumas in times past and there still remains opportunities for this kind of
gold hunting.
ÒThe Plumas-Eureka and Jamison
mines are rich quartz properties and are noted as the best gold producers in
the vicinity. The Jamison has been
worked for about seventeen years and the Plumas-Eureka, one of the oldest mines
in the county, which was allowed to remain idle for many years, we (sic)
reopened several years ago and operated by modern methods. Other noted producers are the Dunn
Mine, near Seneca, the Stauffer at Long Valley, the McGill and Stannart, the
New York, the Indian Valley, the McClellan, the Southern Eureka, the Cherokee,
the Arcadia, and the Wolf Creek quartz mines near Greenville; the Green
Mountain and the Crescent quartz mines at Crescent Mills; the Gruss Mine at
Genesee; the Gopher Hill and the Bean Hill, near Spanish Ranch, and the
Bellevue near La Porte.
ÒPlumas County has all of the
necessities required for successful mining. It has quantities of timber and an unlimited supply of water
for power and other purposes. The
Western Pacific, transcontinental, which crosses the Sierra Nevada Mountains in
Plumas County, affords excellent transportation facilities.
ÒThe country is practically one
entire sweep of forest from one end to the other. While the greater part of this is now embraced in a National
Forest Reserve, yet large quantities of the timber on it had been patented
prior to the establishment of the Reserve, and many sawmills throughout the
mountains turn out millions of feet of sugar pine, yellow pine, spruce and
cedar lumber annually. The lumber
is of excellent quality and is shipped to all parts of the United States. It has even been exported to the Orient
and to England for ornamental purposes.
An estimate of the amount of timber cut in the county per year is fifty
million feet.
ÒThe magnitude of the power
contained in the water supply of Plumas County can hardly be estimated. The county is crossed by the North and
Middle Forks of the beautiful feather River and their numerous branches and
hundreds of other mountain streams that are fed the entire year around by the
perennial snows on the mountain peaks.
There are throughout the county numerous mountain lakes, which are
natural storage reservoirs, which await capital and science to develop great
irrigation and power projects.
There are already several great power plants in Plumas, but they are
insignificant in comparison with the great potential energy that the countyÕs
streams will some day produce.
ÒThe climate of Plumas County is
delightful. In Summer the
temperature rarely goes over 95 degrees and the warm days are followed by cool
evenings. While snow falls in the
higher altitudes in December, January, February and March, the lower valleys
have little or no snow. Frosts
appear in the early Spring and late Fall.
The climate is invigorating and healthful.
ÒQuincy is the county seat of
Plumas County. It is a beautiful
little town in the American Valley, surrounded by snowclad mountain peaks. It is connected with the Western Pacific
Railroad, a transcontinental line, by a branch railway, known as the Quincy
Western, built by the citizens of Quincy.
The city is electric lighted and has a good water and sewer system.
Keddie is eight miles northeast of
Quincy on the Western Pacific Railroad.
It is the shipping point for Indian Valley, one of the leading grain
producing sections of the county.
ÒBeckwith, near the lower end of
Sierra Valley, is on the Boca & Loyalton, Sierra Valley, and Western
Pacific Railroads. It is the
supply and shipping point for a large timber, mining and farming country.
ÒPortola, Greenville, Taylorsville
and Crescent Mills are other towns of importance in Plumas County.
ÒPlumas County is noted for its
beautiful scenery. The Feather
River Canyon, through which the Western Pacific Railroad passes, is famed for
its scenic grandeur. Summer
resorts are numerous at different points along the canyon and are alive with
activity during the months of June, July, August and September. Campers from the valley counties find
all parts of Plumas County a delight in Summer. Trout and white fish are plentiful in all the streams and
lakes, and deer, bear, grouse and mountain quail lure the sportsman to the
thicket.
ÒMountain springs providing
healthful mineral waters are numerous throughout Plumas, the most noted being
at Longville, in Humbug Valley, at ChippÕs Creek, Twain, Soda Bar and
Arlington. There are warm springs
near Greenville and warm and cold sulphur springs at the Sulphur Spring Ranch.
ÒThere are numerous mountain
resorts in the county where hundreds of valley residents enjoy delightful
outings during the Summer months.Ó
Shasta County, by M. E. Dittmar, Redding, California.
(Caption For Photograph on Page
64: GEMS OF BEAUTY AND UTILITY IN
SHASTA COUNTY.)
ÒThe best foundation for communal
prosperity is diversity of resource.
A diversity of soil and climate assure a variety of agricultural,
horticultural and pomological products.
A diversity of industrial raw materials and forest resources invites
industrial expansion. When a
community embraces these, with a superabundance of water for power and
irrigation, it offers a combination of advantages, rarely equalled (sic) and
never excelled. These are the
advantages that Shasta County at the extreme head of the Sacramento Valley
possesses.
ÒIn area Shasta is the largest
geographical subdivision of the Sacramento River drainage, embracing 4,050
square miles within its borders – the States of Rhode Island and Delaware
could be included in this area and leave a surplus of over 750 square miles.
ÒThe increasing importance of
irrigation as an aid to intensive agriculture, speeding up the soil, is
generally recognized. As compared
with dry farming and cereal crops exclusively, intensive agriculture, fruitgrowing
(sic) and diversified husbandry, has increased the annual net profit from the
soil many fold. In the last
analysis, water on the land is as a rule more valuable than the land itself.
ÒAccording to official daily
gauging records, the average annual run-off, originating within the limits of
Shasta County, is 8,100,000 acre feet – a valuable irrigation and power
asset.
ÒOver one-sixth of the potential
water-power energy of California exists within the border of Shasta
County. The development of cheap
and convenient power means industrial development. Water, for power and for irrigation, is the Ôopen sesameÕ of
ShastaÕs future.
ÒTo utilize the power, Shasta has
industrial raw materials to attract giants of capital and industry. The industrial metals, copper, iron and
zinc, already highly developed and of the first magnitude in quantity; cement
materials and great beds of fine quality clays; the elements essential for the
manufacture of commercial fertilizers, on a scale to supply the greater part of
the North American continent with calcium nitrates – destined to entirely
supersede the sodium nitrates of Chile; hardwood timber for the manufacture of
furniture, and vast forests of commercial pine and fir for the lumberman
– containing over 5,250,000,000 feet (board measure) standing commercial
timber.
ÒThese resources represent the
foundation for an industrial community that cannot be equalled (sic) for
diversity, quantity and general advantages, within a like area anywhere in the
United States.
In metal mining, Shasta has been
in a class by itself, leading all other countries in California for the past
eighteen years. The official
statistics from 1897 – the year when her great sulphide ore bodies were
first exploited – to 1914 (last year estimated) credit the county with a
total output of $99,144,777, or an average of over $5,508,000 per year.
ÒMore than two thousand men find
employment at good wages, all the year round, in this great industry, and
approximately $3,000,000 per annum are paid out within the borders of the
county for wages and supplies.
ÒThe great industrial metal,
copper, is next to iron in importance, in the work of the world. In the past eighteen years Shasta has
produced 488,211,278 pounds of this metal.
ÒTo Shasta County is due the credit
of the first important development on the Pacific Coast, in the production of
iron ore, and the manufacture of pigiron by means of the electric furnace.
ÒThe electric furnaces at Heroult
have also been utilized in the manufacture of ferro-manganese, for the steel
plants of the eastern portion of the United States. Here are grouped the iron ores, the elements essential in
the manufacture of special steel, and a million horsepower of potential energy –
the basis for the upbuilding of another Pittsburgh.
ÒIn emphasizing the industrial
present and future of Shasta County, we wish to make its importance apparent
from the Ôhome marketÕ viewpoint, with thousands of consumers finding
remunerative and continuous occupation the producer has an advantage not frequently
enjoyed, and this is particularly true where intensive cultivation is
practiced, on smaller land holdings.
Deciduous fruit is grown on an
extensive scale in the lower valleys and foothills. The culture of the prune is predominant, with peaches and
pears a close second.
ÒThe olive, one of the most stable
orchard products, has demonstrated its superiority in Shasta County. Hundreds of contiguous acres are now
planted to olive groves, and one of the largest groves in the State, containing
120 acres, planted more than twenty years ago, is also one of the most prolific
in the State.
ÒThe vine, in these higher but
still semi-tropic latitudes, during the long sunny summer days, stores larger
percentages of sugar in the grape – an advantage that will appeal to the
viticulturist.
ÒNo climatic reason exists why
oranges should not be grown successfully, as the isothermal zone of the Central
California valleys extends to the vicinity of Redding. Trees a score of years old or more,
planted chiefly for ornamental purposes, attest the feasibility of citrus
culture.
ÒCereals of all kinds are grown in
the main valley – especially in the Church Creek Bottoms – and in
the mountain valleys of northeastern Shasta. A greater area is being devoted from year to year, to
alfalfa, with the increase of irrigation – although three crops are
usually cut without irrigation – and dairying and stock-raising are on
the increase.
ÒThe stock-grower, except where
stock is wintered in the higher altitudes, does little winter feeding,
utilizing instead a combination of summer and winter range, made possibly by
the varying altitudes and the vast acreage of public domain in the forest
reserves.
ÒShasta County contains a number
of thriving cities and towns.
Redding is the county seat, a beautifully located city of about four
thousand people, at the extreme head of the Sacramento Valley, where mountain
and vale meet. It is the natural
distributing center for a large area of Northern California, the center of
industrial development, with large and prosperous business houses, excellent
hotels, etc., up-to-date schools including the Shasta County high school,
churches of various denominations, and all the more prominent fraternal
organizations.
ÒThe thriving towns of Anderson
and Cottonwood are the chief fruit centers of Shasta, and thousands of tons of
fruit, as well as agricultural products and livestock, are shipped annually
from these points.
ÒKennett is the center of smelting
activity, and is an important industrial city of over two thousand people.
ÒOther towns of importance are
Fall River and McArthur, in northeastern Shasta; Castella, La Moine and Delta,
in the Sacramento Canyon; De Lamar, French Gulch, the old pioneer county seat
of Shasta, Coram and Keswick, in the mining districts; Millville and Ono
represent smaller agricultural and stock-raising communities.
ÒThe County is traversed by many
good roads, and the streams are bridged with creditable permanent
structures. The California State
Highway is under construction, through the heart of Shasta, and State Highway
laterals, into Trinity County to the west, connecting with the main trunk road
at Redding, have been provided for.
ÒShasta has excellent main line
railroad facilities, with expansion in feeders and other main line construction
assured in the near future.
ÒThe beautiful in nature is
blended with the utilitarian, in Shasta County. In the Shasta Canyon, enchanting vistas of Mount Shasta and
the stately domes and spires of the Castle Crags offer an ever-changing panorama
of indescribable grandeur, through verdant mountain recesses cut by the crystal
river.
ÒThe beautiful McCloud in all its
pristine glory, where the gamey trout abounds, and the timid doe or stately
buck emerges from their leafy lanes along the riverÕs brink or mountain
glades. The rugged gorges of the
Pit, where masjesty (sic) and power impress the visitor. Beautiful Burney, the misty mistic
(sic) falls that tumble over lava cliffs a hundred feet and more, to greet the
onrush of the river – all these inspire.
ÒBut nature, not content with her
lavish bestowal of the majestic and beautiful, assays a new wonder – the
awe-inspiring eruption of Mount Lassen.
In a region of fantastic natural features, the mountain long quiescent
now holds the center of the stage.
Unique, as the only active crater in continental United States –
remote from centers of population, that the release of its pent-up energies may
fall harmless – it presents a spectacular climax in its periodical
eruptions, forcing a mighty column of steam and volcanic ejecta, two miles and
more in the air. This is ShastaÕs
exclusive wonder, though visible for a hundred miles, and Congress recognizes
its attractive powers by proposing to establish here the Lassen Volcanic
National Park. The Lassen Trail
Highway to Manzanita Lake, five miles from the crater summit, presents a route
of easy access for the automobilist.
The nature lover will find the lure of ShastaÕs natural wonders an
inspirational revelation.
ÒThe development of the manifold resources
of Shasta County assures her a great future –
ÒThe door
of opportunity stands ajar.
Industrial
opportunity for capital.
Land at
reasonable prices for the home-seeker.
Delightful
climate, and magnificent scenery.
The
foundation of prosperity is secure.
Ò(Note. – For more detailed
information, send for booklet on Shasta County, California, free, address
Shasta County Promotion and Development Association, Redding, California. Or during the Fair at Shasta
headquarters, California State Palace, P.P.I.E.)Ó
Solano County
(Caption For Photograph on Page
68: GARDEN TRUCK AND ORCHARD
SCENE, SOLANO COUNTY.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
70: VINEYARD SCENE AND DAIRY,
SOLANO COUNTY.)
ÒSolano County is the western
gateway to the Sacramento Valley.
Its southwestern extremity borders on the bay region and hence it has
many miles of deep water front.
Its area is 822 square miles, consisting of foothill and plain lands.
ÒSolano County commands attention
both as an industrial and as a farming community. Thousands of cattle, sheep and horses fatten on its foothill
and marsh lands and its industrial establishments pay out fortunes each year to
hundreds of happy employees. But
it is as a fruit producing county, however, that Solano is probably most widely
known. The first deciduous fruits
to reach the markets of the United States each year invariably come from Solano
County. There are several
sequestered valleys which are arms of the main Sacramento Valley, where the
finest of cherries, plums, peaches, apricots and pears are produced. Fortunes have been made by the fruit
growers in these favored localities.
ÒEqually as productive as the soil
in the protected valleys is the bottom land along the Sacramento River, much of
which has been reclaimed by the construction of great levees. This land is excellent for all kinds of
fruit, vegetables, alfalfa, etc.
ÒExtending across the county from
the bottom lands on the east to the foothills on the west, is a rich alluvial
plain. This plain is farmed to
grain, stock raising, dairying, alfalfa, growing deciduous and citrus fruits,
poultry production, etc.
ÒThe city of Dixon on the main
line of the Southern Pacific Company in the northern part of the county, is a
great dairy center and nut producing section. Some of the finest dairy herds in California are located
here and the milk and butter produced are sold in the markets around San
Francisco Bay. The vicinity of
Dixon was formerly a grain producing center, but with the introduction of deep
wells for irrigation, alfalfa succeeded grain and the dairy business followed
the successful production of alfalfa.
Some of the finest ranches in California for the breeding of
thoroughbred cattle and sheep are also in the vicinity of Dixon.
ÒIn the southern part of the county
on what are known as the Montezuma Hills, is produced an enormous wheat crop
each year. The wheat is of a
choice milling quality. The delta
lands bordering the Suisun Bay region offer a green pasture all the year round
for thousands of head of stock.
This large area is susceptible of wonderful development.
ÒRail and deep water
transportation are available to Solano County. The Southern Pacific Company crosses the county with several
lines. The Oakland, Antioch and
Eastern electric railway, operating between Sacramento and San Francisco, has
opened new territory in the southeastern part of the county. The Sacramento Valley Electric
Railroad, in course of construction, when completed will run as far north as
Red Bluff, in Tehama County, connects with the Oakland and Antioch a few miles
south of Dixon. The first link of
this road, operating between Dixon and the main line of the Oakland and Antioch
began train service in October, 1914.
The county has an excellent system of improved highways and all streams
are crossed by substantial bridges.
ÒThe manufacturing centers of the
county are at Vallejo and Benicia, which are located in the southwestern part
of the county. At Vallejo is the
United States Government Mare Island Navy Yard, ranking second in importance of
all Government yards, that of New York alone being larger. There are regularly employed 2200
skilled workmen. The improvements
and equipment of the plant are valued at $12,000,000 and no battleship that has
yet been planned is too great to be constructed at these yards. The great collier ÔJupiter,Õ with a
carrying capacity of 12,500 tons of coal and 1,000 tons of fuel oil, was
constructed here. The ÔJupiterÕ is
520 feet in length and 65 feet in width.
Her net cost was $1,070,000.
Early in 1914 construction was started at the yards of the fuel ship
ÔKanawha,Õ and when she is completed a sister ship to be known as the ÔMaumeeÕ
is to be built. These boats will
be 455 feet long, 56 feet wide, and will have a draft of 26 feet, 4 inches.
ÒVallejo is a pretty city with
many beautiful homes. It has a
large business section, two banks, paved streets, public library, good water
supply, city hall, fire department, sewer system, several newspapers and ten
churches.
ÒBenicia is a well located manufacturing
town, having many miles of deep water front. It boasts several large industrial plants.
ÒThe county seat of Solano County
is Fairfield, which is a sister city of Suisun. A magnificent court house, which was recently completed, is
one of the features of Fairfield. Suisun-Fairfield has two banks, good hotels,
excellent transportation facilities, steam, water and electricity, large
packing houses, and is the business center of a larger prosperous community.
ÒAn important industry of the
county is the manufacture of cement.
Five miles northeast of Suisun is a large plant with a capacity of 6,000
barrels daily. The quality of the
product is the best, and as there is a great demand for cement in building
construction and road work, the plant operates the year round.
ÒVacaville is a pretty little
place in the Vaca Valley, which is one of the rich deciduous fruit sections
already referred to. The gross
sales of the fruit shipped from Vacaville total more than $2,500,000 annually. Cherries grown here are usually the
first to reach the market.
ÒRio Vista on the Sacramento River
in the southeastern portion of the county, is one of the oldest towns in the
State, having been founded prior to the discovery of gold. It is the shipping point for rich farming district. It is served with excellent river
transportation, a number of steamers, both passenger and freight, connecting it
with San Francisco and Sacramento daily.
ÒSolano County is fairly
representative of the agricultural side of California. Its lands are typical, as are its
climate and its industries. It has
the great advantage of a river and bay frontage, cheap transportation, nearness
to market, and the cooling sea breeze.
There are no Winters in the usual sense of the term; the Summers are rainless. Farm work goes on the year round; stock
is in the field and fields are green.
Some crop is being harvested and marketed every month in the year.Ó
Sutter County
(Caption For Photograph on Page
72: CURING THOMPSON SEEDLESS
RAISINS IN THE GOLDEN SUNLIGHT OF SUTTER COUNTY.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
74: HARVESTING A BUMPER CROP OF
FRUIT IN A PRODUCTIVE ORCHARD OF SUTTER COUNTY.)
ÒSutter County lies in the center
of the Sacramento Valley on the east bank of the Sacramento River. It is strictly a fruit growing,
dairying and general farming community.
It is named after General John A. Sutter, the sturdy pioneer, who
settled in the Sacramento Valley in 1837.
It is one of the smallest but one of the most fertile counties in
California. It is an alluvial
plain, forty miles long and approximately thirty miles wide, between the
Sacramento and Feather Rivers.
ÒThe area of the county is 608
square miles. It is all valley
land with the exception of a curious formation of rocks and earth that rises
from the center of the county to an elevation of about 2,000 feet. These isolated peaks are known as the
Sutter Buttes. They cover a base
area of 14,000 acres and can be seen from all parts of the Sacramento
Valley. The slopes form excellent
pasture lands during the Spring months.
ÒThe soil is alluvial sandy
loam. It is deep and productive of
all forms of plant life. The
Winters are mild and the Summers pleasant and dry. The rainfall averages from 20 to 30 inches and well water
for irrigation may be struck at a depth of from fifteen to twenty-five feet at
any place in the county.
ÒThese conditions are, of course,
ideal for husbandry in all its branches and hence there are a large number of
very prosperous farms in Sutter.
Along the Feather River for a distance of about thirty miles and
extending for several miles back is one of the greatest deciduous fruit belts
in the West. Peaches of all
varieties reach perfection here.
Sutter cling peaches bring the highest prices at the canneries. The fruit is of excellent color, size
and flavor.
ÒSutter is famous as the home of
the Thompson Seedless grape. This
grape is sweet and delicious when eaten fresh, and when sundried and cured it
makes a dainty raisin, which is highly valued as a confection. It grows in huge clusters and produces
heavily. The largest vineyard in
the world devoted exclusively to Thompson Seedless grapes is in Sutter County.
ÒThe prune is also a paying fruit
in Sutter. The tree is longer
lived than the peach and conditions here for drying the crop are all that could
be desired. Rains seldom fall
until after the crop has long been harvested and ready for the market. The Bartlett pear is also produced in
quantities along the river lands of Sutter. The alluvial soil and climatic conditions favor pear
production. The tree matures at
six years and bears heavily for several generations.
ÒFigs are grown on many farms and
apricots are also a paying crop.
There are over 5,000 bearing apricot trees in the county. Olives, oranges and lemons all do well.
ÒSutter is one of the leading
counties in California in almond production, certain localities being
exceedingly favorable to the crop.
In 1910 there were 61,572 bearing trees in the county and since that
date the acreage has steadily increased.
The slopes of the Sutter Buttes, where there is excellent air drainage,
making the orchards practically immune from frosts, produce heavy crops of
almonds annually. Walnuts are also
grown and there is excellent opportunity for the extension of this industry.
ÒSutter is a county of general
farming. In addition to fruits, it
produces grain, hay and alfalfa.
Dairying and stock raising are also followed. Indian and Egyptian corn are grown and fed to hogs. There are a number of private dairies with
over one hundred cows each. On the
river lands alfalfa produces ten and twelve tons to the acre annually and keeps
the meadows green both Winter and Summer.
ÒThe river lands of Sutter are
wonderfully fertile, and great acreages are planted to beans, sugar beets and
kindred crops.
ÒRice is also grown in this
county, there being a large expanse of land suited to the crop.
ÒQuite an area along the
Sacramento River is marsh land.
This is now being reclaimed by the construction of immense levees to protect
the lands from the river waters.
Great drainage systems are being installed to care for the seepage and
surface water. The river reclaimed
land produces heavily without irrigation.
ÒFor several years Sutter County
has felt the stimulating effect of the increase in rural population. New families have been arriving and
settling upon the farm lands.
Grain fields are giving way to orchards, vineyards and other forms of
intensive cultivation.
ÒSutter County has Winter and
Summer grazing land for stock.
Upwards of 100,000 sheep are run into the county every year to be
fattened for market.
ÒIn the northern part of the
county thousands of acres are irrigated by the Sutter-Butte Canal, which takes
it water from the Feather River.
In sections not served by the canal, pump irrigation from wells is
followed successfully and economically.
ÒTransportation facilities are
good. The Sacramento River is an
outlet for the products on the western border of the county. Two lines of the Southern Pacific Railroad
pass through the county and the Northern electric road crosses the county in
two directions.
ÒThe total assessed valuation of
Sutter is $13,270,000. The county
is entirely free from debt and enjoys an economical government.
ÒBeing primarily a farming county,
Sutter has no large cities. Yuba
City, the county seat, situated on the west bank of the Feather River, opposite
Marysville, the county seat of Yuba County, is a beautiful little city of
homes. The character of the
residences testify to the prosperity of the community. The city owns its own water systems, is
lighted by electricity and has good business houses.
ÒMeridian, on the Sacramento
River, is in the center of a wonderfully rich farming section. It is connected with Yuba City by an
electric railway. Live Oak is a
rapidly growing town in northern Sutter.
ÒNicolaus, Vernon, Tudor, Sunset,
Sutter City, Oswald, Marcuse and Chandler, are all centers of producing
sections.
ÒSutter invites thorough
investigation of new settlers in the Sacramento Valley. Its advantages are many. It has an excellent system of schools
and all the towns have churches of various denominations. No liquor is sold in the county.
ÒLand can be purchased in Sutter
at prices ranging from $100 to $300 an acre. The price variation is determined by location, quality of
soil and transportation facilities.Ó
Tehama County
(Caption For Photograph on Page
76: TEHAMA COUNTY SCENES –
IRRIGATING AN ORCHARD; CUTTING ALFALFA.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
78: HARVESTING GRAIN AND SHEEP
RAISING IN TEHAMA COUNTY.)
ÒStretching across the great
Sacramento Valley from the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the east to the Coast
Range on the west, lies Tehama County.
Within its boundaries are 2,893 square miles, and it is about twice as
large as Delaware and three times as large as Rhode Island. It has a diversified topography,
ranging from river bottom lands to high mountains.
ÒThe county is bisected by the
Sacramento River, which crosses it from north to south. On both sides of the river beyond the
river bottoms are great areas of table lands, locally called bench lands,
which, when irrigated, are unexcelled for the production of deciduous and
citrus fruits, berries, nuts, etc.
Water is plentiful for irrigation, both by gravity canals and from
wells. During recent years a
number of wells have been sunk and it has been ascertained that at depths
ranging from 20 to 250 feet, a bountiful supply of pure water is to be had.
ÒTehama County is now attracting
great attention. In former years
most of the agricultural land in the county was held in great acres and farmed
to grain or used for stock raising.
For that reason, Tehama County has always been an important grain and
wool center. In recent years,
however, some of these great tracts have been broken up and are now being
subdivided into small farms. Scientific methods of soil culture are being
introduced and the county is undergoing a change. The great farms of 10,000 or more acres will soon pass
forever from view and in their places will be hundreds of small tracts devoted
to the culture of alfalfa, fruit, poultry, truck gardening, berries, etc. As forerunners to the new era are the
prosperous colonies of Corning and Los Molinos, where there are hundreds of new
settlers making good on their recent purchases.
ÒThe fruit industry in Tehama
gives employment to a large number of persons during the season and the annual
value of the crop exceeds $1,000,000. The bulk of the deciduous fruit crop is
dried, although many carloads are shipped to Eastern markets in the fresh
state. One of the best paying
Bartlett pear ranches in California is on the Cone ranch, near Red Bluff. Peaches are also grown extensively and
profitably, as are prunes and apricots.
Since the introduction of the blastophaga in California, the insect
which fertilizes the Smyrna fig, the culture of figs promises to become a
paying industry. Almonds are
produced and in twenty years in which they have been grown in the county, there
has never been a total crop failure.
Walnuts are also a paying crop.
ÒOranges and lemons do well and
bear abundantly. The olive is also
in great favor as a crop, especially in the vicinity of Corning, where there is
a large pickling plant and oil factory.
Apples are grown in the foothills.
At Manton, thirty-five miles northeast of Red Bluff, the county seat,
very fine apples are grown.
ÒGrain is still produced in great
quantities. Wheat, barley and oats
are produced and much hay is grown.
ÒDairying is becoming an important
industry and the opportunities along this line are hardly touched. Alfalfa grows abundantly and is the
best food for dairy cows. There
are several creameries in the county, which take the cream output from the
farmers, paying cash for the product.
ÒBeef cattle and sheep are raised
extensively, the grazing land being the finest. The ranges on the hill slopes provide excellent feed all
during the Summer and Fall months.
ÒTehama County has always
attracted attention of the officials of the United States Reclamation Service
because it holds the key to irrigation of thousands of acres of Sacramento
Valley lands. In the Sacramento
River just above Red Bluff is Iron Canyon, a natural dam site, where it is
proposed to erect a dam for the purpose of storing sufficient water to irrigate
much of the Sacramento Valley lands.
The proposition is now being investigated by the Government.
The main line of the Oregon and
California branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad passes through Tehama
County, affording the best of rail transportation facilities. The West Side Electric Railway now
being built will have its northern terminal at Red Bluff. The State Highway passes through the
county, connecting principal communities, and the Sacramento river is navigable
for trade boats as far north as Red Bluff.
ÒThe natural scenery of the county
is beautiful. Red Bluff is one of
the starting points for tourists who visit Mt. Lassen, an active volcano, which
has been in a state of eruption at various intervals since June, 1914. Although the slopes of Mt. Lassen
extend into Tehama County, the peak is just beyond the borders of Shasta
County.
ÒGame is plentiful in the foothill
and mountain sections and all the streams are stocked with trout.
ÒTehama County has good district
schools and two excellent high schools – one at Red Bluff and one at
Corning – where students are prepared for the universities.
ÒRed Bluff, the county seat and
largest city, is an attractive place with many pretty homes. It is a business center, being the
clearing house through which most of the products of the county are marketed
and the supply point for a large territory. It has wide streets, is well lighted and well drained. It has two fruit packing
establishments, a creamery, three newspapers, several banks, large lumber yards
and other important industries.
ÒCorning, the second city in size,
is incorporated. It is the center
of a prosperous farming colony.
Fruit growing and poultry raiding are its chief industries. Corning is destined to be the center of
one of the greatest olive growing districts in California. A large pickling and olive oil plant
has been established by H. G. Heinz at Corning.
ÒTehama, at the junction of the
two lines of the Southern Pacific Railroad, is in the center of a rich farming
section.
ÒOther towns in the county are Los
Molinos, Vina, where the farm of the Stanford University is located, Paskenta,
Henleyville, Manton, Lyonsville, Kirkwood, Proberta and Red Bank.
ÒThe climate of Tehama is
temperate. The Winters are mild,
snow seldom falling except in the mountains. While the temperature sometimes exceeds 100 degrees in
Summer, the heat is dry and not oppressive. It is the kind of heat that ripens the fruit crop and puts
profits in the pockets of the farmers.Ó
Sacramento County
(Caption For Photograph on Page
80: ORANGE GROVE IN SACRAMENTO
COUNTY – NOTE THE THOROUGH CULTIVATION BETWEEN THE ROWS OF TREES.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
82: ALFALFA YIELD OF TEN TONS TO
THE ACRE, SACRAMENTO COUNTY.)
ÒSacramento County, situated at
the southern end of the great Sacramento Valley, is the fourth in point of
wealth and sixth in point of population in California. It is one of the oldest counties in
California, having been formed by an act of the first Legislature that
assembled in the Golden State. Its
early history teems with interest as it records the stirring deeds of the brave
pioneers who came here in the days of Õ49 seeking fortunes in the mines.
ÒBut we are concerned now more
with the present and future of the county than its history. It is a growing and prosperous
community, offering special advantages to the home seeker. It posseses (sic) soil, climate, water,
transportation facilities and markets – the five factors that are
essential to the farmerÕs success.
Its farm products include all deciduous fruits, grapes, berries, nuts,
citrus fruits, alfalfa, cereals, stock, poultry and eggs, butter and cheese,
etc. It is a county in which large
tracts are being subdivided into small farms, and hence, there is plenty of
opportunity for the settler to purchase unimproved land.
ÒSacramento County has an area of
988 square miles, most of which is farm land. The population of the county in 1910 was 67,806. It is now estimated at 90,000, as there
has been a noticeable increase during the past four years. The area is mostly either fertile
bottom lands lying along large rivers, or rich alluvial plains. The altitude varies from 30 to 125
feet, the land rising in gentle slopes on the eastern border of the county to
meet the lower foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
ÒSacramento County has an
abundance of water, being supplied by many streams. The Great Sacramento River, which flows the full length of
the Valley, from Mt. Shasta to San Francisco Bay, is the western boundary of Sacramento
County for a distance of about one hundred miles. The San Joaquin River, the other great waterway of the
interior of Northern California, touches the county on the south. The American, the Cosumnes and the
Mokelumne, all streams of importance, carrying water the year round, flow
across the county. The Sacramento,
the San Joaquin and their tributaries through many years of constant flow, have
formed the rich delta lands of southern Sacramento County. This delta was once a great area of
swamp land, subject to annual overflow, but through expenditure of vast sums of
money, has been thoroughly reclaimed by the construction of great dykes, called
levees in California, which keep the water from the cultivated fields. The delta, often referred to as the
Netherlands of California on account of the similarity of the reclamation work
to the dykes of Holland, consists of a number of islands, each of which is
surrounded by a navigable waterway.
ÒNo more fertile land is to be
found anywhere in the world, not even in the famous Valley of the Nile, than
this rich river bottom. Here are
produced the vegetables that during certain months of the year supply the
principal markets, not only of California but of several States, including
Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Montana. This is also a district of luscious fruits and each year
several thousand carloads go forward to Eastern markets from the river
districts of Sacramento County alone.
ÒEqually as rich as the land along
the Sacramento River is that along the Cosumnes and American Rivers. Both of these districts are noted for a
large variety of products which they produce to perfection. Hops that grow
along the Cosumnes River are as fine as any grown in this world and command the
highest prices in the market. This
district is also noted for its fruit.
ÒBut all the land of Sacramento
County is not river bottom land.
There are great alluvial plains containing thousands of acres of fertile
land suited to the culture of a vast variety of profitable products. Not many years ago these plain lands
were all farmed to grain, but during the past few years, as in other sections
of the Valley, grain farms have been subdivided and ten and twenty-acre tracts
devoted to intensive cultivation have succeeded them. The plains are exceedingly productive when irrigated and
this is made easy because of the inexhaustible supply of water that underlies
the entire area of Sacramento County.
All that is necessary to obtain water is to sink a well from fifteen to
forty feet and a flow sufficient for irrigation is obtained. The water is lifted from the well by a
pump run by either gasoline engine or an electric motor. Either is inexpensive. The possibilities of irrigating from
wells in this county are well illustrated in the Florin district, just south of
Sacramento City. This is a great
Tokay grape and strawberry district.
The only irrigation the plants received besides the natural rainfall, is
from the well water. Florin
annually ships many carloads of grapes and even more of strawberries to markets
beyond the borders of the State.
ÒBesides the bottom and the plain
lands, there is still another class of productive land in Sacramento
County. This is the rolling land
at the beginning of the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. This rolling land lies north of the
American River and is no doubt the most picturesque part of all Sacramento
County. It includes the prosperous
colonies of Orangevale and Fair Oaks, noted for their production of citrus and
semi-tropical fruit. Practically
all the oranges grown in Sacramento County come from the pretty groves on the
gentle slopes of Orangevale and Fair Oaks. Here, like in all Sacramento Valley counties that grow
oranges, the golden fruit ripens from six weeks to two months earlier than that
of any other orange growing district in the United States. Olives and almonds are also profitable
crops in these colonies and the homes of some of the owners of tracts, as
picturesque as any in California, are indicative of prosperity.
ÒSacramento City, the county seat
and the capital of the State, is situated on the east bank of the Sacramento
River, which is navigable the year round as far north as Red Bluff, 150 miles
north of Sacramento. It has a
population of 75,000 and an assessed valuation of $65,000,000. Several lines of freight and passenger
steamers ply between Sacramento and San Francisco and the passenger steamers
are floating palaces similar to those on the Hudson River. Two transcontinental steam roads and
four interurban electric lines enter Sacramento, which is an industrial
city. The main shops of the
Southern Pacific and Western Pacific railroads are located here. There are also three great fruit
canning institutions and many factories of various kinds.Ó
Trinity County
(Caption For Photograph on Page
84: MAGNIFICENT CROP OF ALFALFA IN
RICH FIELDS OF TRINITY COUNTY.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
86: WOODLAND SCENE IN TRINITY
COUNTY.)
ÒTrinity County is situated in the
Coast Range Mountains, just east of the northern end of the Sacramento Valley
and is drained and watered by the Trinity, Mad, Eel and Van Dusen Rivers. It is a mountainous region, its hills
and peaks ranging in altitude from a few hundred to more than 9,000 feet. Through these hills and mountains flow
numerous streams, nearly all of which are a part of the watershed of the
Trinity River, which rises in the northern and eastern part of the county, and
leaving the countyÕs confines, empties into the Klamath River.
ÒMining has been the principal
industry of the county for more than fifty years. Other industries are farming, grazing and lumbering. Hydraulic, placer, drift, dredge and
quartz mining are all followed with profitable results and there are still
hundreds of acres of auriferous gravel awaiting exploration and many quartz
veins that are untouched.
Hydraulic mining is vigorously prosecuted in various parts of the county
under conditions which enable that branch of mining to be conducted more advantageously
than in any other part of the State.
The placer grounds are so situated that the debris from their workings
passes into the Trinity and finally into the Klamath River, which are
unnavigable and hence are not injured by the operations. The heavy grade of the streams, the
abundant rainfall, the heavy depths of snow in the high mountains, the
temperate climate, the abundance of timber and the favorable character of the
gold bearing gravel, make Trinity ideal for the hydraulic miner.
ÒA number of the best equipped and
among the largest hydraulic mines in the world are in operation in this
county. A great many mines have
been constantly worked with favorable results for many years. The large bodies of undeveloped ground
present a promising field for investment.
Ledges of gold bearing ores have been discovered at nearly every point
where paying gravels have been worked and new prospects are being constantly
found in various parts of the county.
Improved methods of working and milling have attracted attention to
bodies of low grade ore not regarded formerly as profitable. Quartz mining, therefore, is being
developed and the county is destined to become one of the leading quartz mining
counties in California. As in
hydraulic mining, conditions are favorable for quartz mining, there being an
abundance of timber and of water and the climatic conditions being favorable.
ÒAlong the Trinity River and its
tributaries are numerous bars of rich gravel. They are at too slight an elevation to be successfully
worked by hydraulic method, but offer a successful field for dredge
mining. With the aid of electric
power, dredge mining promises to take its place in Trinity County with the
hydraulic and quartz industries.
ÒExtensive bodies of Cinnabar ores
have been found and worked in the northern end of the county and Cinnabar has
been found near Weaverville and on Canon Creek.
ÒNear Trinity Center, Weaverville
and Douglas City, deposits of asbestos have been uncovered. A considerable amount of platinum and
iridium is found with the Placer gold in the Hay Fork, Junction City and Lower
Trinity districts. Copper ores of
high grade values are found in the northern central portions of the county,
which give every promise of being developed into extensive and profitable
mines.
ÒWhile but little has been done
toward the discovery and the working of any minerals other than gold, what has
been done justifies further investigation as the prospects are favorable for
opening up profitable bodies of valuable minerals.
ÒThough Trinity is primarily a
mining county, there are large sections of tillable land which with irrigation
during the Summer months will produce abundant crops of grasses, hardy fruits,
berries and grains. In the lower
elevations and particularly along the Trinity River and in the southern end of
the county, peaches, pears, plums, apples, apricots and grapes are produced
which in flavor, quality and abundance of yield, compare with like fruits
produced in any section of California.
The soil is adapted for the raising of alfalfa and grains. Vegetables and berries of every variety
thrive and there is a home market in the mining districts for everything that
is produced.
ÒNuts of all kinds do well –
chestnuts, almonds, walnuts, hickory nuts, pecans, in fact all the common ones
doing remarkably well.
ÒIn the southern and western
portions of the county olives have been successfully raised.
ÒThere are excellent opportunities
for dairying in the county and stock raising is now carried on in some sections
on a large and profitable scale.
In the vicinity of Hay Fork, Heyampon and Trinity Valleys there are
bodies of fertile, well watered soils.
Grasses grow abundantly on these lands and they are well suited to such
industries as hog and sheep raising.
ÒStock raising is remunerative and
one of the great coming industries.
Range land is ample and there are many native grasses. Climatic conditions are favorable and
markets are close at hand.
ÒThroughout the county there are
very extensive bodies of first-class timber and there are numerous small saw
mills in operation during the Summer months. Sugar pine, spruce, fir and yellow pine are the principal
merchantable woods. In the
southern part there is also quite an area of tan bark oaks.
ÒTrinity County, owing to its
never failing water supply and the steep grades of its water courses, offers
great inducements for the construction of electric power plants.
ÒThe county seat is Weaverville, a
picturesque place in the heart of the mountains. The county has a good school system and an efficient corps
of teachers.
One branch of the State Highway
passes through the county, connecting the Sacramento Valley with the Coast
counties. This road across the
mountains is extensively traveled during the Summer months and is one of the
scenic driveways of the State.
ÒAs a Summer camping ground no
place in the world can be found to excel this county. Its altitude is all that could be desired, the wonderful
scenery, clear running brooks teeming with fish, game to be had with little
exertion, the wonderful scenic roads and trails, must be seen to be
appreciated, and once seen will never be forgotten.Ó
Yolo County, by H. S. Maddox
(Caption For Photograph on Page
88: TYPICAL YOLO COUNTY DECIDUOUS
FRUIT ORCHARD IN FULL BLOOM.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
90: VIEW OF A GREAT DAM DIVERTING
WATER FOR IRRIGATION IN YOLO COUNTY.)
ÒSituated sixty miles from the
Exposition City, in a northeasterly direction; immediately across the
Sacramento river from and west of CaliforniaÕs capital city; lying directly
between San Francisco, Portland and Sacramento – is Yolo County.
ÒAlmost in the center of
California, and the great fertile Sacramento Valley – is Yolo County.
ÒOur argument has to do primarily
and principally with the farmer, the man of family who is seeking a location in
the last great West, the Pacific Coast States of America.
ÒTo such a man, three factors
stand out most prominently in the development of the varied resources of Yolo
County, to wit: in order of their
importance, irrigation, reclamation, subdivision. More money has been expended in irrigation enterprises
during the past two years than in all previous history; more has been expended
in reclaiming low and overflow lands and placing them in a high state of
production in the past three years than in all previous years combined. Results? More than twenty subdivision propositions are now on the
market, many of them offering small farm units at tempting figures and terms to
the purchaser who may have but a little ready cash to apply.
ÒWater, both surface and subterranean,
everywhere present for irrigation at all seasons; with diversified crops
intensively farmed, proves conclusively that the man with but a few acres, say
twenty to forty, is accomplishing larger and more certain results with less of
labor and of worry than the man with an excess of acres.
ÒYolo is truly a progressive
county. It is really an
agricultural community without any great city to overtop and dominate its
affairs. There is a cohesiveness
about the county that gives it strength.
It is governed by a board of five Supervisors, every one of them a man
of the soil, individually and collectively; men who think first of the benefit
and needs of those who make more grow than ever grew there before. To this end they maintain a County
Horticultural Commission with eight assistants who are in constant touch with
every farmer in the county; a government ÔFarm AdviserÕ who devotes his entire
time in the field, giving attention and encouragement to farmers who seek it,
maintaining bureaus throughout the county at convenient places where
neighborhood meetings are held at frequent intervals; a magnificent public
school system with free books for pupils; a free Carnegie library with 53
county branches, and a County Board of Trade with a number of branches in
charge of competent men. These
organizations are all supported by the County Supervisors, and they obtain
funds from no other source, that the home-seeker and investor may be supplied
with accurate, unbiased information, advice and helpful suggestions free of
charge.
ÒThe county contains nearly half a
million acres of about floor level land; the largest contiguous body of
unbroken soil of any county in the West.
Let us quote Elwood Mead, United States Government soil expert, who in
reporting result (sic) of his soil and production investigations in Yolo County
said: ÔIt is ideal grain, alfalfa
and fruit land. You may find
growing on this soil wheat, barley, corn, oats, alfalfa; all the vegetables of
a temperate and sub-tropical climate; apples, figs, pears, apricots,
nectarines, plums, prunes, oranges, lemons, limes, pomegranites, grapes (table,
wine and raisin), almonds, olives, English walnuts, berries of all kinds, and
melons.Õ
ÒThe transportation problem has
been splendidly solved in Yolo County.
A number of steam and electric railways permeate every section of the
county, and with a frontage of ninety miles on the Sacramento river, which is
always navigable, give every town and village within its borders excellent
shipping and marketing facilities.
ÒYolo County producers are within
one hundred miles of more than one million consuming peoples (sic).
ÒThis county has the lowest tax
rate, with but one or two exceptions, of any county in Northern California, and
is virtually out of debt with all current bills paid in full.
ÒThis county is favored with
nearly one hundred rail and water shipping points. Many of them are splendid towns and villages, having fine
schools, churches, a high class American citizenship, and with one or two
exceptions, are free of saloons.
ÒWoodland, the county seat, in the
center of the county, is one of the most progressive cities in California, and
its clean, well-paved streets are lined with magnificent residences and fine
business blocks. Woodland has more
money in bank, and bank assets than any town of similar size in the entire
country, and this wealth came from Yolo CountyÕs peerless soil.
ÒWinters, situated twenty miles
southwest of Woodland, is the second largest town in the county. It lies at the base of picturesque
hills, and is in the very center of Putah CreekÕs rich delta lands.
ÒGuinda and Rumsey are located
near the head of Capay Valley, one of the most beautiful and picturesque spots
in the Sacramento Valley.
ÒCapay is situated where the Capay
Valley opens into great Sacramento Valley. Esparto is three miles from the entrance to Capay
Valley. Madison is twelve miles
west from Woodland. These are all
thriving towns in important farming sections.
ÒDavis is situated on Putah Creek,
thirteen miles west of Sacramento and ten miles south of Woodland. It is a railroad junction and enjoys
excellent transportation facilities.
ÒThe University farm operated in
conjunction with the Agricultural department of the University of California,
is situated at Davis. This site
was chosen after considering seventy-seven other localities in California. This was due to the superior climate,
soil and transportation advantages of Yolo County. The soil is adapted to almonds, fruits of all kinds, and
alfalfa.
Dunnigan and Zamorra (sic) are
railroad towns in the northern part of the county. Yolo is a flourishing village in the heart of a great fruit
county. Then we have Washington and
Bryte City just across from Sacramento, also West Sacramento and Clarksburg
nearby. All these towns, in fact,
all the towns throughout the county, are in flourishing condition. All are making, and will continue, a
good substantial growth indefinitely.Ó
Yuba County
(Caption For Photograph on Page
92: HOP YARDS AND KILNS IN YUBA
COUNTY.)
(Caption For Photograph on Page
94: MODERN TYPE OF GOLD DREDGE,
YUBA COUNTY.)
ÒYuba County, while one of the
smallest in the Sacramento Valley, having an area of only 638 square miles, is
one of the richest in resources in all California. In the early days Yuba was famous as a gold producer. ÒTo-day, while still a heavy
contributor to the StateÕs output of precious metal, principal importance
attaches to its agricultural production and it is far more famous for some of
its farm products. For instance the
largest hop fields in the world are located at Wheatland in this county and the
quality of hops grown compares favorably with those of the best hop yards in
Europe.
ÒThis county offers exceptional
advantages to the homeseeker and settler.
The soil and climatic conditions are favorable to the production of
practically every crop known to temperate and semi-tropic climates. The crops principally grown are wheat,
barley, oats, hops, beans, alfalfa, garden truck, fruits, grapes and nuts. Some Indian corn is grown on the low
moist lands near the rivers or by irrigation, also Egyptian corn and other
grain bearing sorghums.
ÒThe orchard crops principally
grown are pears, peaches, plums, prunes, apples, olives and grapes. Among other orchard crops grown here
are oranges, lemons, grape fruit, cherries, apricots, nectarines, figs, almonds
and walnuts. Apples do especially
well in the higher foothill and mountain areas and will no doubt become an
important product when this region has the advantage of railroad
transportation.
ÒThe subdivision of large tracts
of land has been going on steadily for several years and this has brought new
settlers into the county; as a result new farms are being developed and new
crops introduced.
ÒDuring the last few years there
has been a large planting of alfalfa which thrives luxuriantly, producing when
irrigated five or six crops a year, and providing the basis for a rapidly
growing dairy industry which promises to become one of the most important in
the county, as it is one of the most profitable.
ÒA considerable area is under
irrigation and this is constantly being increased. The principal irrigation canals are the Browns Valley and
Hallwood systems which together irrigate several thousand acres. Along the Feather River extensive areas
are irrigated by pumping, and some valley land is irrigated from wells, an
abundant supply of water being secured near the surface at a comparatively
small cost.
ÒCheap electric power is available
for pumping and for other farm uses.
Many Yuba County farms have motors installed for driving pumps and other
farm implements, with electric lights in house and barn. The first successful long distance
electric power transmission line was built to convey to San Francisco power
generated in this 20,000 horsepower and is one of a great chain of power
generating stations which utilizes the waters of this and other streams in this
and adjoining counties.
ÒThe mineral resources of Yuba are
great. The methods of mining now
followed include placer, quartz and dredge. In the upper foothills and mountain sections, quartz mining
is successfully followed and rich strikes have been made in recent years, which
have had a tendency to stimulate this important industry. Dredge mining is followed successfully along
the bed of the Yuba river, where there are great deposits of gold bearing
gravel. The annual gold output of
Yuba County is between $2,000,000 and $3,000,000.
ÒIn a county where most of the
boundary lines are never-failing streams, it is but natural to expect that
there is plenty of water for all purposes. This is the condition in Yuba County. The Feather and the Yuba Rivers are
both important streams.
ÒTransportation facilities are
excellent; the main California-Oregon line of the Southern Pacific Railway
Company passes through this county, also the Western Pacific Railway, a new
transcontinental lime, and the Northern Electric Railway, which is a part of an
extensive interurban system centering at Sacramento and San Francisco. During certain seasons of the year the
Feather River, which is the countyÕs western border, is open to navigation as
far as Marysville.
ÒYuba offers enjoyable recreation
to the sportsman. The countyÕs
streams and forests afford the best of fishing and hunting during the proper
season. Quail and dove are
numerous in the valley and foothill sections, while in the higher altitudes
deer are plentiful, and occasionally a bear falls before the gun of the skilled
huntsman. Ducks and geese are
abundant along the rivers and lakes.
ÒMarysville, the county seat and
railway center of Yuba County, is a prosperous and progressive city of 7,000
population situated at the confluence of the Feather and Yuba Rivers. Since the early days, Marysville has
been an important commercial city; for years it was the principal supply point
of Northern California and to-day it is the trading center of a large
territory. Some idea of its
importance may be gathered from the fact that there are located at Marysville
three large banks, the combined resources of which on January 1, 1914, were
$5,300,000; total deposits, $4,200,000; total capital and surplus,
$870,000. Because of its
importance as a trading center and lines of communication extending in many directions
Marysville has been called the ÔHub City.Õ
ÒThe second city of the county is
Wheatland, known far and wide as the center of the principal hop district of
California and the scene of the largest single hop field in the world. Wheatland is the center of an extensive
agricultural area producing a wide variety of farm and orchard products and
boasting a population of approximately 1,000. There is a bank with resources of $80,000.
ÒTwelve miles northeast of
Marysville is Browns Valley, a farming section comprising 45,000 acres of
land. Much of this land is
irrigated by a gravity system. The
water is taken from the Yuba River in the higher altitudes. In the same district there are a number
of rich quartz mines that are now being worked.
ÒSmartsville is east of Browns
Valley and eighteen miles from Marysville. It is a historic mining camp, and was a lively place in
early days. Mining is still
followed in the vicinity and the district is also noted for its production of
both citrus and deciduous fruits.
ÒChallenge and Woodleaf are in the
timber melt (sic); Camptonville and Strawberry Valley are mountain resorts
during the Summer months.
Hammonton is the newest town in the county and is the scene of the principal dredge mining operations on the Yuba River.Ó
To The Reader
Visitors to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition should by all means see the great productive Sacramento Valley before leaving California. It is but a short trip from San Francisco to this attractive portion of the State, and it can be reached either by train, steamer or automobile.
To get a comprehensive idea of the wonderful extent of the Valley and its richness in natural resources, one should spend at least a week or ten days and visit each of the counties described herein. Some crop is being harvested every month in the year in the Sacramento Valley and the visitor will find something to interest him, whether he makes his trip here in May or in November.
While the output of this geographical subdivision of California is marvelous, there is still room for intelligent, ambitious and energetic men and women. To such this valley holds out opportunities, we believe, that are not surpassed on the American continent.
Those interested in the Sacramento Valley will have all questions concerning this section fully and clearly answered at the Sacramento Valley display in the California Palace of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.
Printed by New Publishing Co., Sacramento, Cal.
Allied Printers – Trades Counsel – Union Label – Sacramento.
Engravings by Sutter Photo Engraving Co., Sacramento, Cal