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196 CROFUTY’S NEW OVERLAND TOURIST

 

crest of an isolated mountain range, which
stands bold and clear among the plains,
1,000 feet in height. From appearances,
one would be led to suppose that this
ridge crossed the valley at one time, when
this was an inland sea; and when the
waters escaped from the lower valley,
those confined above cut a portion of the
ridge down level with the plain, and
escaping, left a beautiful valley above.

From the summits of their bald peaks a
fine view can be had of a great portion of
the Sacramento Valley, including Mounr
Swasra, away to the northward, 220
miles distant, in latitude 41 deg. 30 min.,
an isolated and lofty volcanic mountain,
over 14,440 feet high. It is covered with
perpetual snow, and is the head and source
of the Sacramento River. (See ANNEX
No. 43.) To the northwest, in the Coast
Range of mountains, can be distinctly
seen Mis. Linn, St. Joun and Rie ey.
On the south, Mt. Drasxo, in the Contra
Costa range, while on the east, from north
to south, is the long range of the Sierra
Nevadas, as far as the eye can reach.

Returning to Marysville, we again start
on our journey. One mile north of the
city we cross the track of the Oroville rail-
road, pass several cemeteries on the right,
also arace track; then, bear away to the
left—northwest—and cross the Feather
River on a long trestle bridge. Along this
river, live oaks and sycamore trees abound
by the million.

Lomo~—a flag station, comes first from
Marysville, 6.8 miles. Here are wheat
lands which continue, with an occasional

clump of trees, 3.9 miles, to

Live Oaxk—another side track, in the
centre of some thousands of acres of young
live oaks, and manzanita shrubs. Passing
along with the broad valley of the Sacra-
mento on the left, which stretches away as
far as the eye can reach, and the Feather
River Valley on the right, beyond which are
the lofty Sierras, we reach

GripLEy—which is 6.5 miles further
north. This station has several hotels and
stores, a dozen residences, and a large grain
warehouse, and one flouring mill, as, be it
remembered, we are now in one of the
great wheat sections of the State. The
station was named for a Mr. Gridley—
maybe it’s “Old Bob Gridley’»— who
knows?—who owns somewhere about
35,000 acres of land adjoining the station,
much of which he has worked by farmers
on a division of crops. Live oaks, big ones

arenumerous all the way for 3.4 miles to

Biees—This is a lively town of about
1,200 population, in the midst of fine wheat
lands, with extensive warehouses for stor-
ing and handling wheat in nearly all
seasons. This cereal isa large and sure
crop. Biggs has a weekly paper—the
Register—several hotels, chief of which is
the Planters, and a stage line to Oroville,
twelve miles east; fare, $1.00.

The place was named fora Mr. Biggs,
who, like the Mr. Gridley, is troubled with
about 30,000 acres of this wheat land, much
of which
50 bushels to the acre. Leaving Biggs we
cross the big canal of the Cherokee Com-
pany, which is 18 miles long and 400
feet wide; the water is used for hydraulic
mining, and then for irrigating purposes.

After a run of ten miles, all the way
through wheat fields, we reach

NeEtson—composed of about a dozen
buildings, surrounded with wheat, wheat,
all wheat. These fields extend far away
in every direction.

Passing along, we cross Butte Creek,
and 6.6 miles from Nelson, come to

DunuamM—Here is about a dozen build-
ings, in the midst of a broad plain studded
with occasional oaks. A flouring mill and
large warehouses are near the station.
Continuing on 6.1 miles, and we stop at
the beautiful town of

Cutoo—It is 43 milesfrom Marysville, 25
miles northwest from Oroville, and five
miles east of the Sacramento River, situated
in the Chico Valley, Butte county, in the
midst of as rich a farming section as the
State affords; population 5,000. The city
is lighted with gas, has ample water-works
situated near the depot, and has several
banks and hotels, chief of which are the
Chico House and the Union; one daily pa-
per, the Record, and one weekly, the Hn-
terprise. To the eastward looms up the
Sierra Nevada Mountains, covered with a
dense forest of timber, in which are many
sawnuoills, the lumber from which is floated
down to within three miles of the city, in
a “V” flume, 35 miles in length. The
streets are lined with shade trees, groves of
oaks, and orchards and gardens are on
every hand. Near the town, General Bid-
well, the old pioneer, has an extensive
ranche—or farm, as it would be called in
the Eastern States—which is in a very
high state of cultivation, producing abun-
dantly all kinds of fruits and plants of
the temperate and semi-tropical climes.

yields, when properly farmed, |

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