AND PACIFIC COAST GUIDE.

 

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good state of preservation. Sonoma has
the honor of being the place where the
old “Bear Flag’ was first raised, It is
situated in the Sonoma Valley, one of the
richest in the State, and is celebrated for
its vineyards and the excellence of its
wines. Sonoma is not without its railroad,
ifitis asingle ratl. The Sonoma Vailey
“Prismoidal” is no creature of the fancy,
but is completed three miles, and is to be
extended to Norfolk, seven miles from
Sonoma, where it will connect with steam-
boats from San Francisco.

But to return to the railroad, which we
left at Lakeville. Rolling hills are on our
right, mostly cultivated to their summits,
and a few scattering live-oaks; on the left,
Petaluma Creek, sult marshes, and in the
distance a high ridge of the Coast Range.
Seven miles from Lakeville is

PrratumMa—the largest town in Sonoma
county, with a population of about 4,500.
It contains some fine large business blocks,
two good hotels—the American and the
Washington. The Courter and the Jour.
nal Argus are two weekly papers, pub-
lished here. The town is on the west side
of the road, situated on rolling hills, by
the side of which runs Petaluma Creek,
which is navigable for light-draft boats
at high tide. Upon and around these
rolling hills are some beautiful residences,
ornamented with great numbers of trees,
among which are the oak, eucalyptus,
Monterey and Italian cypress, Norfolk
Island pine, and others, presenting, in
connection with the mountains and sur-
rounding scenery, a view most charming
and delightful.

Stages leave Petaluma daily for Sonoma,
thirteen miles east. We understand the
Railroad Company have a track graded
and nearly ready for the iron, that runs
south and west from Petaluma, along the
base of the moun‘ain to San Rafael, where
a crossing will be made to San Francisco.

Leaving Petaluma, we cross Petaluma
Creek and roll along three miles to
Ety’s, a flag station, amid rolling hills,
at the head of Petaluma Valley. One mile
further, we come to a beautiful grove of
black oaks cn a high hill to the right, and
we ale at Pann’s Grove. Here we cross
the divide and enter the Russian River
Valley. Goopwzin’s is half a mile further,
asmall flag station two and a half miles
from Pacx’s, another one of the same im-
portance. Here commences the Cotate
Grant, which takes in the hills on each

side, four leagues in extent. Two and a
half miles from Page’s, we are at CoraTx
RancuHe, a flag station for the ranche near
by. At many stations along are to be seen
cattle pens and shutes, indicating that
raising and fattening cattle for market is
one of the industries of the people in this
section. Here we find many drooping,
moss-covered oaks. Three miles moreand
we are at the banner town of

Santa Rosa—population, 4,000. This
is the county seat of Sonoma count.,
situated in the midst of one of the richest
valleys in the State. It is fifteen miles from
Petatuma, fifteen miles from Healds-
burgh, thirty-three miles from Cloverdale,
and fifty-seven miles from San Francisco.
No city on the Pacific coast has increased
faster within the last five years than Santa
Rosa, and that increase has been marked
by substantial brick business blocks, large
manufactories, and beautiful private resi-
dences.

The city has water-works, gas-house,
railroads, and all the modern improve-
ments. Of newspapers, there are one daily,
the Democrat; and one weekly, the Times.
The Grand, and the Occidental, are the
two principal hotels.

The streets of the city are broad, set out
with eucalypti and other varieties of trees;
these, with the surrounding country, afford
many very beautiful drives.

Stages leave Santa Rosa daily for Mark-
West Springs, ten miles east: Petrified
Forest, fifteen miles (see description, page
222); and Calistoga, 0 miles; to the west,
Sebastopol is seven miles. Average fare to
these places is ten cents per mile. The
valley of Santa Rosa, in which the town is
si:uated, Russian River Valley, and Peta-
luma Valley, really one, are 60 miles in
length, with an average width of about six
miles.

Sonoma county is a very large one, ex-
tending to the Pacific Ocean on the west.
In the western portion are located immense
forests of redwood timber, which we shall,
note hereafter. Vineyards are numerous
as well as orchards where immense quan-
tities of oranges, lemons, plums. limes,
apples, English walnuts, almonds, apricots,
and other f.uits and nuts are raised for
market There are nearly 7,000 acres in
vineyard—5,000,000 vines—which produce
annually full 2,500,000 gallons of wine, and
85,000 gallons of brandy. Pomegranite
trees do quite well, and never fail a crop.
All the lands in this county are classed as