[From Carson to the Silver Mines, Sacramento Union, November 11, 1859]

 

FROM CARSON TO THE SILVER MINES.

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            Carson valley, as it must appear to an ordinarily observant traveler, is the largest of a succession of valleys, formed by ridges of mountains which intersect our own at a northeasterly angle, and which may either be remnants of a superior range that has existed at some period antecedent to the time of our own or may have been caused by a later upheaval. There is room for the theory that the whole breadth of region traversed by these lesser ranges and their intervening valleys once formed an unbroken part of a stupendous mountain belt, but that, by earthquakes and the wear of centuries of Winter snows, first chasms and then valleys have been opened to the northeast. This conjecture would seem to be sustained by the fact that the mineral lodes which cross these eastern spurs of the Sierra Nevada run in a parallel course with the main chain. The streams, moreover, head in our mountains and run in a northeasterly direction. In going to Carson by the Placerville route we cross two smaller valleys and their dividing ranges, whose general course and peculiarities correspond with those of the former. Cutting our way due east through the last range, by the rocky cañon which separates Hope valley from the head of Carson valley, we find ourselves confronted, only at a greater distance, by still another range trending in the same northeasterly course, and separating Carson from Walker's valley. Carson valley proper is twenty-five miles in length, and is joined at its lower or northern extremity by Eagle valley, into which it opens from behind a single low mountain ridge jutting out eastwardly from the line of the spur. Back of this Carson spur, or west from Eagle valley, commences Washoe valley, which pursues the same northeasterly course we have been noticing, and which, in turn, opens into Steamboat valley (so named from certain remarkable springs within its borders, which resemble the action of a steam escape). It is in the eastern slope of this range separating the valleys, raised plains and deserts bordering the Carson river, from Washoe and Steamboat valleys on the west, that the silver mines are situated. The exact locality of the mines, together with the topography of the region, will be better understood from a few recent notes of travel from Genoa to Virginia City.

            Stages connect Genoa with Virginia City, the seat of the present discovered silver mines, by regular daily trips. The distance is about thirty-five miles, the time occupied eight hours, and the fare six dollars. Passengers are routed out of their refuge places before daybreak and come forth like stowaways, from unimaginable kennels and corners—from bunks in the hotel, where two and three wedged in under one pair of blankets is considered private accommodation; from family beds on the floor of a grogshop, with only your blankets, a pint or so of tobacco juice, "heel taps" and Genoa mud between you and the floor from behind counters, between boxes and barrels, and the tops of nail kegs—travelers answer the summons of the stage agent and "roll out" into the chill morning air, stiff jointed, unrested, unwashed and miserable, with a prospect of three or four hours' ride between them and their morning's coffee.

            Genoa is the oldest and, until recently, has been the chief town in this section. It was settled by the Mormons, and by them named, probably. The discovery of a good reason or motive for the place being called after the supposed native city of Columbus might be almost as great a wonder as was the discovery of America. It consists of thirty-two or three houses gathered near the "Old Mormon Station"—a log house, still standing—fronts on one street, has two hotels, one store, one blacksmith shop, two groceries, two or three whisky dispensaries, and a billiard room. The town hugs the base of the eastern range of the Sierra Nevada, and is situated only a mile and a half north of the cañon through which "the trail" (Daggett's) enters the valley. It stands on an elevated strip of very cultivable ground, but is wholly without the ornament of gardens or orchards. A good saw and grist mill stands back in the ravine which supplies the town with water. Genoa claims to have a larger population than Carson City, but the difference in the number of inhabitants, if there be any, is not worth disputing about. The former has undoubtedly quite as many as the place has lodgings for. A stage load of passengers creates a scarcity of accommodations, and puts decent lodgings at a premium. The hotel fare is coarse and the manner of serving it untidy. At only one place will the traveler procure a respectable meal, unless fashions have changed within the past two or three weeks. This is the old Mormon Station, which has been converted into a boarding house, and is kept by a pro-slavery "Captain" of the late border war in Kansas. The prices per meal are the same as charged on the roads in this State.

            Starting out before daylight one has but little opportunity to take note of the region traversed between Genoa and Carson City. The road runs north for a good part of the way along the same strip of high ground, at the base of the eastern Sierras, upon which the path through Carson cañon comes out, and which appears to comprise the best lands, and, indeed, the only portion at present occupied for tillage in the valley. Carson river runs a northeasterly course nearly through the middle of the valley, and on each side, extending up to within from half a mile to two and three miles of the mountains, the lands are low, and, in Winter, marshy. The farms along the slopes at the foot of the mountains and up the ravines on each side are well watered by little streams, which intersect the road every few hundred yards. Agriculture appears to be in its infancy through the length and breadth of the valley. Passing through it in the season of harvest its capabilities make a better show no doubt, than at the beginning of Winter, and if the visitor be newly arrived from the weary and monotonous journey across the Plains, his sight parched and aching with the vision of deserts, Carson valley will be invested with a great many charms as a farming locality which would not strike the same person under different circumstances. This probably was Greeley's state when he passed this way and delivered his high eulogiums on the agricultural attractions of Carson. Without detracting from its really excellent merits as a farming region, it is very evident the praise of the Tribune editor considerably overshot the mark.

            Our road to Carson City passes around the base of the long mountain ridge which appears to form the only dividing line between Carson and Eagle valleys. The latter is more of a large recess or nook in the mountain range forming the western boundary of Carson than a valley, its dimensions being only a few miles in circumference, nearly inclosed on three sides, open to the east and northeast. Carson City is literally, as well as in a business sense, the center of this circular nook, and though founded only a couple of years since, already rivals Genoa in size and population. It exhibits a more cheerful and business like air than the latter, and though standing in the middle of a naked plain, with no trees, fences or shrubbery to relieve the eye, it imparts a more agreeable welcome to the visitor, and exhibits more of the characteristics of a California town in 1849 than any place in this section of country. New houses are starting up; the streets are full of men; merchandise is being laden and unladen, and at night, to complete the parallel, strains of music, mingled with the chink of coin, issue from large and well filled gambling saloons. The houses are chiefly of light frame, but there are three or four well built stores and boarding houses of unbaked brick. There is a school at this place, taught by a lady, and attended by about fifteen children. There are no meeting houses either here or at Genoa, although divine service is performed at the latter place by a Methodist preacher. It is related, somewhat to the disadvantage of Carson City, that on a Sunday on which preaching had been appointed, a horse race was announced, and most of the congregation left before the service was over to attend the race. The press of the Territorial Enterprise was removed to this place week before last, and it is hinted that the next term of Judge Cradlebaugh's Court will be held here. Carson City enjoys, without doubt, the best advantages for trade, with the most populous sections of the surrounding mining country, of any town in this region, and has already a start which any new rival will find it hard to overcome. Genoa suffers at present from the competition, but must eventually be the center of a large mining and agricultural community, while her position at the mouth of the "Trail," or the initial point where the great mountain road to California must enter the hills, will always secure for the place a business importance. Real estate has advanced three and four hundred per cent, in Carson City since last Summer, and lots which sold for twenty-five dollars in the Spring have brought as high as five hundred dollars. Money is scarce, eight and ten per cent being readily obtained. But for this want the prospects of this whole section would have been greatly enhanced during the past Fall.

            Breakfasting at Carson City, passengers resume their places, and are soon again on their way to the silver mines. The road now lies nearly due east for a couple of miles across the valley of the Carson river, which here inclines towards the mountains forming the Walker divide. The course of the latter has already been stated as being northeasterly, parallel with those forming the western boundary of the valley. At the distance above indicated the road turns northwardly, again, passing around a broken, hilly tract, which has the appearance of an immense land slide, and continues for another mile or two, until it touches the stream at "Dutch Nix," the last house on the road to the mines. The route now ascends and traverses a broad, level, desert tract of sand, covered irregularly by what appear to be chalk ledges, and supporting a scanty vegetation. The Carson flows far to the eastward along the edge of this natural terrace. In front, rising above the hights of some mountain spurs which slope down into the plain from the western side and partly bound the terrace on the north, a singular looking peak is shown to travelers, and, once having been seen, is not easily missed or forgotten. It forms a conspicuous feature in the landscape of the west side of the valley from its altitude above other summits. But its chief peculiarity is the color by which it is distinguished from the surrounding mountain tops. Its bald and crumbling apex is of a pale bluish hue, very similar to that of the bloom on the grape. It is situated in the range we have been following and which forms the western boundary of Carson and Eagle valleys, the terrace we are traversing and the deserts still beyond. Around the base and on the sides of this blue mountain, from within half a mile of the top to where the ravines which head nearly at this hight debouch on the plains below, within an area of from six to eight miles, lie the mines of silver and the gold washings which have created the late sensation. Our landmark has no name, unless it retain the name of Mount Davidson (after the San Francisco banker), bestowed on it some time since by one of the silver mining companies. The two main ravines or cañons which make down from its sides diverge at wide angles and reach the plain five or six miles apart. The largest and most southerly is known as Gold cañon, up which the road lies to Gold hill and to the silver mines (Virginia City), just beyond, over the main ridge, dividing the two cañons. The route up this cañon, through Devil's Gate, and along the grade has been already described in the Union. Between the terrace where we left the stage pursuing its slow journey through the deep sand, and the mouth of the cañon, there are no varieties of road scenery or incidents meriting particular notice. The road leaves the terrace, and makes around the mountain spurs which descend into the valley entering the mouth of Gold cañon two or three miles above Chinatown. From the point of entering the cañon to Virginia City, the distance is about seven miles by an easy but slow ascent, the traveler reaching the end of his journey on this route by one or two o'clock in the afternoon.

            Let us take a view of the region through which we have come from the summit of the blue peak above described. North and south along its eastern side, a few hundred yards down, courses the rich vein of silver now being mined with so much success, and whose superficial extent, up to last accounts, had not been explored with positive results for a distance of over three hundred feet. A mile and a half south, in a line corresponding with this lead, are the rich quartz diggings of Gold hill where traces of the same silver vein hare been found, and where the yield of gold from the corresponding quartz ledge is even greater than at the Ophir mines. Beyond Gold hill, and not far from the mouth of the cañon, in the foothills on the south aide, has been found quartz gold in a ledge which is said to crop and run in the same direction, and is judged to be a continuation of the Ophir and Gold hill ledge. Here, also, a large admixture of silver exists, and indications of the vein of sulphurets are believed to have been discovered. A line drawn, southward across the valley from the places we have enumerated, would strike the mountains on the opposite side (the Walker river divide) at a spot a little southerly of Dutch Nix, a locality on our route hither already noticed. And at this place diggings have been actually found, and croppings taken of what is believed to be the silver ledge. A company has been organized to mine in this locality for silver, though it is composed of too many speculators to justify the belief that much work will be done. Miles beyond the last mentioned spot, near the trail to Walker's river, but having the same bearings from our blue peak at Virginia City, is the locality of the new silver lead, represented to have been recently discovered. (See Union of Tuesday last.) Specimens of the last mentioned discovery have been exhibited in this city and are in every way similar to the "silver croppings" found on the west side of the valley. The whole district intervening between the seat of the recent discovery and the prospects near where the ledge is believed to enter these mountains from the other side has been rudely examined for gold and reported favorably upon. The eye follows the line of the discoveries as far as the crest of the divide, with great distinctness from over Blue Peak.

            Facing the westward from our elevated point, we look down into Washoe and Steamboat valleys on the other side of this Carson range, one of the valleys opening to the south into the other. At the end of Washoe lake, near the entrance to Steamboat valley, McLaughlin, one of the original owners of the Ophir silver ledge, is confident that he has found the outcropping of a similar vein running parallel with that on the eastern slope. His claim is staked near the foot of the mountain, and ranges with similar claims staked off several miles north in Steamboat valley, where parties prospecting have found gold in a seamy ledge of quartz, rich as that which forms the matrix of the silver lode at Virginia City.

            Such are the bearings and localities of the authenticated and conjectured silver discoveries, so far as we know them, in the Carson and Washoe ranges of mountains, and such, as nearly as it can be described in ordinary terms, is the face of the country traversed by the supposed leads. Much as has been already given to the public on this head, it is hoped that a connected statement and description may tend to familiarize some of our readers more with a section of country which we cannot doubt is destined to occupy a prominent place ere many months among the mineral regions of the Pacific.