[Letter from Nevada, Sacramento Union, October 12, 1865]

 

LETTER FROM NEVADA.

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[CORRESPONDENCE OF THE UNION.]

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IONE (Nye county, Nevada), October 8, 1865.

Mountain Routes Now Most Traveled.

            I have never before seen so many teams engaged hauling freight over the several routes leading from California to this State as at present. On the Dutch Flat and Placerville roads the line is almost continuous; and, but that the track is nearly everywhere double, there would be much delay in passing. As it is, the stage is often kept waiting for quarter of an hour at a time, the teams getting blocked up at narrow places in the road — of which there are a number on the Bartram, and some of the other grades on the Placerville route. There is not much teaming or travel this season on the Amador, Big Tree or Sonora roads ; what there is consisting of that going to the Silver Mountain and El Dorado sections of country, or places further south. There is but little heavy freight going over these roads, though a number of light wagons carrying fruits, vegetables, etc., and an occasional pack train, are seen upon them. They have not commanded the business that was anticipated for them — freights for Silver Mountain and Esmeralda still continuing to come in by Sacramento and Carson Valley, notwithstanding the former has been connected by a good branch road with the Big Tree route, and the wagon track leading from the latter to Sonora has finally been completed. The amount of teaming is much larger on the Dutch Flat road this year than ever before ; and as the Central Pacific Railroad approaches the mountains, it must continue to increase, until, when that work shall have reached a little further east, this route will take all the freight destined for points north of Genoa.

A Good Time for the Teamsters, Inn-Keepers and Others.

            After a year and a half of hard times, by reason of diminished freights and low prices, the teamsters upon these roads, as well as the people living along them, are experiencing a season of renewed prosperity. The quantity of goods offering for transportation is large and the roads are in good condition, while the prices of feed are low, enabling the teamsters to get better terms and a larger margin for profits than for some time past. When this class do well, the public houses and other interests dependent upon them also flourish, wherefore the present reason, though rather dull at first, will prove a very prosperous one to these communities in the end. Contracts, even for heavy lots of machinery, cannot now be effected for transportation from Sacramento to this place at less than $180 per ton; a pretty severe tax on those who have mills to bring out yet this Fall.

Many Goods Yet Required.

            Owing to the limited shipments of merchandise this way early in the season and the large lots of machinery since pressing for transportation, the Winter supply of provisions and goods is not large on this side of the mountains, and unless the roads remain open to a late period and extreme diligence is observed by our traders in hurrying over additional stores, we shall be short of many staples before Spring. In this section, where a considerable population will Winter, the supply is as yet wholly inadequate to our prospective wants, the condition of things in Austin being not much better. If, however, the heavy dealers in Carson and Virginia have laid in ample stocks, as perhaps they have, we shall not suffer, as we can haul goods here from those places cheaper in the Winter than in the Summer, owing to the bitter condition of the roads.

Population and Business Prospects.

            Although we shall have but a small addition, if any at all, to the population of this State the present year, nearly all the people now here will remain through the Winter, contrary to our usual experience in this respect. Heretofore many have left for California on the approach of Winter. Now there is not only a prospect of our retaining the people we have here, but quite a good many are coming in from that State, bringing their goods and chattels, teams and herds, and in some cases their families with them, with a view to settling permanently on this side. A person just in from California reports passing quite an immigration moving into Nevada, all bound for this vicinity. One party passed, had about 600 head of cattle, with a large band of horses, coming to stop in this neighborhood. They were owned by Hazleton & Wilson, and come from Merced county. Some companies, with a smaller quantity of stock, have already arrived here. On the other hand the Overland immigration, not numerous, pass by here all going into California. I do not know of half a dozen families tarrying anywhere in this region the present season. Quite a large percentage of this class come from Montana, to which section they went last year. With this prospect for population the chances are that the approaching Winter will be one of much activity here, and that we will require pretty heavy supplies from California.

The Weather

In this region continues pleasant, the quantity of rain so far this Fall only amounting to enough to lay the dust. Once or twice the tops of the higher mountains have been covered with snow, but it did not lie long, and it may be a couple of months yet before snow will fall, even upon the mountains, to remain all Winter. In the valleys very little ever falls before December or January, and then only to the depth of six or eight inches, and not to last more than a week or two at a time. Cattle do very well here without fodder through the Winter. Since my return here I have not had opportunity to make much personal examination of

The Mines.

But hear very favorable accounts of them, and find that a great deal of work is being done, Just now the Twin River District seems to be the favorite prospecting ground, having drawn away a large share of the people from this district. That there are some extremely valuable ledges over there admits of no question, though it is possible there is an undue amount of excitement about the matter. Several heavy sales have lately been effected of mines there to Eastern capitalists, who are going on to spend large sums in the erection of mills and the development of their grounds, whereby the actual value of many of the more prominent of these ledges will soon be effectually tested.