[Letter from Nevada, Sacramento Union, August 8, 1868]

 

LETTER FROM NEVADA.

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[CORRESPONDENCE OF THE UNION.]

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AUSTIN, August 4, 1868.

            I promised a number of my Sacramento city friends, on taking my leave, that I would write them and give them a description of the country I then proposed prospecting. My time being nearly all taken, I wish to satisfy them by saying a few words through the Union. I arrived in Virginia City the first of May, purchased a mule and horse, packed my grub and started for Humboldt county. I passed through some very good country along the Humboldt river. The water was high, and hundreds of acres were overflowed. On arriving at the mouth of Reese river, I struck for Austin, Reese River Valley, which I think the most valuable for agriculture of any I journeyed through. The Humboldt is a good stock region, but it will not do for raising grain. From the line of the Pacific Railroad up Reese river it is about eighty-five miles to Austin. I found Austin a business place; everybody seemed to be on the qui vive. A more sociable set of fellows I have not found since 1849, when everybody felt gay. I found many old Californians here in good spirits. Austin is bound to be a great city. The mines are here. What is wanted is cheap labor, cheap provisions and all things equal ; then this country will pay largely. One great drawback is owing to the injudicious manner in which money has been expended here by Eastern men, in sending out here as Superintendents to develop mines and erect mills who know nothing about mining. The consequences are, a great amount of money has been squandered. Wherever money has been properly expended by those who understood their business, it has paid enormously. I think Austin a far superior place today for investment than Virginia; one thing is certain ; it is a much better place for men of small means than Virginia for the reason that it is more like the placer diggings of olden times in California. I next visited Belmont, which I found quite a place for one so young. There are but few mines yet developed, and these are rich and extensive. There is no question but what the mines of Belmont will prove remunerative to the owners in time. They are like the Virginia mines, which need any amount of capital to develop them. I have also prospected in Columbus, Reveille and Hot Creek districts — seen enough of them to satisfy me that money can be well invested and prove a paying thing by judicious management.

            There being a great excitement about White Pine, I left three weeks since for that famous region. I found it beyond all precedent, and beyond my expectations. I have seen many hundred tons of rich ore in Nevada and Mexico, but anything that I ever saw before sinks into utter insignificance compared to what my own eyes saw in White Pine. How extensive or how deep are the mines no one knows ; but there are thousands of tons, right in sight, which only requires mere picking out to have it. There are over a hundred men now rich, who but six months ago had not money enough to buy grub. They are certain of it because they have it in sight. There are three towns already located ; which will take the preference time must determine. A regular line of stages is established from Austin. I met hundreds going out on teams, stages and horseback, which I think is preferable to a crowded stage on a hot day.

            I would here say to my Sacramento friends, should any wish to come out here, come with a team of your own ; bring a good stock of provisions to last six months ; come with the idea of prospecting till snow falls. Do not think you can find it without an effort. Do not come with the idea that by a few hours picking you will strike it rich, but come with the idea that by daily perseverance and industry you will have something rich in six months. To those who want to farm and have not good farms in California, Reese River and Humboldt is the country. The Austinites have surveyed a road out, which will be completed by the time the railroad is at the mouth of the river. Then we can go to California in one day.

            To close up this epistle, I would say to my Sacramento friends, those of you who have a little money and not much to do, come to Eastern Nevada, and set yourselves to work, for I think it the best country to make a raise in on earth. I am recapitulating my true convictions. I am a '49 Californian and I am well satisfied that Eastern Nevada offers a good show for us old broken-down Californians. Every one coming out here to prospect should have what is termed a ground blanket. It will not do to sleep on the ground with woolen blankets only. A ground blanket made of rubber excludes all dampness. No one who has used a ground blanket has had mountain fever.