372 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Average Precipitation in El Dorado County. 



AMADOR COUNTY. 



Amador is bounded on the north by El Dorado County; on the south,. 

 by Calaveras County; on the west, by Sacramento and San Joaquin 

 Counties; and on the east by Alpine County. Jackson, its county seat, is 

 about 50 miles each distant from Sacramento and Stockton, and all part& 

 of the county enjoy a daily mail and passenger connection with San Fran- 

 cisco, as well as the two before mentioned cities, from which it will be seen 

 that it is easy of access from the population centers of the State. The 

 Amador Branch Railroad runs into the county, connecting with the Central 

 Pacific road at Gait, and terminating at lone City, within 12 miles distance 

 from the other principal towns of the county. The San Joaquin and Sierra 

 Nevada Narrow Gauge Railroad also comes to within 12 miles from Jack- 

 son, and runs along in Calaveras County within 3 to 6 miles of the county 

 line. Latrobe, on the Sacramento and Placerville road, is distant from 

 Plymouth, in this county, 12 miles. Thus, the bulk of the county, while 

 not enjoying direct railroad communication, is not very far removed, and 

 with one line actually in the county, and two others not very far off, it is 

 reasonable to suppose that in no very long time a railroad will be extended 

 into its heart, especially as the county is by no means at a standstill, but 

 is constantly, though it may be slowly, increasing in population and wealth. 

 Even as it is at present, nearly every important point in the county can 

 be reached in ten hours from San Francisco. 



The county is 70 miles long, and in its principal breadth 20 miles wide, 

 though narrowing in the eastern portion to 4 or 5 miles. The area of the 

 county is 362,000 acres, of which 90,000 acres are Government land. 



From the works of every mine in this county can be seen in their season, 

 the agricultural operations of plowing, seeding, and harvesting, and very 

 few mineral claims exist some portion of whose surface is not given over to 

 the husbandman. The whistle of the mine and the steam thrasher are 

 both plainly heard in our " mining towns." 



A fact that should not be overlooked by people who desire to settle in a 

 region where an easy market is at hand, is the large number of people 

 employed directly and indirectly about the mines, who, with their families, 

 furnish a home market for nearly everything which is now raised in the 

 county, and who are capable of absorbing much more, as our farming 

 interest has not kept pace with the requirements engendered by a large 

 and increasing non-producing class, who withal have money enough to pay 

 for all they need, as wages are uniformly good. This home market could 

 take several times the value of farm produce that it now does, and the 

 lands, soil, and climate are here to raise it, if they be but put to proper 

 use. The miner and farmer live together in harmony here, no conflict 

 existing, as each recognizes his natural complement in the other. The 

 farmer desires the success of the miner, that thereby he may be afforded a 



