WATER TOWER AT LAKE YOSEMITE. 



YOSEJWITE 



This Colony is two miles from Merced City, California. Merced, from its fine fountains, is now 

 known as " The Fountain City." It is the county seat of Merced County. The Southern Pacific 

 Railroad, a transcontinental line, passes through this place, from San Francisco to New York. The 

 Oakdale Line from the north also starts from Merced City, giving direct communication by rail with 

 Sacramento Valley, Oregon, Washington, and all points north. Merced City is the nearest point in the 

 San Joaquin Valley to the great Yosemite Park, and commands the only passable railroad route to this 

 " World's Greatest Wonder." Merced City also lies in a direct line from Yosemite, through Pacheco 

 Pass, in the Coast Range, to Del Monte, on the Bay of Monterey. These great natural advantages are 

 now being developed on a scale commensurate with nature's own great gifts. The largest and most 

 costly irrigating canal in the United States has been completed, and is now discharging the crystal 

 snow waters, fresh from the Yosemite Falls, into Lake Yosemite, one mile from this colony. Thus we 

 find ourselves in the possession of a combination of nature and art, which present advantages in 

 climate, health, water privileges, wealth of soil and their productions which are not as fully possessed 

 by any other locality in California. And, as an enduring crown to our prosperity, we point to the late 

 Act of Congress of the United States in setting apart the Yosemite Park, with her giant Sequoia and 

 sugar-pine forests, insuring and perpetuating the annual snow and rain on the watershed of our canal 

 system. The Yosemite Colony contains about 5,000 acres, and is beautifully situated by the side of 

 Lake Yosemite, and bounded on the north by the fine Colony of Rotterdam. " The Yosemite " was 

 the first colony subdivided and placed on the market after the perfection of our irrigating system, 

 two years ago ; and a large main ditch was then brought by the proprietor from Lake Yosemite to and 

 through these lands. Young Orange Groves, Almonds, Prunes and Apricots, Figs, Pomegranates, 

 Peaches, etc., etc., have already been planted; also several fine young Raisin Vineyards, of only two 

 years' growth, which this autumn produced raisins of the most superior quality. The soil is from four 

 to twelve feet in depth, with under strata of heavy, rich clay, which will always insure an abundance 

 of moisture, when with proper irrigation. These lands are all free from alkali, and about one-half of 

 them situated on the rich, alluvial plain ; the other half are gently rolling, and extend into the red 

 gravelly soils, so much prized for Olives, Oranges, Lemons, Wine Grapes and Strawberries , while the 

 lower levels are especially prized for the famous Muscat Raisin Grape, as well as for the Prune, 

 Almond, Pear, Apricot, Alfalfa and Vegetables. Merced City, situated one hundred and fifty miles from 

 San Francisco by rail, one hundred miles from the coast, in the center of the San Joaquin Valley, is 

 also the exact geographical center of the State north, south, east and west. 



