SOCIETY. 411 



every winter, and there is frost in every month of the year. 

 Most of the merchandise sent out from this point, to mining 

 camps in the vicinity, goes on pack-mules. The goods im- 

 ported by Yreka are hauled one hundred miles, from Red Bluff, 

 which is one hundred and seventy-five miles from Sacramento 

 by the river. The town is on the main road between the Sac- 

 ramento and Willamette valleys, and occupies a central position 

 in the basin of the Klamath River, and will therefore probably 

 maintain its importance. 



§ 285. Vallejo. — Yallejo, a town of about eight hundred 

 inhabitants, is situated at the mouth of Napa River, on the 

 northwestern side of San Pablo Bay, from which it is separated 

 by Mare Island. The town was laid out in 1850 by M. G. 

 Vallejo, for the capital of the state. He supposed at the time, 

 and so did the public, that he was a millionaire. He owned 

 large tracts of land, then estimated to be worth several mil- 

 lions of dollars at least. Among his possessions was the Suscol 

 rancho, and he was induced to believe that if he would lay off 

 a town and make a liberal offer of land and money to the state, 

 the capital would be establishtff there, and increase the value 

 of his land so much that he would profit largely by the afHiir. 

 The suggestion appeared reasonable, and he adopted it, offer- 

 ing much land and three hundred and seventy thousand dollars 

 in cash for the establishment of the capital at Vallejo — the three 

 hundred and seventy thousand dollars to be spent in erecting 

 public buildings. The offer was accepted, and the capital was 

 located at Vallejo, but the legislature went thither at a time 

 when there were no houses there, and they immediately went 

 away. Seiior Vallejo did not pay the money Avhich he had 

 offered, and finally the capital was established at Sacramento, 

 where it is likely to remain. The business of Vallejo now de- 

 pends chiefly upon the United States navy-yard and dry-dock, 

 on Mare Island. The place is one which may have much im- 

 portance in the future of Calitbrnia. It has the following 

 resources : 



First. — It is at the head of na\igatiou of the waters tribu- 



