45 



portion of the waters which flow through the tributary streams of the northern Sac 

 ramento, pass beneath the surface of the valley and emerge from the same many 

 miles distant from the places of their disappearance. As the structure of this basin 

 will be examined more in detail in another part ot this report, further remarks in 

 relation to this part of our subject will be dispensed with at this time. 



MINERAL DISTRICT OF THE UPPER SACRAMENTO VALLEY. 



We come now to the consideration of the mineral resources of the Upper Sac 

 ramento Valley. The upper portions of this valley lie for the most part on the 

 east banks of the Sacramento River, with the exception of a small section above 

 the junction of Clear Creek, on the west side of the main stream. The southern 

 boundary of what may be considered properly as the Upper Sacramento Valley 

 (and which is mineral land for nearly its entire extent,) I have proposed to com 

 prise within the range of mountains, crossing the Pitt river and forming a part of 

 its southwestern banks, on the north, and the junction of Cow Creek on the south. 

 This district will have a line of distance from north to south of about thirty-five 

 miles, and a breadth of fourteen miles lying immediately north of the emigrant 

 road leading from Noble's Pass, aad entering the Sacramento Valley. 



In passing across this section it was found that a large portion of the area inclu 

 ded was a placer district, similar in most respects to the equivalent ranges on Butte 

 Creek, and extending southerly through Long's Bar on the Lower Feather River, 

 which is also observable in the vicinity of Camp Far West, on Bear River, and 

 thence on to Rhode's Diggings, in the County of Sacramento. 



Within this area there is at the present time a large mining population, and three 

 considerable mining towns have been built up by the enterprise of that portion of 

 our people who arrive annually by emigration across the territories and enter the 

 northern parts of California through Noble's Pass, also coming through the Ameri 

 can V alley. In the middle portion of this district there are situated some of the 

 most extensive auriferous quartz leads, of any to be found in any part of the State, 

 and from which the gold found distributed through the soil is derived. This entire 

 district may be said to constitute a single large placer embracing an area fully 

 equal to two hundred square miles, and probably the largest uninterrupted placer 

 to be found in this country. The situation of this plain, enclosed as it is by high 

 mountains on three sides, renders a climate mild and agreeable, with the excep 

 tion of a short time during the dry season, when like all valleys in this country, 

 the temperature becomes somewhat elevated. 



This placer range extends in a northerly direction beyond the Pitt River, on 

 which stream the mining town of Pittsburgh is situated ; it is said also to extend 

 up McLoud's Fork, the principal northern tributary of Pitt River ; of this, how 

 ever, I am unable to speak from personal knowledge. I think there is no question 

 but such is the fact, for my informants were men on whom reliance could be placed 

 in matters of this character. In this district as in many others in the State simi 

 larly situated, scarcity of water is the most serious impediment in the way of the 

 miner in seeking for the profits of his occupation as well as to the general growth 

 and progress of the country. And wherever an ample supply of this agent is fur 

 nished for mining purposes, the Upper Sacramento will give abundant employment 

 to a large and busy population. 1 think there is no hazard in expressing the opin 

 ion, that this placer alone exceeds in area the aggregate of all the other known 

 placers of Shasta County, in which it is situated, and is capable of giving employ 

 ment for many years to four or five thousand men. 



I consider the mining sections of this county equal in value to those of many 



