The principal cities are Martinez, the county seat, with about 1,500 

 inhabitants; Port Costa, the shipping point for the bulk of the grain raised 

 in California; Pinole, where are located immense powder-works and large 

 stockyards; Vallona, with its extensive lumber-yards, where ships from 

 Oregon and Puget Sound discharge; and Crockett, noted for its flouring 

 mills and agricultural works. Byron Hot Springs is also well known all 

 over the Pacific Coast. Thousands of people from all parts of the world 

 visit the springs every year for treatment, rest, pleasure, and recreation, 

 and some wonderful cures have been effected by its waters. 



JVJARiN County 



JUST north from San Francisco, across the Golden Gate, lies Marin 

 County, a peninsula of six hundred square miles, with its shore 

 washed upon the West by the Pacific Ocean, and on the south and 

 east by the waters of San Francisco Bay. Much of the surface of 

 the county Is broken and hilly, but a considerable portion immedi- 

 ately on the shore is composed of marsh and overflowed lands. The 

 highest land is Mt. Tamalpais, which has an elevation of 2,608 feet. 



The principal industry of the county is dairying. More than 30,000 

 cows roam over the Marin County hills. However, of late years attention 

 has been paid to fruit-growing. Some of the finest apples grown in the 

 State are produced. On the dairy lands of the Novate ranch there are ten 

 orchards. On every rented subdivision of this, and the Burdell ranch, are 

 apple, pear, quince, fig, pomegranate, persimmon, apricot, peach, plum, 

 and other fruit trees, the thrifty growth and large yield from which prove 

 the superior adaptability of the soil and climate of this portion to fruit- 

 growing. On the Novate ranch is one of the largest fruit orchards, includ- 

 ing one of the oldest and most celebrated apple orchards, in the State. 

 The De Long orchard was planted in 1857 and has been in continuous 

 bearing from the beginning. Immense amounts of vegetables are shipped 

 from the lowlands. 



The land is generally held in large tracts and rented for dairying pur- 

 poses. The shipments of butter are enormous and the quality is first class. 

 The shipment of cheese increased 33V:? per cent during the past year. 

 Most of the large ranches are stocked by the owners, and divided into 

 tracts, which are leased at annual rentals, according to the number of cows. 



Railroad building and development is noteworthy, especially the tunnel 

 through White's Hill and the completion of the North Shore third-rail 

 system. The Marin Terminal has a road on the outskirts of San Rafael 

 which is partially completed. Operations will be started immediately and 

 also on the Bay Counties projected road from Richardson's Bay to Napa 

 and Lake counties. The road recently purchased 1,000 acres of marsh 

 land fronting on Richardson's Bay, costing over a hundred thousand dol- 

 lars, for shops. The Southern Pacific railroad passes through Marin County 

 over the California Northwestern from Calistoga and Napa via Tiburon. 



San Rafael, with a population of 5,000, is the county seat. It has many 

 fine buildings, public and private, elegant hotels, banks, fine churches, 

 schools, electric lights, and a perfect sewerage system. It is noted for 

 its beautiful residences and the Hotel Rafael, which is a favorite resort 

 for invalids and tourists. Its climate is regarded as very favorable for those 

 with pulmonary complaints. 



Belvedere, Sausalito, Mill Valley and San Anselmo are also favorite 

 places of residence for San Francisco business men, possessing features 

 similar to San Rafael. Novate is the center of the fruit district; Point 

 Reyes, of the dairy interests. At San Quentin is located one of the two 

 State prisons. 



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