8 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1910. 



we.->t bank of the Sacramento Elver at an elevation of about 310 feet 

 above sea level and is the most northern city in the main plain of the 

 Sacramento River. The cit}' was laid out in 1850 and first named 

 Leodocia, quickly outstripping Tehama, an earlier settlement. Dur- 

 ing the mining excitement it was a great staging and transshipping 

 point, being the head of navigation on the Sacramento River. It lan- 

 guished later during the decadence of mining, but revived with the 

 advent of the California & Oregon Railroad in the early seventies. 

 It is a very substantial city at this time and the distributing point for 

 considerable outlying territory devoted to sheep and stock raising, 

 lumbering, and mining. , 



Tehama, with a population of 2-21, is located on the west bank of 

 the Sacramento River at the junction of the east and west side rail- 

 roads. 



Corning, the ISIaywood Colony town and the second in size in the 

 area, has a population of 972. It is an agricultural town and the 

 shipping point for considerable territory in Tehama County lying 

 west of this area. Proberta and Kirkwood are other important local 

 shipping points on the west ?^ide of the river. 



Vina is a small town upon the east side of the river on the Shasta 

 route of the Southern Pacific Railroad. It is noted principally as 

 the headquarters of the famous Stanford ranch and is an important 

 shipping point. Los Molinos, also upon the east side of the river, is 

 a newly located town, the headquarters of operations tending to open 

 for irrigation and settlement several thousand acres of land in that 

 vicinity. 



The area is well supplied with schools and excellent public build- 

 ings. Electric lighting and telephone communication in both towns 

 and rural districts are in general use. 



Good roads prevail and the main highways are excellently graded 

 and well conditioned for traffic. Railroad transportation facilities 

 are excellent. Two main lines of the Southern Pacific traverse the 

 area, one on each side of the river. At Tehama the east-side branch 

 crosses the river and joining the west-side brancli continues as the 

 main line of the Southern Pacific to Oregon. There are few points 

 in the area removed as much as 6 miles fi-om a shipping point on the 

 railroad. In addition to railroad transportation the area possesses 

 the advantages of river traffic. Owing to the obstructed conditions 

 and to the ofcurrence of long periods of low water only a few boats 

 reach Red lilufi" each year. They influence railroad freight rates, 

 and (he possibility of improving the river's channel makes the stream 

 a valuable natural asset. 



An ele<^'tric line lias been proposed to traverse that section north 

 of Lf)s Molinos oast of the river. This would materially improve its 

 market facilities. 



