82 KESOURCES OF CALIFORNIA. 



the towns of the State, but it was a river port, and lost much 

 of its trade when the Central Pacific Railroad gave access by 

 rail to the mines of Nevada and Butte ; and moreover, the 

 production and trade of the mining counties, which formerly 

 got their supplies through Marysville, began to decline rapidly 

 about the time when the roads were built. Thus it is that in 

 1872 Marysville cast only 833 votes, whereas, in 1860, it had 

 cast 1,871. The population, in 1870, was 4,738. It lies be- 

 tween the Feather and Yuba Rivers, at their junction. The 

 site, like that of Sacramento, is flat, and in the midst of the 

 large valley, and has been raised artificially above its natural 

 level to protect the houses against floods. Marysville resem- 

 bles Sacramento, though smaller. The first settlement was 

 made in 1841 by Theodore Cordua, a German, who built a 

 couple of adobe houses, and called the place New Mecklen- 

 burg. In 1849 several persons built shanties, and the place 

 was called Yubaville. In January, 1850, the town was laid 

 off, and named after Mrs. Mary Covillaud, the wife of the 

 chief proprietor. On the 31st of August and the 10th of Sep- 

 tember, 1851, two large fires occurred, destroying almost the 

 whole town. In the spring of 1852 the business part of the 

 town was covered with water, and the next year it was raised 

 twelve feet. The town was again flooded in December, 1861, 

 and January, 1862. Marysville is at the head of navigation 

 on the Feather River. The distance by water is about seventy 

 miles from Sacramento ; by the railroad it is forty-five miles. 

 56. Visalia. Visalia is situated in the " Four Creek 

 country," about fifteen miles northeastward from Tulare Lake. 

 The "Four Creek country" is formed by Cahuilla Creek, 

 which, after leaving the Sierra Nevada, spreads out into a 

 number of channels, and these again subdivide, and moisten- 

 ing a considerable district of rich soil, render it very product- 

 ive. Yisalia has a population of 1,626. It promised to be- 

 come one of the leading towns of the State, until 1872, when 

 -the railroad was built through the valley, passing seven miles 



