186 



UNITED 



railroad 



was one of the important stations on it. Now, however, the 



swings to the south to maintain an even grade on the westward dimb 



along upper Truckee River. 



Truckec Eiver rises in Lake Tahoe and is of greater purity and 

 subject to less fluctuation than any other stream that enters the 



Lahontan basin. 



evaporated. 



W . ^. 



through a narrow and canyon-like channel 

 lid and Winnemucca lakes, where its wat( 

 "•orth was formerlv a trad in tr nost nnrl nkn ^ 



as an Indian agency and fort. Pyramid Lake is still included in an 

 Indian reservation, the present Indian agency being situated at the 



h of Truckee Hi ver. The Indians 



mou 



manv references to W 



are mostly of the Piute tribe. 



worth in the history of the early events in this part of the country. 



West of Wadsworth a backw-ard view down to the narrow bottom 

 lands along the river presents a pleasing contrast to the rocky barren- 

 ness of the hiUs on either side, at least during the summer, when a 

 stream of clear water glitters amid green fields and trees. The train 

 soon enters the Vu-gmia Range and the canyon of the Truckee, which 

 gradually narrows upstream. The rocks exposed in the canyon walls 

 are mostly lavas, including volcanic flows and mterbed'ded layers of 

 volcanic tuff or ash, representing successive periods of volcanic 

 activity. The lavas are of varied character, including light-gray 



rhyolite, darker andesito, and 



basalt. At lower elevations 



white 



which 



maximum 



form 



waters, about 4,400 feet above present sea level. 



Between mileposts 273 and 272 the mining district of Olin^rhouse 



m 



some 



north or northwest. Thi 

 worth. 



Opposite milepost 265 

 XIAl. T>. ISS^ bvw^iirb Tr 



(PI. 



the Truckee-Carson reclamation project. Unassorted and unconsoli- 

 dated deposits of bowlders, gravel, and sand exposed in some of the 

 raiboad cuts are recent river deposits. The somber coloring of these 

 baiTen rocky slopes is very characteristic of the Nevada desert ranges, 

 particularly of the volcanic reo'ions ~~ 



materials 



Rock cuts along the railroad 



ilie White Horse or Olinghouse dis- 

 trict Ues on the east side of the Virginia 

 Raage and covers about 6 square miles. 

 The prevailing countrj- rock is andesitic 



lava. The district has yielded fine ore 

 specimens and has shipped some good 

 ore, but on the whole it has not been verj' 

 productive. 



