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CHAPTER VIII.

FLORA.

General Remarks-Sequoia-The Mammoth or Big Trees-Redwood-California PinesOaks-Cedars-Firs-California Nutmeg-California Yew Tree-Laurel-ManzanitaMadrona-Horse Chestnut, or Buckeye-Shrubs and Plants--Poison Oak-Alder-Barberry-Canchalagua-Pitcher Plant-Yerba Buena-Flaxworts-Flea-bane-Soap Plant Grasses-Catalogue of Native Trees of California.

Page 502

CHAPTER IX.

MINING AND METALLURGICAL PROCESSES.

Gold-Placer Mining-The Shallow Placers-River Mining-The Deep Placers-Tunnel Mining-Hydraulic Mining — Blue Gravel—The Great Blue Lead-White Cement— Quartz, or Vein Mining-Mining Operations-Milling Machinery and Processes-The Grass Valley System of Amalgamation - Amalgamation in Battery -- The Mariposa Process-Concentration-Plattner's Chlorination Process.

529

CHAPTER X.

MINES AND MINING.

Rapid Exploration of the Placers-Overestimate of Earnings-Chances Still Good-Improved Conditions-Northwestern Counties-Character of Mines--Gold Beaches, etc.-The Central Districts-Various Branches of Placer Mining-Quartz Mining-Number of Locations-Early Efforts-Present Results-Mining at Grass Valley-A Representative Mine-Butte, Sierra, and Plumas Counties-Gold Bearing Slates and GossansAuriferous Cement and Gravel Beds-Openings for Enterprise, Labor, and CapitalSilver-Iron-Quicksilver-The New Almaden Mine--Mineralogy.

CHAPTER XI.

MANUFACTURES.

562

Introductory Remarks. Woolen Mills: The Pioneer Mills-Mission Mills-Pacific MillsMarysville Mills. Cotton Manufactures-Flouring Mills-Sugar Refineries. Iron Works: The Pacific Rolling Mills-Union Iron Works-Miners' Foundry, etc.-Boiler Works. Brass Foundries-Saw Mills and Lumber-Wire and Rope Works-The Pacific Cordage Factory-Tanneries-Powder Works-Fuse Factory--Paper Mills-Glass Works-Manufacture of Salt-Soap Factories-Candle Factories-Glue Factory-Chemical and Acid Factories-Matches-Oil Works-Rice Mills-Lime and Cement-Lead Works-Marble Works and Quarries-Potteries-Boots and Shoes-Saddlery and Harness-Wagons, Carriages, Cars, Agricultural Implements, etc.-Furniture-Matting-Pianos, Organs, Billiard Tables-Breweries and Distilleries-Brooms, and Broom Corn-Wood and Willow Ware California Type Foundry-Cigar Manufactories-Manufacture of Clothing, Shirts, etc.-Furs-Meat Packing and Curing-Dried and Preserved Fruits and Vegetables, etc.-Miscellaneous Manufactures-Works Projected or in Progress. 596

CHAPTER XII.

CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO.

Situation, Topography, etc.-Early Settlement and Subsequent Progress-Street Grades, Public Grounds, etc.-Improvement of Water Front-Style and Peculiarities of Buildings-Fear of Earthquakes, and its Effects-Churches, and Places of Public Worship

Theatres, and other Places of Amusement-Scientific, Social, Literary, and Eleemosynary Institutions-Number of Inhabitants-Diversity of Races, Ideas and CustomsJuvenile Population-Manufacturing Status, etc.-Educational System-Public Schools, Colleges, Seminaries and Private Institutions of Learning-Value of City Property-Municipal Income, Debt and Expenditures—Buildings, Improvements, etc.-Police and Fire Departments-Cemeteries, Public Gardens, Homestead Associations-City Railroads-Gas Works and Water Works-Markets-Banking Institutions and Insurance Companies-United States Branch Mint-Advantages of Position-Foreign Commerce and Domestic Trade-Bullion Products-Passenger Arrivals, etc. Page 644

CHAPTER XIII.

MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS.

Railroads-Central Facific Railroad-Western Pacific Railroad-San José Railroad-Sacramento Valley Railroad-Placerville and Sacramento Valley Railroad-California Central Railroad-Yuba Railroad-Northern California Railroad-Various Short Railroads --Railroads Recently Commenced-Railroads Projected-Steamship Lines-Ship Building-Telegraphs-State and County Finances-Gold Product-Fisheries-Immigration -Population-Voters-Races, etc.- Chinese in California-Libraries - Literature, Journalism, etc.-List of California Publications.

668

THE

NATURAL WEALTH OF CALIFORNIA.

CHAPTER I.

EARLY HISTORY.

Introduction-Origin of the Name-By Whom Discovered-The Changes in its Boundaries -The Missions-their Beginning and End-The Aborigines of California-The Early Settlers-Commerce of California while under Spanish and Mexican Rule-The Acquisition of California by the United States.

This book, being more particularly intended as an exhibit of the natural wealth of the State of California, makes no pretensions to being a history of the Pacific Coast; but the two subjects are so intimately blended, that it is not possible to write about one without referring to the other. The limits of the portion of the work proposed to be devoted to the historical branch of the subject, compel us to confine ourselves, as much as possible, to facts and events connected with that portion of the coast embraced within the boundaries of this State-a somewhat difficult task, as, until a comparatively recent period, the whole country, from the boundaries of South America, to the late Russian possessions on the north, and from the Ocean to the Rocky Mountains, was included in California.

ORIGIN OF THE NAME.

There are few countries, the origin of the name of which is involved in as much mystery as that of California. A compound of Greek and Latin, it is not positively known by whom or when compounded; nor the reason why, although many profound scholars in Europe and in the

United States have endeavored, during the past century, to trace its origin. It is first met with in a once popular, but now almost forgotten romance, entitled "The Sergas of Esplandian, the son of Amadis, of Gaul," published at Seville, (Spain), in 1510, in which it occurs three times. In one passage, thus:

"Know that on the right hand of the Indies there is an island called California, very near to the Terrestrial Paradise, which was peopled by black women, without any men among them, because they were accustomed to live after the manner of the Amazons. They were of strong and hardened bodies, of ardent courage, and of great force. The island was the strongest in the world, from its steep rocks and great cliffs. Their arms were all of gold, and so were the caparisons of the wild beasts they rode.

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Another passage reads:

"In the island called California are many griffins, on account of the great savageness of the country and the immense quantity of wild game to be found there.'

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This romance was very popular in Europe, passed through several editions during the twenty-five years immediately preceding the discovery of this country, and it is quite possible that Hernando Grixalva -one of Cortez' officers to whom the honor of making that discovery belongs or some of his companions, may have read it, and, finding what they supposed to be an island while sailing "towards the Terrestrial Paradise," along the coast of Mexico, which is "on the right hand of the Indies," they called it California-not because it answered to the description in the romance, but to secure an additional interest in the discovery, by giving it a name that possessed the attraction created by that popular work. They must have drawn on their imagination immensely, however, when adapting such a description to that portion of the coast first discovered, which is near the site of the present port of La Paz, in Lower California.

There is a tradition among the native Californians, that, in an expedition of the Spaniards against the Indians, in 1829, they found in the country between Tomales Bay and Cape Mendocino, a tribe in which the squaws had as much to say, and to do with the affairs of peace and war, as the men. These women are stated to have been stout and well made, and are remembered, in the old traditions, as "Los Amazones."

Where the author of the romance obtained the name, has not been ascertained. It is probable that he took the idea of the location of the "Terrestrial Paradise" from a letter, written by Columbus to Fer

dinand and Isabella, many years previously, when the great navigator was about to make a voyage in the same direction as that followed by Grixalva, in which he informed his sovereigns that "he shall be sailing towards the Terrestrial Paradise."

It may be stated, in explanation, that long after the discovery made by Grixalva, California was considered an island. The peninsula was subsequently called the Island of Santa Cruz, and, more than a century afterwards, it was renamed the "Islas Carolinas," in honor of Charles II of Spain.

Some authorities insist that the name is derived from calidus fornus, two Latin words signifying "hot oven," giving as a reason for such an hypothesis, that it is a custom of immemorial antiquity, among the aborigines of this section of the coast, to use "hot ovens" called temescal, as a remedy for most of the diseases to which they are subject. Every tribe had one or more of these "hot ovens" near their villages. These "sweat houses" were quite familiar to the missionaries and early settlers, and may be found in many parts of the State at the present time. It is very probable that the earliest explorers may have seen some of them; and, because the natives used "hot ovens" to heal their bodies, may have called the country "a land of hot ovens, or calidus fornus.

Clavigero, who wrote a history of California many years ago, quotes the opinion of D. Guiseppo Compoi, a learned Jesuit, on this subject, who states that the name is derived from the Spanish word cala, which means "a little cove of the sea," and the Latin word fornix, "the vault, or concave roof of a building"-giving, as a reason for this extraordinary interpretation, that within Cape St. Lucas (near where Grixalva is supposed to have landed) there is "a little cove of the sea," near which there was a rock so worn by the waves, that its upper part was hollow, like "a vaulted roof," and from these circumstances its discoverers called the place cala fornix, which has since been softened down to California, and applied to the whole country.

A learned Greek scholar suggests that the name may have been compounded from the Greek words kala-phora-nea, signifying a beautiful young woman, or new country. Another Greek scholar suggests that it may be derived from kala-phorneia, signifying beautiful adultery. The application of such an interpretation is not very clear, though Powers' statue of California represents a beautiful, nude female, holding a bundle of thorns behind her, which is claimed to be an embodiment of this interpretation; but it may be quite as appropriate to explain such a figure by the seductive beauty of the country, and

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