California

a State in the Western Division of the North American Union, bounded by, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Lower California, and the Pacific Ocean; land area, 155,980 square miles; admitted to the Union Sept. 9, 1850; number of counties, Sacramento. he surface of the State is very mountainous, being traversed by two ranges extending ina direction. The Coast Range, consisting of a number of broken ridges, has an average width at the base of 65 miles, and varies from 1,000 to 8,000 feet in height. The highest peak is Mt. Ripley, 7,500 feet. The Sierra Nevada Mountains join the Coast Range and extend along the E. border of the State for about 450 miles, with nearly 100 peaks exceeding 10,000 feet in height, the highest being Mt. Whitney, 14,898 feet, Mt. Tyndall, 14,386 feet, and Mt. Shasta, 14,350 feet. Between these ranges is a basin, at some early time the bed of a lake, about 450 miles in length, the N. section known as the Sacramento Valley, and the S. section as the San Joaquin Valley. This valley contains Tulare Lake, and is drained by the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. The coast line is irregular, with numerous capes and bays, affording many good harbors. San Francisco Bay is the largest and best harbor on the Pacific coast. California was for many years the first State in the Union in the production of gold, but it has now jropped to second place. As early as 1841 gold was obtained by washing near the San Fernando Mi ion. In 1848 the discovery at Coloma of large gold deposits started the up-building of California, At first mining was carried on by washing the river gravel, and in 1851 sluices were built through which the water was pa ed. These ‘sluices were filled with blocks of wood or stones, which collected the gold as it sank.