November 5, 1964 (20 pages)

. RESTORATION: OF COMMERCIAL STREET IS EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE DONE IN OUR CITY. We are happy to see the progress that is being made onrestoration of the buildings on Commercial Street for this is a good example of what can be done to make our attractive old buildings more attractive and useful. The move torestore Commercial Street was started several years ago with the renovation and restoration of the old Chinese laundry. This is now an art gallery. This was followed by restoration of the building owned by Osborn and Woods. The Nugget then restored the rear of its building on Commercial Street across from The Gallery. Now the pace has increased. The building formerly occupied by The Lamplighter is beina restored and the sidewalk awning put up again. The Custom House, nexttoit, has already been restored. We understand that plans are now in the works torestore the building next to Osborn and Woods. This would virtually complete restoration of that one side of Commercial Street. On the opposite side of the street in the same area work is in progress to \create an Indian museum. There have been many indications, some very recent ones including the delight of the delegates to the recent historical symposium held here, that these\are the things that bring people to Nevada City. Nevada City is getting a name throughout the state as an outstanding example of an old gold town with the architecture, history and artifacts of the era all still here. Anything that can be done to enhance this image will benefit the city. Those who are\or who have been involvedinthe restoration of Commercial Street should be praised for having the foresight to make good use of what wehave and to help make what we have a bit better. IN THE FOOTHILLS VEIN POST ELECTION LULL SHOWS POSSIBLE CRAB GRASS GAP Now that the election is over we can get on to other things. We hope that the wounds opened in one\of the most vicious campaigns seen in many years will\heal quickly and even the scars will eventually disappear. t++etteettrreret We saw people last week feverishly working to get i their fall lawns before the rains came. Some made it and some did not. A Nevada City friend of ours, a well-known local wag, discussed this chore of digging up and replanting lawns, and he says he has the solution. The discussion took place at lunch during the eating of the salad and salads, he said, are the solution of the lawn problem. The problem he explained, is caused. by crab grass. Everyone hates crab grass, but few do anything about it until it is too late. They then dig up their lawns and plant new ones in the hope that the new grass . will grow faster than the crab grass. "But," he exclaimed, waving a roquefort covered fork, "if a way could be found to make crab grass edible, it would soon disappear from the face of the earth. People eat dandelions, even make wine out of it," he said. "Why not crab grass? Why not a crab grass saladwith a touch of crab grass dressing? "People would run about plucking crab grass from theirs and their neighbor's lawns and popping it into the salad bowls. That would be the end of it." The theory that people gobbling up crab grass would soon eradicate the menace from the face of the earth is a good one for anywhere except this country. As soon as crab grass became something other than a nuisance the scientists would go to work todevelope a new and more hardy seed which would produce more grass on a smaller lot with less work and water. There would soon be a surplus of crab grass and a soil bank would have to be established to remove crab grass acreage from praduction and thus maintain high prices. Without price support the crab grass producers would revolt and eat their entire crop and then where would we be--A Crab Grass Gap. I think it would-be. better-after-all.to just keep digging up our lawns, Fete eee eet "An Extremist believes that what is right is right, what is wrong is wrong, what is just is just, what is unjust is unjust. "--from The Extremists of Nevada County. Well, bully for you boys, that's a grand, heartwarming and well thought out sentiment. CALIFORNIA SIERRA PASSES OFFER A CURE FOR APATHY OF CIVILIZATION The sustairfed grandeur of the High Sierra is strikingly illustrated by the great height of the passes. Between latitude 36° 20" and 38° the lowest pass, gap, gorge, or notch of any kind cutting across the axis of the range, as far as I have discovered, exceeds 9000 feet in height above the level of the sea; while the average height of all that are in use, either by Indians or whites, is perhaps not less than 11,000 feet, and not one of these is a Carriage -pass, Farther north a carriage-road has been constructed through what is known as the Sonora Pass, on the head waters of the Stanislaus and Walker's rivers, the summit of whichis about 10,000 feet above the sea. Substantial wagon-roads have also been built through the Carson and Johnson passes, near the head of Lake Tahoe, over which immense quantities of freight were hauled from California to the mining regions ‘of Nevada, before construction of the Central Pacific Railroad. Still farther north a considerable number of comparatively low passes occur, some of which are accessible to wheeled vehicles, and through these rugged defiles during the exciting years of the gold period long emigranttrains with foot -sore cattle wearily toiled. After the toil---Don Hoagland ‘worn adventurers had escaped a thousand dangers and had crawled thousands of miles across the plains the snowy Sierra at last loomed in sight, the eastern wall of the land of gold. And aswith shaded eyes they gazed through the tremulous haze of the desert, with what joy must they have descried the pass through which they were to enter the better land of their nopes and dreams! ‘To the timid traveler, fresh from the sedimentary levels of the lowlands, these highways, however picturesque and grand, seem terribly forbidding --cold, dead, gloomy gashes in the bones of the mountains, and of all Nature's ways the ones to be most cautiously avoided, Yet they are full of the finest and most telling examples of Nature's love; and though hard to travel, none are safer. For they lead through regions that lie far above the ordinary haunts of the devil, and of the pestilence that walks in darkness, True, there are innumerable places where the careless step will be the last step; and a rock falling from the cliffs may crush without waming like lightning from the sky; but what then? Accidents in the mountains are less common than in the lowlands, and these mountain mansions are decent, delightful, even divine, places to die in, compared with the doleful chambers of civilization. Few places in this world are more dangerous than home, Fear not, therefore, to try the mountain-passes. They will kill care, save you from deadly apathy, set you free, and call forth every faculty into vigorous, enthusiastic action. Even the sick shouldtry these so-called dangerous passes,, because for every unfortunate they kill, they cure a thousand, ---John Muir, from “The Mountains of California," published in 1894. PASSAGE OF CONSERVATION AND WILDERNESS ACTS HAVE OPENED RECREATION VISTAS Passage by the Congress ot two historic and signiticant conservation measures, the Land and Water Conservation Act and the Wilderness Act, triggered chain reactions which will have profound effects upon the public enjoyment of outdoor recreational opportunities for years tocome, Toexpress it differently, these pieces of landmark legislation authorized programs which now must be planned, developed, and-set in operation. The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act (P. L, 88578) provides for a broad outdoor recreational program. Some $150 to $200 million per year is expected to be channeled intothe Fund from these sources: sales of surplus Federal lands, entrance and user fees for certain facilities, and Federal taxes on motorboat fuels. Approximately 60 per cent of the funds will be apportioned to the states, withthe balance being used to finance Federal recreational land acquisition on national parks and forests and for preservation of species of fish and wildlife threatened with extinction and for recreation on national wildlife refuges. The Federal monies also can be used to offset partially the capital costs for recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement at Federal reservoirs. Only about one-fourth of the states are “tooledup" to use their apportionments of Federal recreational funds. Many states need to adopt enabling legislation to allow their participation. Matching funds also need to be authorized and appropriated, Conveniently, legislatures in 48 states are scheduled to meet in 1965. Simultaneously, each state must plan and develop a comprehensive statewide outdoor recreation plan which must be requirea, and approved, by the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation before Federal financial assistance is granted. Criteria for an approved outdoor recreation plan are being developea by the Bureau of Outdoor Kecreation. These will be discussed in detail later in the fall, possibly in late October, in a meeting with state liaison officers, State funds can be used for planning, acquisition, and-development, Itis expected that criteria for a comprehensive recreation plan will include provisions for fish and wildlife areas, camping and picnicking sites, boat accesses, hiking and horseback trails, playgrounds, etc. Existing local and state parks, forests, lakes, and refuges and stream areas are expected to be considered in the planning as well as new acquisitions. Federal agencies also must search out potential acquisition areas. Seashores and lakeshores, wildlife ref*-se38nN Alunop epeaen’** P96 ‘Gg JequUIZAON * © Nevada Conntyv Nugget. 1084 RNlavembher &

. RESTORATION: OF COMMERCIAL STREET IS EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE DONE IN OUR CITY. We are happy to see the progress that is being made onrestoration of the buildings on Commercial Street for this is a good example of what can be done to make our attractive old buildings more attractive and useful. The move torestore Commercial Street was started several years ago with the renovation and restoration of the old Chinese laundry. This is now an art gallery. This was followed by restoration of the building owned by Osborn and Woods. The Nugget then restored the rear of its building on Commercial Street across from The Gallery. Now the pace has increased. The building formerly occupied by The Lamplighter is beina restored and the sidewalk awning put up again. The Custom House, nexttoit, has already been restored. We understand that plans are now in the works torestore the building next to Osborn and Woods. This would virtually complete restoration of that one side of Commercial Street. On the opposite side of the street in the same area work is in progress to \create an Indian museum. There have been many indications, some very recent ones including the delight of the delegates to the recent historical symposium held here, that these\are the things that bring people to Nevada City. Nevada City is getting a name throughout the state as an outstanding example of an old gold town with the architecture, history and artifacts of the era all still here. Anything that can be done to enhance this image will benefit the city. Those who are\or who have been involvedinthe restoration of Commercial Street should be praised for having the foresight to make good use of what wehave and to help make what we have a bit better. IN THE FOOTHILLS VEIN POST ELECTION LULL SHOWS POSSIBLE CRAB GRASS GAP Now that the election is over we can get on to other things. We hope that the wounds opened in one\of the most vicious campaigns seen in many years will\heal quickly and even the scars will eventually disappear. t++etteettrreret We saw people last week feverishly working to get i their fall lawns before the rains came. Some made it and some did not. A Nevada City friend of ours, a well-known local wag, discussed this chore of digging up and replanting lawns, and he says he has the solution. The discussion took place at lunch during the eating of the salad and salads, he said, are the solution of the lawn problem. The problem he explained, is caused. by crab grass. Everyone hates crab grass, but few do anything about it until it is too late. They then dig up their lawns and plant new ones in the hope that the new grass . will grow faster than the crab grass. "But," he exclaimed, waving a roquefort covered fork, "if a way could be found to make crab grass edible, it would soon disappear from the face of the earth. People eat dandelions, even make wine out of it," he said. "Why not crab grass? Why not a crab grass saladwith a touch of crab grass dressing? "People would run about plucking crab grass from theirs and their neighbor's lawns and popping it into the salad bowls. That would be the end of it." The theory that people gobbling up crab grass would soon eradicate the menace from the face of the earth is a good one for anywhere except this country. As soon as crab grass became something other than a nuisance the scientists would go to work todevelope a new and more hardy seed which would produce more grass on a smaller lot with less work and water. There would soon be a surplus of crab grass and a soil bank would have to be established to remove crab grass acreage from praduction and thus maintain high prices. Without price support the crab grass producers would revolt and eat their entire crop and then where would we be--A Crab Grass Gap. I think it would-be. better-after-all.to just keep digging up our lawns, Fete eee eet "An Extremist believes that what is right is right, what is wrong is wrong, what is just is just, what is unjust is unjust. "--from The Extremists of Nevada County. Well, bully for you boys, that's a grand, heartwarming and well thought out sentiment.

CALIFORNIA SIERRA PASSES OFFER A CURE FOR APATHY OF CIVILIZATION The sustairfed grandeur of the High Sierra is strikingly illustrated by the great height of the passes. Between latitude 36° 20" and 38° the lowest pass, gap, gorge, or notch of any kind cutting across the axis of the range, as far as I have discovered, exceeds 9000 feet in height above the level of the sea; while the average height of all that are in use, either by Indians or whites, is perhaps not less than 11,000 feet, and not one of these is a Carriage -pass, Farther north a carriage-road has been constructed through what is known as the Sonora Pass, on the head waters of the Stanislaus and Walker's rivers, the summit of whichis about 10,000 feet above the sea. Substantial wagon-roads have also been built through the Carson and Johnson passes, near the head of Lake Tahoe, over which immense quantities of freight were hauled from California to the mining regions ‘of Nevada, before construction of the Central Pacific Railroad. Still farther north a considerable number of comparatively low passes occur, some of which are accessible to wheeled vehicles, and through these rugged defiles during the exciting years of the gold period long emigranttrains with foot -sore cattle wearily toiled. After the toil---Don Hoagland ‘worn adventurers had escaped a thousand dangers and had crawled thousands of miles across the plains the snowy Sierra at last loomed in sight, the eastern wall of the land of gold. And aswith shaded eyes they gazed through the tremulous haze of the desert, with what joy must they have descried the pass through which they were to enter the better land of their nopes and dreams! ‘To the timid traveler, fresh from the sedimentary levels of the lowlands, these highways, however picturesque and grand, seem terribly forbidding --cold, dead, gloomy gashes in the bones of the mountains, and of all Nature's ways the ones to be most cautiously avoided, Yet they are full of the finest and most telling examples of Nature's love; and though hard to travel, none are safer. For they lead through regions that lie far above the ordinary haunts of the devil, and of the pestilence that walks in darkness, True, there are innumerable places where the careless step will be the last step; and a rock falling from the cliffs may crush without waming like lightning from the sky; but what then? Accidents in the mountains are less common than in the lowlands, and these mountain mansions are decent, delightful, even divine, places to die in, compared with the doleful chambers of civilization. Few places in this world are more dangerous than home, Fear not, therefore, to try the mountain-passes. They will kill care, save you from deadly apathy, set you free, and call forth every faculty into vigorous, enthusiastic action. Even the sick shouldtry these so-called dangerous passes,, because for every unfortunate they kill, they cure a thousand, ---John Muir, from “The Mountains of California," published in 1894. PASSAGE OF CONSERVATION AND WILDERNESS ACTS HAVE OPENED RECREATION VISTAS Passage by the Congress ot two historic and signiticant conservation measures, the Land and Water Conservation Act and the Wilderness Act, triggered chain reactions which will have profound effects upon the public enjoyment of outdoor recreational opportunities for years tocome, Toexpress it differently, these pieces of landmark legislation authorized programs which now must be planned, developed, and-set in operation. The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act (P. L, 88578) provides for a broad outdoor recreational program. Some $150 to $200 million per year is expected to be channeled intothe Fund from these sources: sales of surplus Federal lands, entrance and user fees for certain facilities, and Federal taxes on motorboat fuels. Approximately 60 per cent of the funds will be apportioned to the states, withthe balance being used to finance Federal recreational land acquisition on national parks and forests and for preservation of species of fish and wildlife threatened with extinction and for recreation on national wildlife refuges. The Federal monies also can be used to offset partially the capital costs for recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement at Federal reservoirs. Only about one-fourth of the states are “tooledup" to use their apportionments of Federal recreational funds. Many states need to adopt enabling legislation to allow their participation. Matching funds also need to be authorized and appropriated, Conveniently, legislatures in 48 states are scheduled to meet in 1965. Simultaneously, each state must plan and develop a comprehensive statewide outdoor recreation plan which must be requirea, and approved, by the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation before Federal financial assistance is granted. Criteria for an approved outdoor recreation plan are being developea by the Bureau of Outdoor Kecreation. These will be discussed in detail later in the fall, possibly in late October, in a meeting with state liaison officers, State funds can be used for planning, acquisition, and-development, Itis expected that criteria for a comprehensive recreation plan will include provisions for fish and wildlife areas, camping and picnicking sites, boat accesses, hiking and horseback trails, playgrounds, etc. Existing local and state parks, forests, lakes, and refuges and stream areas are expected to be considered in the planning as well as new acquisitions. Federal agencies also must search out potential acquisition areas. Seashores and lakeshores, wildlife ref*-se38nN Alunop epeaen’** P96 ‘Gg JequUIZAON * © Nevada Conntyv Nugget.. 1084 RNlavembher &