When this work was first contemplated many hydraulic engineers condemned the project as impossible, as never before had water been carried so far under such pressure. But the fact that the first pipes laid by Engineer Schussler are still in active use demonstrates the scientific and practical knowledge and skill with which he attacked the problem.
It is an interesting fact to note that, prior to the building of the dam, part of the water was used for "fluming" lumber and wood to Lake View, and also for a short period of time after the dam was constructed. But for the past twenty years this practice has been discontinued, the water being solely for the supply of Virginia City. The total cost of the work was about $3,500,000. The Company is now under the immediate and personal supervision of James M. Leonard. The flumes and pipe-lines have recently been rebuilt and repaired where necessary so that the entire system is in excellent condition and a high state of efficiency.
The ride to these three peaks can easily be made in a day, and though they are all in reasonably close proximity, there are differences enough in their respective outlooks to make a visit to each of them enjoyable and profitable. With a good saddle-horse from the Glenbrook stables, a guide, and a lunch tied to the saddle, one may start out confident that a most delightful scenic trip is before him. The first hour's riding is over the rocky and tree-clad slopes, far wilder and more rugged than one would imagine, rudely bordering the Lake southwards. Then turning east, hills and vales, flowery meads and dainty native nurseries of pines, firs and hemlocks enchant the eye. Reaching the summit of any one of the peaks, a wide expanse of Lake is offered, extending to the surrounding mountains north, south and west, but on Genoa Peak an additional charm is found in the close proximity of the Nevada Valley, and mountains to the eastward. The contrast between the richly clad Sierras and the apparently unclothed, volcanic Nevada mountains is remarkable.
On making the circuit of the Lake the last stopping-place on the trip starting south, or the first when starting north and east, is Carnelian Bay. This is a new settlement rapidly coming into prominence because of the number of cottages and bungalows erected by their owners on their own lots. From early until late in the seasons of 1913 and 1914 the sounds of the saw and hammer were seldom still. The result is the growth of quite a summer settlement. Easy of access, either by train and steamer from Truckee, or by direct wagon or auto road via Truckee or the new boulevard from the south end of the Lake, Carnelian Bay attracts the real home-seeker. It has been the first section to fully realize what John LeConte has so ably set forth in another chapter on Tahoe as a Summer Residence. With the completion of the state highway around Lake Tahoe and the projected automobile route from Reno and Carson City, Carnelian Bay will be adjacent to the main arteries of travel. The proposed link of the Lincoln Highway around the north shore of the Lake will put Carnelian Bay directly on the great international auto road.