The weekly Placer herald., 1853-01-01


Masonic Lodge. This speaks well for
the place.
nW The news from the mountains is
becoming worse day by day; provisions
are scarce and there has been great deal
of suffering by all classes. The popula-
ton of Downeville have nearly vacated
the place, making their way through the
snow to Marysville or Nevada. 1t has
been very distressing time, and will
prove great shock for time to the bus
mess prospects of many localities in the
mountain regions.
And the cause of all this may be traced
to the grasping and over-anxious spirit of
some Of the spectators of San Francisco.
With the scarcity Of -four in the fall they
commenced nonopoIizing and controlling
the market, raising the price to an unusual
rate, deterring the traders in the noun
tans from laying in their usual winters
supply, for their customers, thinking the
prices would certainly fall-but still the
rnonopolzers held on, winter set in, and
hundreds are compelled to leave their
claims or starve.
Now this may be all well enough in the
eyes of these speculators-and they may
feel delighted, as they view their well
filled Golfers, at the success of their deep
laid scheme; but they had better beware
how they try the patience of the mountain
people. A few such schemes as the one
perpctrated upon them, would cause IA
general rising Of the miners, and lucky
would it be for some of their oppressors
if they escaped the moose which would
readily be prepared for them. So. you
who have been the instruments Of so much
misery and distress, beware.
PLANK RoAD.-In another column will
be found call for meeting of the cit-
zens of Placer county and Sacramento to
take into consideration the practicabilty
and expediency of building "a plank road
from this place to Sacramento city. This
is a matter in which, we think, our citi-
zens ought to take deep and earnest in
terest. 1t would give life and vigor to a
great portion of our county, increase the
price Of property, bring hundreds Of set
tiers within our borders, and in fact we
do not hesitate to say it is an enterprise
that would do more to enrich us than any
yet contemplated by our enterprising citi-
zens. 1t is perfectly feasible. The road
can be built for about $4,000 and would
almost pay for itself in one year from the
time Of its completion. Already have
some of our lumbermen expressed will
lingness to take stock to the amount of
100000, and we doubt not there are
many Of our citizens who would invest in
the enterprise. If the company is thor
. oughly organised and the road completed
we predict that it will be one of the best
investments in the State.
1t would be the means Of building up
Ophir and Auburn, and increasing their
. business prospects an hundred fold. No,
only that, but it would be the means OF
concentrating travel, of which we already
have goodly share, to this route, of Ne
vada, Grass Valley and the mineral region
to the east of these places. And with the
completion of the road to Auburn, there
is no doubt the citizens Of the two former
places would extend the road to their owl
homes. We are decidedly in favor Of the
road, and we hope our citizens will enter
into the work with earnestness and zeal.
We notice that James Allen, ESQ.,, has
become associated with R. H. Taylor, ir
the MarysviIe Herald. Mr.. A., has beer
i, an editor for many years. In the good
old Buckeye State, from which he halls
he was well known as strong politica
= writer, and high-minded and honorable
gentleman.
r The Marysville Herald says there i
much complaint IN their market on &C
count Of the scarcity of fat beef cattle -
q The price of California cattle at SAINT,