The Nevada journal., 1853-09-23
The DOWnieVille Road.


For two years past we have been urging upon
Sacramento the duty of facilitating communica-
ton between that city and this. We now have
an opportunity to urge the same kind of argu-
ments to the the citizens of Nevada county in
reference to the proposed and partially COM
pleted Downieville road. To the people Of the
towns all the way from Sacramento hither and
from Nevada to Smiths, Oregon, Chips, Kan
aka, Minnesota, Cherokee, French Corral and
other important diggings between here and
Downieville, and to the latter place itself, the
project of a wagon road from Nevada to Down
ieville has peculiar interest. The county has
made movement in the matter, and citizens
should literally contribute to carry it through.
The plan is first for about ten miles ofroad from
this city to the South Yuba crossing, at or
near the middle ferry, thence to a connection
with the French Corral or Downieville road,
near the Shady creek saw mill. Wagons are
now running within three hundred yards of the
middle ferry on each side of the Yuba, and the
road with a trife from all that would be bcne-
fitted could be made as good as any in
Northern California. Downicville, last winter,
when she had but few citizens, worked a good
wagon road nearly up to the North Yuba hill,
about five miles, and at the only place of any
Importance where such road could be con-
structed above Fosters Bar and from thence
continued direct and important trails to Eu-
reka, Kanaka creek, Pine Grove, Sears old and
new dggins, Gbsonvillc, Slate creek, Whiskey
diggings, and to other places of more or less I'M
portance to the North and East. These en-
brace probably as good diggngs as any in the
State and likely to be such the next half cen
tnry.
Much Of the travel from Southern Cali
fornia to the \ orth goes by way Of MarySville,
and the goods required for the great body Of
people in those regions, all go on thatroute, by
Fosters and Goodyears Bars, which if the
wagon road were made from Nevada, must pass
through this way. The distance from Marys-
Vile is serenty:fae miles, and about twenty-five
miles Of that distance have to be travelled by
mules. 1t takes trO days to 90 from Marysville
to Downieville. On the contrary the road
from Nevada is but hiHy.fre miles, and on the
wagon road, which experienced engineers say
is highly feasible, the distance from Sacramento
to Downieyillc can be made in two days, and
goods can be put speedily through without
change of conveyance. There is now much
more travel on the pack trail from Nevada to
the proposed connection than on any other trail
in Northern California, and if the improve
mcnts contemplated are carried out, all the rich
trade of our friends of Marysvillc that goes into
this upper region by wagons first and then by
pack mules, must revert to Nevada. The
hardest part of the road will be in bridg-
ing the South Yuba, and working the road up
the hill on each side but if we are not misin-
formed the owners of the middle ferry will
do the bridging. Eight thousand dollars will
cover the expenses Of the whole undertaking,
that is, that sum can be expended to first rate
advantage; but it is said that $4,000 will
make passible road, even better than that
from Marysville to Fosters Bar. A friend
informs us he thinks he knows of two firms
that will give $500 each. Subscriptions are
already out for this project, and we recommend
it to the best assistance Of the public. Money
or labor or lumber will equally assist the en-
terprise, the latter in making the small bridges
needed. We learn that the miners will turn
out and work along on the route, although
their diggings are dry and dull at this season of
the year.
1t is wonder to those familiar with this
route and the advantages its improvement would
confer that the road has never been made and
that Nevada especially has been so still in the
matter. We have case in point that strikes
every one who has travelled the road this sea-
son. The Downicville road is and has been
lined with cmigrant wagons on the south side
of the North Yuba, which would, if this road
was passible, come by Nevada.
We have urged better communication with
Sacramento in preference to Marysville because
if it was effected our city would by position be
better market for the northern end western
mining districts and absorb the trade and
travel This has been our motive, and the
reason why we would not relinquish our views
on this matter when urged to do so by our
confrercs of the quill at Marysville. But il
this road to Downieville is finished, though the
rood may incroacn Our a1yontoU