The weekly Placer herald., 1853-10-15
Sierra Nevada Pass,


nn.sL;d Lake YaAey, according fd
t.yomsfr;eal observotiens. 6y Colonel
f. il with pleasure that we lay before
.hs nublic the following remarks on con-
~, s,,uc,ing the projected Pacific ha!'road'
sh,ough the Sierra Nevada Pass, by M:
s" s;no, civil engineer Of distinction, and
o."' ,.ho il personally converssnt with
ono .. ,r.c, be describes. We understand
ar. n., N. Sinot, accompanied Colonel
Wa' W..u,on, on his last trip to this State.
rh. suxsestions offered by M. Sinot
~. worthy Of deep attention, and we
.1s,.fore offer them to the consideration
"r.u,inesrs and other scientific gentle
u" .o Interested IN the prosecution OF this
arest work.
The Colonel Fremont whose Journeys
~. an much advanced the knowledge
~ california, crossed for the third time
:" ,be month Of December, l045, the
Sierra Nevada, 80 I lat, about ~ miles
n by e. Of New Helvetia, and made OBJ
.s.,vstions on each side OF the Sierra, to
ae,ermine the length and CLINE Of the TWO
/ valleys.
.d the following results-The part of the
country lyins east of the Sierra "is 1000
f,et above the level Of the Paclfc," while
IN. country west Of it is only 500 let
above that level, which gives difference
4 .of leyel between the two valleys OF S,aOO
feet. ..oo
The height Of the pass is !, 300 feet
above the level Of the sea, which gives
Inference of level with the lower VALLEY,
of G. 700 feet, and with the upper one, a
difference Of 5000 feet
The ascent of the Sierra begins on the
.,,, side near Pyramid Lake, the length,
f,or, the basis to the summit being IS
,riI... the descent terminates in S"cra-
= mento valley, not far from Bear RIVER
which empties in Feather River.
# is to he regretted that Col. Fremont
did not determine by triangular calcula-
zion. the respective distance between the
basis and the summit Of the Pass, on
zach side Of the Sierra, and consequently
the direct distance from the point Of dc
p.r,ure in one valley to the terminus in
abe ether.
Being deprived Of these calculations,
and supposink the average inclination to
h. II degrees, that distance could be de-
,ermined az follows:
From the basis in Sacramento Valley,
H. the summit Of the pass, $500 feet,
$aexrly 6 3-4 miles.
From the summit in the Pass to the
basi. in Pyramid Lake Valley, II, 800 feet.
3nexrly 8 Ia miles; which would give from
one bA<. to the other, direct distance
.of sa,8O0 feet, or 10 American miles.
There are two things TO be done, either
IA" railway will he laid on the mountain
with the usual inclination of 2-l000th At
the rate Of 10 or IL feet, per mile, or n
eunn.l will he bored through the Sierra.
In the first cn-e the general principle
Submitted in building railroads, or digging
.rans's, sthat ascent must not be done, TO
.tiesceni. evcn il the time should be
Aen,'hen-d," must he laid aside
For, from the basis in Sacramento Val
Rev, the rise mus, I've $500 feet to the sum
hi, Of the Pass, 10 dencend ngain, $500
tsee, in ,ae Pyramid Lake Valley
The rising to a vertical height Of s, TOO
feet, on AN inclined plane Of 2.100O,h,
rrrresents a length Of S,350,000 feet, or
1854 miles.
The descent from r vertical height Of
5000 feet, represents length Of l 900, 900
feet, or sos miles, together. n length Of
N,95o,000 feet, in toto, or 9s7 American
miles.
In the second case from the basis in
Fsrr,mento Valley, the descent will be
done olr an Inclined plane ut the rate Of
u5S40feet ofhxsis, for 5, ,426 feet of height,
Wit: with an inclination Of 0,l72th, and
Rom the upper part Of this inc ined plane,
the Sierra Nevada shall he crossed thro'
. runnel $1,000 feet long, or miles,
With an inclination Of 0,0O2th, and by this
means the distance from one basis to the
other, shall be reduced to miles, instead
'of Ss7 in open air.
This difference is 80 great, consider
ing the expense attending motion, that
mere could not he any doubt in the choice
oetween tho two means offered.
10 the probable case Of the boring Of a
tunnel, the greatest difficulty will be the
'diRgins Of air holes, on \ length Of 7
niles, with a vertical height Of some 5000
Iset Of ground to go through near the
-snmmit Of the Pass.
As much as possible the crossing Of the
o'e'ra ought to he undertaken in the
"elehhorhood Of granite quarry, so AZ
mhave on hand the material to build the
,unnsl's wall, or any other necessary work.
| N's to be hoped that in the cutting Of the
n'ontaln some mineral vein will he found
snst may alleviate a part Of the expense
~ This stupendOus work.
/ Va. nese remarks have no other end than
70 establish the ,lifference of he;vht If