Butte record., 1855-10-06
ImnNrtaut To Butte County,.


A gentleman of experience, one who
has been engaged in removing obstruc-
tions from Rivers, and improving their
channels, so as to reuder them naviga
BILE, gave it as his opinion, not long
since, that the channel of Feather River
from its junction with the Yuba, to
the fourishing town of Ophir in this
county, could be rendered navigable for
boats drawing less than twenty inches Of
water, f,r the small sum of 10000.
1t is true, the person expressing this be-
lief, had not examined the river with the
view Of estimating the cost of rendering
it navigable, but IS well acquainted with
the stream, and the section of country
lying between the two points named, suf-
fcently so to entitle bis opinion to con-
sideration, at least with US. But sup
posing upon examination, double the
sum naaed should be found necessary.
:
or even three or four times that amount,
would It not be to our advantage as a
county, to have it made navrgable : and
also to the interest OF other northern
mining Counties The mining popula-
ten of Butte county have already paid
sufficient on their ncccssarigs Of life, to
render forty such streams nayigable, over
what il would have cost, could they have
oeen shipped to some point within the
county. 1t would also be to the interest
Of PlGuaa county, as it would shorten
the distance for packing some thirty or
forty miles, and consequently lessen the
price of everything carried into the
mines of that county.
Butte county would then be the head
of navigation, and steamers would fn1
their way into her placers, and be the
means Of building up a city, and adding
to the wealth and Importance of the
county. In doing this, we should not
necessarily become the rival of Marys-
vile, as Yuba has not regarded the
trade of Butte and Plumas of sufficient
Importance to pay for bridging the Hons
cut F.; and besides she is already city too
large to BE- retarded or affected by any
steps that We might take to benefit Or
protect ourselves. Iier railroad to Be.
nicia-her plank road to Nevada-the
emigrant road that she built last year,
from Missouri to Marysville via. the
Brophy pass-and the one she is now
building to Iowa by the Henness route,
gives her decided advantage over all
rivals, and places her beyond the reach
Of competition.
We believe that the River should be
examined with a view to ascertain
whether it is practicable to render the
same navigable, in order that we may
enjoy the benefits of our natural adYan-
iages, and Butte County viii rank as
she should, among the first of the Stale.
There is but one great natural thorough
fare through the Nevada Mountains into
California, and that is by the head wa
tcrs of Feather River, and there, if ever,
must the great Atlantic and Pacific rail.
wy enter Californa-there is a natural
wagon-road through the Nevada moun-
tains, passing through continuous
string Of valies, unobstructed by noun
tains or hills, and abundance Of water
and grass the entire distance. During
the past summer, we have passed over a
greater portion OF this route, and know ii
to be better wagon-road than the CEN
tral route can ever be made, ifinterested
members of the legislature should vote
appropriations for it as long as the State
could raise a dollar. This being the
case, and the north possessing these
natural advantages, let us improve such
of them as lay within eur power, that
we may keep capital in our own county,
instead of spending it for the benefit of
another.
What say our citizens who are inter
ested in the future prosperity of the
county, to meeting, for the purpose of
adopting measures to have the river ex-
amined, with view of ascertaining the
cost necessary to render it navigable
MARrsvlLLE.-The Kye Eyes of
Marysville, who have succeeded in es-
tablishing theoretically the fact that