The Shasta courier., 1855-11-03
Wa4on Read - Yrekn.>.Rep~rt of she
Party Il reconmoisance.

Wagon Read - Yrekns-.8ep~fe 81 the
Party ef rrcenneisance.
EpIroRs RLPusLicAN AND COURIER :-The
undersigned who left Shasta on the 25tf inst.
for the purpose Of examining the route for
wagon road to Yreka via the Sacramento River,
arrived al this place Oh Sunday u.orning last
| The entire length Of the road would probably
| be about one hundred and ten miles. The gen.
eral course is directly north. and no defections
from q straight line will occur. except IN those
places where the short bends of the river must
| be followed. All The difficulty to be overcome,
and nearly the whole amnunt Of work necessa-
| ry to render the entire route practicable for
heavily loaded wagons, lies between Spring
Greek and the Soda Spring, distance Of about
sixiy-nine miles. More less grading, bridg-
| ing. &C.. will be necessary upon about fifty
miles of the distance; the remaining fourteen is
taken up by level pateaux from a half to five
miles in length, many Of them being fine arabic
| land, with deep rich soil The most import
ant obstructions 10 be overcome are two long
ascents. The first 10 encountered Immediately
after crossing Sugarloaf Greek, twenty-five miles
| from Shasta and the other at Potato Hill, nine
miles further on. Both these can be passed
without much difficulty, by takirg circutous
course around the hill, and attaining the sum-
nit by succession of easy gradients, alternat-
| ing with occasional short benches, made level
to relieve the ascent With the exception Of
these two hills, and three or four minor ones,
the whole road can be made comparatively lev
| ell.
1t is our opinion that about thirty miles will
require heavy excavation. This occurs at var-
Gus points along the entire distance from Spring
Creek to Soda Spring. The places we have
reference to are points where the river bank be.
comes steep and preciptous. These points are
generally from halfa-mile to mile in length,
and between them we have level flats or slight
y undulating ridges, where but little work
would be necessary, except to bridge the
creeks which generally met at those points.
Fine timber grows near at hand for all the
wood work which will be needed, and two aa-
mills are already constructed. Between Pistol
aud Sugarloaf Greeks more or less blasting will
be required upon two miles OF the ronte, none
of which. however, is of a serious character.
Beyond the Soda Spring all obstacles vanish.
All that is necessary is to clear the way through
a level, timbered country as far as the .'Huc.
kleberry Patch at the head of Shasta Valley.
From thence into Yreka an excellent wagon
road already exists
More work will be necessary to constriict
wagon road by this route than was anticipated
by US; but the other hand. we are satisfied
that il is he most direct course. aud that when
the road is once bnilt, il will be one of the eas-
est and most substantial mountain routes in Cal.
ifornia. Following, as it does the of
river until 1t arrives at its source, it there en-
ters plain. and no dividing ridges to be
crossed separating stream from stream, as is the
case in nearly all the wagon roads which have
been constructed in State.
1t will probably be expected that we should
make some rough estimate of the cost of this
route. 1t is with extreme reluctance that we
enter upon any snch calculaton as we are
aware that in making estimates of the dis
tance, were liable in many instances to be
grossly deceived-ior in many places, while the
trail ws were riding upon passes over the hills,
the road wonld continue level along the bank of
the river We are of fopinion, however. that our
errors in this respect are upon the right sie
and that the route of the road will prove. when
marked out and measured to be considerably
shorter than the distances given by us. We be.
lieve that the sum Of fifty thousand dollars. or
near that amount, will be required to perform
the grading and erect the numerous bridges me-
cessary to construct good, easily travelled and
uhat al m ofu rfa,l IN tho
from Shasta to Yreka. rccapitnla,ion of the
numerous creeks, the difficult points to be en-.
conntered. and the various distances we cnnsi.
der unnecessary to be here stated, us those
items would render our report too lengthy, and
from our limited means of observation, would
not possess sufficient degree of exactness.
II is our candid opinion that this undertaking
cannot be at once accomplished, by sums col
lecied by private contribution. An attempt TO
do so would, we fear. result in disappointment,
and perhaps failure of the whole enterprise.
We would therefore suggest that a stock compn |
ny be formed. and charter applied for at the
next tession IF the Legislature. This plan will
ensure the early completion of an enterprise
which will open exhaustless mining region
now nearly untouched, and bring the town OF
Yreka and the whole Northern portion of the
State. difficult Of access, even by pack
trains, within five or six days travel by loaded
wagons Of the different depots in Sacramento
Valley.
J. TYSON,
A. SKILLMAS;
w. w. Tracy,
JoBS J. ToMtissoA,
Wm. A. MIX.
R. A. McCABE,
M. MITCHELL,
E. G. GILLETTE.
V..l. n-s IN