The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-02-28


This ranch Is in beautiful valley sfordng abundance
OF grass
Leaving the river to the north at Wcbbers the road
strikes off in southeast direction through series Of small
valleys and table lands which form good road, to
the south branch Of Pruekey crossing the south side Of
that stream Here the road known the Pruekey OF
Bear river route turns off follows up the south branch
the summit and desoends by Steep hollow Bear
river The distance from Webber's the South branch
the forks OF road is miles 81 miles further ON, with
easy-descending grade is Dog valley From here the
present road raises the point OF ridge extending
from those elevated to the south and again descends
10 Main Pruckey river distant from Dog valley "a miles
This ridge be avoided, and uniform descending grade
win be had with but slight increase of distance by bear
ing more to the north and passing around the point
After striking Main Pruckey, the road leads down that
stream n northeastery direction 40 miles to the Lower
Crossing, on the west edge Of the desert
Portions Of this part of the road being confined TO
passages between ridges il be at those points
rough and uneven and in order TO avoid outlying spurs
renders frequent crossings necessary.
intermediate Of the last distance Pruckey is situated
the Big and the Little Meadows-he former 10 and the
latter rs miles from where the road first strikes the
These large valleys much resored TO by emgrants a
ter crossing the desert to recruit their stock.
At the Lower Crossing, Pruckey, road strikes off in
southeast direction, along the base of the mountains
the Mormon station in Carson valley distant 10 miles
Leaving fruckey AT the Lower crossings 10
and taking northeast course, Is miles bring You to the
Hot spring on the desert miles further the New
Sink and 10 miles the Old Sink of Humboldt
thus making the total distance from Marysve TO the Sink
of the Humboldt by Bophys pass 1888 miles, about As
miles than by an air line cutting that pass.
The distance from Marysville to Sacramento city is 43
miles This will give the total distance from Sacramento
city by Maysvile and Brophys pass to Carson valley at
Mormon station, 22l miles, from Sacramento city by
same points, 10 the Sink 24l9 miles.
The distance, am informed, from Sacramento city to
Carsons valley by Johnson Cutoff is 260 miles and to the
Sink by the route is 800 miles-thus making the
distance from Sacramento city Carson valley 3s miles
less by the Brophys pass than by the johnson Cutoff and
from Sacramento city to the Sink $50 miles less than by
the Johnson Cutoff
The apparent practicabity of this route for wagon
road should elicit further and minute instrumental
examination and its comparative merits fully comprehend
ed before definite location is selected either by the State
or United States government, which to construct
road across the mountains.
will now review the section of country from the foot
hills at the base of the Sierra Nevada range the
summit Brophys pass, and examine its praccability
and adaptation for railroad route.
route that may not only be practicable for the
strucon good turnpike wagon road over but pre-
sentng obstacles 10 the building Of such roads very
light grades might however, when examined for rail
road location PROVE absolutely impraccable. Such is h,
character of greater portion of this route which tho
wagon road traverses.
am satisfied in my own mind that there is northern
pass practicable for railroad unless be had
thereto from following up from the base of the mountain.
with principal stream having its directly in the
summit range, and from which the summit can be ap
preached at admissible grades To attempt ascending by
traversing the apex Of the divides extending towards the
summit would be found, from the natural formation o.
those ridges mpraccable they invariably rise from
the foothills at angles of elevation not admissible for
railroad frequently intercepted by low ndentatons OF
are terminated entirely by tributaries to the principal
streams either side
An by which the summit at Brophy's pass may
be gained by railroad from the west and the only on.
occurring practicable, would be to follow up from
the foothills with the Yuba river to the confluence of thu
north and middle forks from there continue mp the nort
side Of the Middle Fork leaving the you ascend
traversng the hillside skirting the north side of thu
stream gaining the low divide depression before men
toned from which the wagon road descends to the lowe
crossings and from thence ascend along the south side
that divide passing through an open hollow between tn
divide and outlying range of hills extending parable
with the river leaving Jacksons to the south and striking
| on to the table lands Immediately west of the pass
II will be observed that this location from the foothil
the pass would traverse hsdes presenting southern
exposure therefore less liable to be obsructed with snow
The south side of the divides also uniform les
cut up by ravines guches, and free from ROCKY
spurs projections than the opposite northern side
But little thorough cuttings would be found necessary tn
principal part of the distance requiring scarped grade
The soil is generally deep and Of that would form
good and substantial road bed and when rock is
counered it would be found principally of rotten de
| tached description, easily removed
This route following with the scrpentne Of thos
streams would necessarily increase the distance from tn
foothills the summit that by the wagon road th
ascent being distributed over longer slope the grade
uniformly increasing you ascend would in my opinion
render by this thoroughare practicable and
maximum grade less than employed some roads in tn
| eastern States
( Hoping that the notes that have given, imperfect il
many respects they may be- will assist in directing
attention to this hitherto but little spoken of pass in tn
of the construction Of either wagon or rairoa
the Sierra, am, sir respectfully your ODE
| dent d. b. SCOTT
| Hon. JoHS B. WELLER.
| AFFAIRS IN MEXICO.~
For years and years past affairs in Mexico and in man
1 nl, al c.. O.. -