San Andreas independent., 1856-12-13
For the San Andreas Independent.
The Immigrant Rc01,

our country, people were content that i'm
provements should follow in the wake of
civilization and the advanced Of society
but, in these fast times. If has become
necessary that improvements should pave
the way for civilization. and conveniences
should be made to induce sooiety to push
forward into the vast public domain, to
settle the valleys and mountain slopes with
an industrious, thriving population. In
those times, people were pleased to receive
the newspapers once month: now, they
are scarcely satisfied to receive the news
every day fresh from the press. Our
grand1athers-lnnocent old fogies as they
were-never grumbled at travelling in slow
coaches; but steamboats, and railroads are
not half fast enough to carry their grand
children In this progressive, go-ahead ace.
where every one is struggling to be in ad-
vance In talent, wealth, influence and no.
toriety. While Californians are noted for
their energy, there is often mixed with it
a greater or less degree of selfshness,
which prompts them to display their en-
terprise when it will advance their oyn
interests at the expense of the public ac-
commodation, convenience, and even the
public good =
This disposition shows itself at the pres
ent time, in the efforts that are being
made to receive the appropriation voted
by the Legislature two years ago, for the
purpose of opening I" a wagon road across
the Sierra Nevada mountains" Each
section of the State is clamoring to have
the terminus of the road in their own par
tlcular locality. And while we, with
others, desire to see the road pass through
our portion of the State, we can URGE If
upon higher and broader grounds than the
mere desire to advance the interests of Cal
averas and the adjoining counties. We
call the attention of the public to the ssBig
Tree route, from the now we'll established
fact, that it is more feasible and easier of
access, than any other route which crosses
the mountains at any point in the State
the highest summit by the Big Tree being
2700 feet lower than in any otherpass now
discovered. 1t will cost great deal less
to make it a good road, than will any other !;
and besides, in very few years, it is bound
to make itself the road for the greater
portion Of the travel across the Sierra
Nevada, even should the State: exhaust its
credit and bring itself into bankruptcy, by
building roads through other passes. 1t
is the natural channel through which ira
vel, trade and commerce are bound to flow
Already quite fourishing settlement has
sprung up in Carson Valley They must
have an outlet to the ocean, and where will
they look for it? To the old Hangtown
road, which is obstructed by two almost in
accessible mountains? or to Johnson's
Cutoff, which is only passable for foot
men and pack trains, or will they not look
for safer, speedier and better route
They will; and already have they cast
their eyes upon the sBig Tree" route as
the only one upon which they can depend.
Let the road be opened in proper man
ner, and Carson Valley will soon be teem-
ing with prosperous and thriving popu-
lation, which will be the forerunner Of a
railroad from San Francisco via Stockton
and the Big Tree, across the mountains,
to intercept the "wagon road" from the
Mississippi to California, and as so much
done towards the Atlantic and Pacific rail
road, which time and the uncomfortable
energy Of the American people are deter
mined to build
During the last session of Congress, a
bill was introduced for the purpose of es-
tabllshlng an overland wagon road and
mail route from the Western States to
California. And although the measure
was defeated, yet the necessity of some
thing of that kind, together with the mon
ster petition that was sent from California
in its behalf, will undoubtedly bring up
the question again; and if properly urged,
will become a law. Then the question
arises, what route will the road take?-l
We would naturally suppose, that the one
which former emigrants have found most
practicable, would be the one selected, viz
From the Missouri river through the South I
Pass by way of Salt Lake, to Carson Val
ley. This is certainly the route which /
would be selected, and the starting point
would be Fort Leavenworth, ST. Josephs, I
or Council Bluffs. Access, from any of
the Atlantic States, by river and railroad,
is easy, to all three points mentioned. If
the road starts from LeayenWorth- or St.
Josephs, it would run over a beautiful roll
ing table land, till it struck Platte river at
old Fort Kearny; thence up the river on
the South side, through bottom land, from
three to eight miles in width, and to the
eye, appearing perfectly level. Crossing
South Platte, it is but few miles to the
North Fork, up which the road, through
the same kind of bottom land, will pass,
to Fort Laramie; the distance being about
six hundred miles. If it commences at
Council Bluffs, at the mouth Of Platte
river, the road runs up the North side to
Fort Laramie, where it inte1sects the other
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