San Andreas independent., 1856-11-29
For the San Andreas Independent.
The Emigrant Road.

SoSAeAAASAAeo Ps@PSAS ssS5AeespAl5 VAN " 80
Road to Carson Valley question. The
writer-who visited Carson Valley twice,
during the past summer, by the route
from Calaveras-has obtained sufficient in
formation to assert positively, that the best
and most practicable emigrant road is to
be found by this route, across the Sierra.
How is it that our citizens are allowing
this to go by default Have we no enter
prise or adventure? Can est quiet spec
tators and submit to have heavy appro-
priation made for the opening and impro-
wing an emigrant road, leading to the nor
thern mining towns; or, can we not arouse
the enterprise of the citizens of Calave-
ras, and have the public better understand
the advantages that would arise by direct
ing the road through our county? 1t
would not only benefit this section, but
open to Columbia, Sonora and Stockton,
a channel for trade not now existing
From Carson Valley by the Big Tree
Road, we have the key to all the rich ag
ricultural counties to the West and South
of u.s.
Emigrants desirous of settling in the
following named counties, would find this
by far the best route to travel; not only
shorter distance and better road, but there
is an inexhaustible supply of fine grass and
water on the whole route. Let us cast
our eye at the distance travelled by an en-
igrant bound for the agricultural counties
via Johnson's Cutoff, or the old Hangtown
route. From "Lucky Bill's," which is
some six miles from the mouth of Carson
Canon, it is some seventy-fve miles to
Placerville by way of Red Lake, Clear
Lake, &C.; from Placerville to Stockton,
some eighty miles, and through country
expensive for the emigrant to travel;
but by the " Big Tree Road,' either to
the Big Tree or West Point, the distance
from "Lucky Bills" is about the same
From either of those points to Stockton,
is much better road for the emigrant,
and some miles nearer Now, should the
emigrant desire to locate in the rich val
leys of Sonoma, Napa, Santa Rosa, Peta-
luna, or in any of the counties of Solano,
Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino or Marin, the
road via Calaveras and Stockton to Marti-
nez, in Contra Costa would land them by
the excellent Ferry from Martinez, imme-
diateN at Benicia, cutting off at least
distance of one hundred miles; which, to
the emigrant with his worn down stock,
bea great object. Now, from Placer would
county, they must seek the Sacramento
ferries and cross to Yolo county, from
thence make circuitous trip around Putah
and Cache creeks, even to arrive at the
head of Suisun valley. In the event the
emigrant would wish to settle in Stanis-
laus, Merced,- Tuolumne or Tulare, the
fact is known that Calaveras affords the
route. And again, many who seek Cali
fornia for agricultural purposes, look most
always to the rich valleys of San Jose,
Santa Clara, San Juan and the Salinas
Now, the writer would ask, is it adyanta-
geous for the emigrant to come by either
the Lawson, Truckee, Johnsons Cutoff,
or the Hangtown roads? Common sense
would teach him better. The merchants
of the mining towns of the northern coun-
ties have established agencies and trading
posts along the road in Carson and Hope
Valleys, and intercept emigration and in-
duce many to take their routes. Can we
sleep and allow the natural facilities we
now possess to be lost by inaction, and want
of little enterprise?
The road from Carson Valley to Gala
vcras crosses by one divide, and the ascent
is very gradual and almost imperceptible.
The Hangtown road crosses two divides
and now assert that all the hills put to-
gether on our route, does not exceed in the
danger and difficulty of travel, the first
divide at the head of Red Lake on the
Hangtown or Placer road. Johnson's Cut
off answers very well for pack trains, and
some few wagons have travelled it; but our
route has been travelled by gentlemen in
light buggy wagons, and the day is not far
distant when delightful pleasure excur-
sions will be had to Carson's via the "Big
Tree"
An effort, no doubt, will be made to OBJ
tain an appropriation from the next Legis-
lature; let us awake and put in our claims;
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