The Placer herald., 1856-12-20
NUMBER IS.

in this county with whom we fell in at tie
Forks House; and whom when we parted
with them, appeared to be enjoying them
selves very much
From the shore of the Lake at the head of
Truckee River, the road extends nearly par
allel with the west shore to the north end of
the Lake ia distance of twelve mies,) and
being a good road with the exception of two
miles, which requires some side-hill cutting
the road passes by several pieces of good
; meadow land From the north end of the
lake the road commences ascending the east
summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains
The ascent is easy, the surface smooth, and
will require but small amount of side hill
cutting to make it good road; the distance
is three miles, and there is an abundance of
good grass the entire distance From the
summit to Washoe Valley, the distance is
five miles; the road for the most part has
been worked and large amount of side bill
cutting DONE Two miles below the summit,
slide of loose granite rock and sand has
taken place since the road was made, and
has covered it for twenty rods. Five men in
a weeks time would place the road in its
original position From the summit to
Washoe Valley, the road can be made a
good one.
The entire distance from the Forks House
to Washoe Valley is sxty-two miles, From
the Forks house to Yankee Jim's fifteen
miles; from the Forks house to Iowa Hill
twelve miles From Yankee Jm's to the
Forks House the road is very good and is
travelled by heavily laden teams
Washoe Valley is entirely occupied by
III -.
of Probate, is building large mill, and the
mormons in the immediate vicinity of the
mill have laid out city, and commenced
building operations The Mormons are fa-
vorably disposed towards the Placer County
Road, and expressed their willingness to i'm
prove that portion of the road lying within
their Territory. | had long conv er-
sation with Judge Hyde upon the subject
and he expressed himself emphaticaly in fa-
vor of improving the road Labor to the
amount of eight thousand dollaas, properly
expended, will cause it to be travelled in
preference to any other route crossing the
Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The road for the most part is a ridge road
requiring but small amount of side hill
cutting, and crosses but one stream that ex-
ceeds five feet in width (the Truckee River)
and that but one. Sixty feot above the pres
ent crossing a bridge of fifty feet span will
reach from bank to bank above high water
mark. My impression is the Placer County
Emigrant Road can be improved and made
good road with less expense than any 9th
er route--wll be shorter-and is the most
central road extending from Carson Valley
into this State"
An act was passed by the Legislature and
approved April 2Sth 1855, to provide for
the survey and construction of wagon road
over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Section
7. Of this act reads as follows
"The said Commissioners are required to
locate said Road at the earliest practicable day
following, in their Judgement the most prac-
tbe and economical route"
am unable to learn that the Commissions
ers made any attempt to inform themselves
of the practibility of constructing the road
through this County. Your predecessor in
office, in his report to Ex-Governor John
Bigler, dated January 7th, 1856, makes the
following remarks in relation to a correspon-
dence concerning the emigrant road that
was published July 1853. 1T drew out the
concession from portion Of the laca press
Jlldl lIlG lbutt lHiOuSH III i'oiduo pOooocot.t
a great many things ply $ cal, moral and So
cial to its favor, that the people of Yuba and
Sierra evinced no interest in their particular
route and that they remained as improvabla
as a corner stone ofa church." But not q
word about Placer County
The Placer County Emigrant Road has
been constant subject Of discussion by the
inhabitants of this county ever since its fol-
nation, its citizens have expended several
thousand dollars in improving the road, and
the County, in the Spring of 1854, appropri
ated $3.50 for that purpose.
George II. Goddard, G. E., acting under
the instruction Of Ex Surveyor General S.
H. Marette in his report dated Dec. l5th,
1855, says: "Since my return from the
mountains have understood that there is a
road from Yankee Jim's which crosses the
Truckee River on the north western side of
Bigler Lake, and then follows the river up
to the Lake, round the north of it and
which then crosses over into Washoe Valley.
There are Others also who state that there
is an outlet from Bigler Lake to Washoe
Valley.
If such is the case, certainly route could
be obtaind which would offer an easy grade
to the plains"
Mr. Goddard was correct in his informa-
ton and conclusion that the Placer County
Emigrant Road strikes Truckee River five
miles below its head, Lake Bger. Truck
ee winds its way through an opening in the
Sierra Nevada Mountains into the Valley
east of them. The emigrant road coming
from the plains crosses it.
In conclusion, allow me to say, Sir that
there is no one subject that interests the in
habitants Of Placer more than that of the
Emigrant Road.
Yours Respectfully,
TI,os A NnrNc