The Placer herald., 1856-11-08
Placer County Emigrant Road.

ing report from the County Surveyor of this
county:
10 the Citizens of Placer County:
GENTLEMEN:-The following is report of
an examination and partial survey of the
Placer County Emigrant Road, made in the
month OF August, 1856, in company with
the following named gentlemen; James
Herrick and David Orr, from the town If
Yankee Jim's; George Haycock, A. G. Nc
Cook, Capt. w. G. Gray, and James Gist, of
Iowa Hill.
The Forks House we made our starting
point. 1t is situated at ike junction of the
Michigan Bluff Yankee Jim's, and Iowa Hill
roads. To this point teamsters haul full
loads. From the Forks House to the Secret
Spring House, ia distance of eight miles,
all that is required to make good wagon
road is to move the loose stones. From Sc
cret Spring House to Robinson's Flat, (seven
miles,) the road leaves Canada Hill, one
half mile to the south. After leaving Secret
Spring House, the road ascends hill known
as Secret Hill, but with too much grade; and
can be improved and made an excellent wag-
on road. The remainder of the road to
Robinson's Flat requires but little improve
ment.
From Robinson's Flat to the west summit
of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the distance
is seventeen miles, (ridge road,) passing over
over one canon, and is generally good, with
the exception Of three places where the road
is constructed on the highest part of the
ridge; it should be graded around. For the
entire last six miles before arriving at the
summit there is good grass and water. One
mile west of the summit the road passes
Valley, having fine stream of water flow
ing through it, and covered with grass; this
stream is the headwaters of the North Fork
of the middle Fork of the American River
The ascent to the summit is gradual-the
surface smooth, and will require but little
side hill cutting. A good road can be made
at an angle of two degrees. From the west
summit there is fine view of Lake Bigser
distance, air line, seven miles) From the
summit the road ascends into the upper or
northwest end of Squaw Naley-distancc
three miles. This portion Of the road can
be much improved, and make a good one
by extending it so far as to strike the lower
end of Squaw Valley. Squaw Valley is the
iiI'ct pSdutilul NdiItN tIIt eye VI util c'ci
behed. 1t is covered with uxnriant grass,
and the soil is Of the most productive ma
ture.
The valley is completely surrounded by
mountains with the exception of the east
end, at which point most magnificent
stream of water, that flows through the en-
tire length of the valley, emptes into
Truckee river. There is contai ed in the
valley about five hundred acres of illable
land. From the upper efd of Squaw Valley
there is nearly level road of two miles, to the
crossing of Truckey River The ford. is
good. At the time of our crossing, the riv
er was two feet deep and thirty wide-the
current rapid and the bed Of the stream
solid. At this point, the river runs ina
northery direction. From the crossing at
Truckee, the road extends along the east
banks of the river five miles, to the head
waters Of the river, (Lake Biger.) This five
miles of road requires but small amount
of labor to make it good road, with only
sixty feet grade to the mile.
Truckee river, at its head, is four feet deep
and ninety wide, and running in northwest
ly direction. Bigler Lake is a noble sheet of
water, forty five miles in length, and at this
point fifteen miles wide. All along the west
ern shore of the lake. the water does not ex
ceed five feet in depth to the distance Of
about twenty rods from shore. 1t then evil
IDENTIFY becomes very deep, as there is well
defined line of deep blue extending parallel
with the shore. The bottom of the lake,
so far as | explored it, is composed of soft
granite rock, covered over with fine particles
of granite or sand and round washed gray
ell, resembling the gravel in the bill digging
in many places in Placer comfy. The view
of the lake and surrounding mountains is
most magnificent. The lake is entirely
closed in with mountains, and it is impossi-
BILE to detect the outlet by which Truckee
river flows from it, unlesss you are in the
immediate vicinity of the river. At this
point we parted company with party of la
dies and gentlemen from Forest Hill, in this
county, with whom we fell in at the Forks
House, and whom, when we parted with
them, appeared to be enjoying themselves
very much.
From the shore of the lake at the head of
Truckee river, the road extends nearly paral-
lei with the west shore to the north end of
the lake, ia distance of twenty miles,) and
being good road, with the exception of
two miles, which requires some side hill cut
tng-the road passes by several pieces of
good mea low land. From the north end of
the lake the road commences ascending the
east summit of the Sierra Nevada noun
tains. The ascent is easy, the surface
smooth, and will require but small amount
of side hill cutting to make it good road;
Al, 10 throo ,,ilac anI thapo
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 hill cutting done. Two miles below
the summit, a slide of loose granite rock and
sand has taken place, since the road was