Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-03-21
Road to P1umas.

The necessity of improving the road to the
American Valley must be apparent o every
one, and the only difference of opinion re-
garding the matter. is whether the road
running from the bridge at Bidwell, shall be
the only one leading to Plumas county The
business men of Orovlle now begin to see
the necessity of road to, and ferry or
bride at the Junction, and as the necessity
of opening such Communication becomes
more apparent, the efforts Of few indiyid
uals to keep the travel through Bidwen,
and thus send the traders from the upper
country away from us, appears to be re-
doubled. New appropriations are to be Sc
cured from the county for the road above
Bidwell, and when ferry at the Junction is
asked for, these appropriations like former
ones, are to be used as an argument against
1t. They say the county has already paid
so much for a road through Bidwell, and,
should bridge or ferry boat be estab-
lished at the Junction, it will be necessary
for the county to build road to that point
also. Such were the foolish arguments used
to defeat the application for ferry at the
Junction, and to the detriment of the coun-
ty, and to the great benefit OF the Bidwell
Bridge Company, they prevailed.
The project now is to have the Legislature
pass an act authorizing the Board of Super
visors to levy special tax for the improve
ment of the road from Jacks ranch to the
Plumas county line Would the Legislature
authorize them to levy tax for the purpose
of making a road from Oroville ria the
Junction, we have no doubt but that it would
meet the approval of the people of the coun-
ty, for all are interested in the prosperity of
Oroyille; but we also know that anything
short Of that would meet the universal con-
demnation of the people. The county has
already contributed large sums for a road
through Bidwell. and any further contribu-
tions in that direction alone, must be stop
ped, for effect of compelling the travel of
Plumas to pass that particular point is to
drive their traders from US. We nave every
reason to believe that, had the Board of Su-
pervisors seen proper to grant a license for
a ferry at the Junction, road to that point
would have been constructed by private en-
terprise, without levying tax for that pur-
pose upon the county. But the policy seems
to be to prevent the county from building a
road to the junction, and tax the people for
the construction of roads so as to benefit "A
few capitalists. The greater proportion of
the tax thus raisel would be paid in Oro-
VILE and we should thus be compelled to
build read, which would retard our pros
perity as much as it would 10 prevent the
navigation Of the river.
The road from Oroville to the Plumas line
should be constructed by the county, as it
would contribute to our wealth and pros
perity. Goods can now be shipped to this
point, and if we would see the traders in
town, we must not compel them to go around
by Bidwell and Marysville, when there is
much nearer and better route.
Would the people of Oroville petition the
Legislature to authorize the Supervisors 10
levy a tax for the constr uction Of road from
This point, ria the Junction to the Plumes
line, and grant license for bridge or
ferry, it is quite probable that they might
make such demonstration as would insure
success. To set down listlessly is to suffer
a few interested individuals to tarn the
travel elsewhere and permit steamers to APP
proach the town without a cargo.