Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-04-04
The Wagon Road-Again.

As the subject of a wagon road across the |
plains, is one in which the public of Califor-
MIA, and particularly that portion of the
public residing in the northern portion of
the State, are deeply interested, recur-
renee to it. may net prove uninterest-
ing, if We do not succeed in advancing
much that is new The only object being TO
apprise the public of this portion of the
State of the advantages which we possess
and arouse them to action in securing the
full and just benefit of them.
An article upon this subject, in the Sac
Union, urges upon the inhabitants
of that city, the necessity of taking meas
ures to ensure the completion of the road
surveyed by Mr. Day in 1856, SO as to make
Sacramento the western terminus of the
road. Now we feel no jealousy or animosity
towards any of the villages below, whose
prosperity depends upon bridging navigable
streams, because they cannot otherwise give
employment to a sufficient number of people
to compose city; on the contrary we are
disposed to give them the benefit of every
advantage they possess without infringing
upon the rights of other portions of the
State. But it is nevertheless true, that the
route indicated by nature, and the bill ma
king appropriations for the road, enters the
State in Plumas county, and passes through
the Nevada Mountains, to the Sacramento
Valley, by successive vallies, which offer a
much better road through to the Humbolet,
than the one between Placerville and Sacr'
mento, saying nothing of the difficulties 10
Carson Valley. This favorite Sacramento
route, would take the emigrant road through
the one hundred and fifty miles Of desert
that surround the sink of the Humboldt, and
over monntains which, according to Mr..
Days survey, rear their snow capped peaks
over eight thousand feet above the level of
the sea, and all for the purpose of making a
particular point the western terminus of the
road. In the hopes of securing such a con-
summation, wise legislators have passed un-
constitutional bills, appropriating hundre DIS
of thousands dollars for the construction of
road, which the SHOWS would render i'm
passable for six or eight months of the year
The Federal Congress, with much less self
ishness, and looking only to the necessity of
the road, and the safety of emigrants, says
the road shall be constructed '.to the east
ern boundary of the State of California, near
Honey Lake" This is the wsest provision
that could have been made, for no other
point on our eastern boundary, presents so
few obstacles for the construction of a road
to the heart of eur golden State Honey
Lake lies on the eastern slope of the noun
tains, and the valley is occupied by r:iners.
settlers and from thence to the Sacramento
Valley, men have passed, with animals every
month in the year.
Now, then, if Sacramento desires to be
the western terminus, it is only necessary
for that city to build road up the Valley,
through Marysville and 0roville, to Chico,
and thence through Indian and Genessee
vallies to Honey Lake This will be fonnd
much cheaper and better than the uncon-
stitational- mdantain .desert-sink rorse, sur
veyed "by Mr. Day in So" We are perfectly
willing Sacramento should do this, for the
purpose of being the western terminus Of the
road, if she will abandon her selfish notions
Of bridge. Otherwise Oroyille must be
mast be entitled to that honor, for the
Honey Lake route presents a better natural
road, to the Humboldt river, than can be
constructed with all the wealth of the State,
on the route surveyed by Mr. Day" We
may, ultimately, conclude to extend plug
of the road southwark to Sacramento, but
that contingency depends entirely upon her
behavior on this subject.