Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-06-20

Locating the National Wagon Road.
daily zeal aud earnestness. to secure the 10
cation Of the National wagon road through
Carson Valley and thence TO Sacramento
We have heretofore noticed one or two Of
their articles. but to notice all o. them. and
expose their sophstry. would require daily
reference. perhaps during the entire sum :
mer. On the arrival of Mr. Kirk the Su
perintendent of the western division of the
road, in Sacramento, the Union gave an ar
ticle explanatory of the bill making appro
priations for the construction OF the road
and in copying the bill, omitted portion
thereof. or We had not previously seen a
correct copy of the act The Union quoted
the bill as requiring the road to be construc-
ted "to the eastern boundary OF the State of
California, near Honey Lake while copies
of the bill as originally furnished by the
!. papers. reads ITO the eastern boundary
Of the State of California, at or near Honey
Lake" We would not assert tn at the I'm
ion has misquoted the act. for the purpose
of securing the location of the road on its
favorite route, for we know not which YER
sion of the act is correct We had supposed
thai it was the intention of Congress TO fol-
low the main immigrant trail. but leave the
Humboldt river at the north bend, and en-
ter the State by Mobiles Pass. thus avoiding
the deserts above and below the sink, which
have proved so fatal to the stock and prop
erty Of immigrants The Union of the Sth
says:
sTui little discretion deposited with the Super
intend, and Engineers rhey arr. canfn-i 10 the
present main emi9ranf route and can only improve
npon ground and distance bet~een those ponis.''
Meaning, We suppose. the points men
TONED in the act The interest and soljc
tude Of the Union for the Carson Valley
route, and its patriotic desire that Mr. Kirk
should understand his duties under the act.
would not let them rest upon their position
Of the sth, and aecordir giy, find in the
Union of the llth. the assertion that MIR
Kirk is Invested with discretionary powers
to select a route foom Salt Lake to the east
ern boundary of California, as follows.
"whe HRS wrsing parties are engagct. in improv
Ing The most westerly section of the road expluring
rites Will be ihrsRn 0ut eich side oi the old
eng ami trail down The unbodi the Object being
t. md The rpule oh cnmbiHes The I'd saniages
for ia emigfani road pom his return ii Is hi in
ation. II Is 10 accordance with his discretionary
lsirHction 10 make thorough reconnaissance of the
rolie which runs south of GreaI Salt Lake"
1t is possible that the Union may succeed
in convincing MIR. Kirk that it is his duty.
under the act of Congress. to locate the
western terminus of the road a. Carson Val
ley, but We doubt it 1t is a well authen
ticsted fact that the pass through the
mountains sat or near Honey Lake is some
two thousand feet lower than the pass on
the Carson Valley route The II sney Lake
pass has been travelled every month in the
year. without difficulty, while those who
have undertaken 10 travel the Carson route
to death. or barely escaped with their lives
Thompson, the hardy snow shoe expressme d,
being the ouiy one to successfully pass the
frozen barrier The distance from Sacra
AShtu, tfu VfoNitit hUu Honey
LAKE to the north bend of the Humboldt, is
shorter, lower, and the ascents of an easier
grade, than by any other route.
The Shasta Republican, uses the following
tart language in reference to the Unioas
arguments upon this subject:
The same paper contends that under the law max
ing appropriations Tor The eonsl rucIion q wagon
read Ia terminate, lat Honey Lake" the
pernieudent would be suihurizei To- terminate the
road al Carsoa Nalley-a distance Of over hundred
miles from Honey Lake. Such construction oi plain
Enghsh Is something to b. wondered ut Il IS hardly
possible III Nj kirS, the sup rniendent, although
largely '"ierestei ia property in Fl ID. in county
VIII act upon an such on rtgeois sigg ion. II he
du's he viii not perverl and iei the plain aud
pipable INTENT IN Of Congress, out he will the
cinemp Of Califor and 81 all i'm nj
grants who may hereafter aisle ihrir health and
property ON the dspate shores oi the lower llmb1idt
and the Carson Desert "
ELLtoT's CuURr.-Mm. ii ianan the bel