The Placer herald., 1857-04-25
Wagon Road Conventions.

Since the reception of the news in Cali
forna, of the appropriations by Congress Of
money for the construction of two wagon
roads to our State, an extraordinary interest
seems to have been awakened in the minds
of the citizens Of all the counties situated on
the western slope of the Sierra Nevadas on
the subject, and this interest is nanifesting
itself in the call for Conventions at different
points and in numerous articles in the col
umns of the mountain papers. The press,
from Siskyou to Mariposa have taken hold
in great earnest, and the fact is made ap-
parent that every county in this whole
range has route for a wagon road that
is not only practicable, and has frequently
been trayersed by emigrants with wagons
and droves of CATTLE but that can be at COM
paratively small cost, placed in excellent
condition for travel.
But notwithstanding the belief that each
has the best route, the citizens of the north
crn and southern counties have called con-
ventions, to be holden at Marysville, on the
4h, and Mokelumne Hill on the Cd of May
The design Of the Marysvile Convention is
to adopt measures for the construction of a
road to Honey Lake Valley, the terminus
of the northern route from the States. The
one known as the "Big Tree" route will
probably meet with the most consideration
at the Mokelumne Hill convention, The
citizens of Placer and Ell Dorado, the only
mining counties not embraced in the calls
for the other conventions, have not as yet ta-
ken any steps to ensure joint action. The
citizens of Placer have called convention
at Yankee Jim's on the 9th day of May,
and the people of El Dorado are adopting
measures to have one in their own county.
The routes to Carson Valley through both
counties are known to be good and from
the fact of being satisfied of the Importance of
their own routes no unity of action may
occur. Sacramento from her position
is interested in having a road opened as
nearly eastward of her borders as possible
and the press of that county are urging up
on the citizens of the counties of Ell Dorado
Placer and Sacramento to take such action
as will bring about a meeting of delegates
from the three counties. The papers of
Ell Dorado and Sacramento express them
selves in favor of that route which shall prove
the best, whether it should be in Placer or
Ell Dorado. This is certainly fair and deserves
on the part Of our citizens some response.
In view then, OF this proposition, we would.
suggest to the Yankee Jims convention of the
9th, to take this matter into consideration,
and if, in their jud gment, this work which
must of a certainty bo very important to
us, can be accomplished by a union of the
three counties, let them appoint commit
tee, who in con junction with committees
from El Dorado and Sacramento will call
general convention at favorable time and
place.
AS an indication of the feeling in El Do
RADIO on this subject, we extract the following
from the Mountain Democrat:
ave do not urge the route through ouI
county to the exclusion of routes through
adjoining countes-a we desire is, to ascer-
tain (which is the most practicable route
through the mountains and when ascer-
tanned, to assist to improve it. VIII it bene-
fit us alone if Johnson's Cutoff is selected?
If Placer has better route than the one
through our county, Ell Dorado will Join
heartily and contribute literally to improve
it, because it will be mutually beneficial
When the Southern counties on the one
hand, and the extreme Northern counties on
the other, are uniting and calling conventions
to improve the routes in which they are in
terested, is it prudent for the counties of the
center to remain idle and indillerent.''
The above is certainly written in the RIGHT
spirit, and deserves a response in kind from
Placer. We hope the convention of the 9th
will take the suggestion under advisement
We would again urge upon the citizens
throughout the county, who feel an interest
in whatever concerns our future prosperity
and improvement, to take such action as will
insure good representation, in order that a
full expression of opinion may be obtained
at Yankee Jm's on Wednesday, the 9th day
of May.