San Andreas independent., 1857-12-26
The Big Tree Road.

oihnono III ieSdiu W IL, There is very llt-
tie doubt but that war will be CON-
menced next spring with determination
to subdue the turbulent spirit which ami
mates the people of Salt Lake There is
also every reason to believe that Califor-
MIA, from its many superior advantages,
will be selected for the base of operations,
and as starting point for the army des-
tined to conquer the Latter Day Saints
In connection with this matter, the ques-
tion will naturally arise as to what route
will be selected for the march of the army
and the transportation of supplies. 1t is
stated that Senator Gwin is In favor of
the southern route from San Bernardino
via the Colorado river; and there is no
doubt it possesses superior advantages in
one respect-it being free from snow the
year round. But then tits much farther,
and the cost of transportation would be
much greater than upon some other routes
that might be selected.
The Sacramento Union takes up the
matter, and advocates the road by way of
Johnson's Cutoff into Carson Valley, and
calls upon the Supervisors of Sacramento
and Ell Dorado counties, to act forthwith
in having that route opened and put in
proper order by spring, that it might be
established as "the military road" In
speaking of the advantages which the
route would possess over the Colorado
line, In respect to distance, and the con-
venience with which an army could be
transported from Carson Valley to Salt
Lake, it says:
This city would, therefore, be found
more convenient than any other locality
in the State for the concentration of men
and munitions of war;
1t would then become the base of one
rations in Northern California, whatever
might be undertaken on the Colorado line.
In fact, as laid down on the map, this
city is almost as near Salt Lake as the
mouth of Virgin river, on the Colorado
Under the circumstances, it is not likely
that an army could be recruited and fair
ly organised for forward movement be-
fore April, and by that time the Boards
of Supervisors of this county and Ell Do
RADIO may, if they will, have the road from
Placerville over the mountain in such
complete order for transporting heavy
loads, as to invite, if not command, by
its superior advantages, the Government
to use it for conveying all the material
of war across the Sierra Nevada Noun
tains which may be considered necessary
for Salt Lake.
The people of Sacramento and El Dorado
have voted to have road over the noun
tains to Carson Valley, and there is no
no doubt they will have good one, if
such can be constructed. But there are
no advantages which that route has, or
can be made to have, which are not also
possessed by the Big Tree route. Be-
sides, the road by way of the Big Trees
has more gradual grade than any other
route across the mountains. And in fact
1t is now a conceded point by all who
have travelled the different routes, that it
possesses superior advantages to any one
yet discovered across the Sierra Nevada.
In reply to the article in the Union, the
San Joaquin Republican, makes the fol-
lowing remarks, which are worthy the at
tention of those who feel an interest in
the advanced prosperity of the southern
mining section, and of the increased agri-
cultural development of the San Joaquin
valley:
We are willing to admit the state
ment of the Union, that the distance from
Sacramento to Salt Lake is shorter than
from Los Angeles to that point, and that the
natural way from Sacramento to Carson
Valley is by way of Johnson's cutoff /;
the assertion of that paper, however, that
Sacramento would be found more con.
venient than any other locality in the
State for the concentration of men and
munitions of war, to be used in Utah
against the Mormons, is entirely errone-
Gus. The best natural route to Carson
Valley from California, is via the Big
Tree Road
"That the Big Tree route is better in
every particular, than the Placerville
route, there can be no doubt, if we are to
believe the statements of eyery man who
has crossed both. This being the case,
we then claim that Stockton is the best
locality for the concentration of troops
and munitions of war to be used against
Utah. We hope the citizens of Calave-
ras, San Joaquin, and other counties di-
rectly interested, not only in the estab-
lishment of the military road, but in the
wealth and prosperity of the San Joaquin
Valley, will give this subject their earliest
attention. By the expenditure of few
thousand dollars, the Big Tree route to
Carson Valley, either for mail, military,
or immigrant purposes, will stand with