The Placer herald., 1857-05-02

The Placer County Wagon Road over the
Sierra Nevadas, and its Connection
with the National Road.
We spoke last week of the unusual interest that
is being manifested just at this time in regard to
the construction of roads over the mountains, and
of the calls made for Conventions at several
points to adopt measures to secure the construc-
tion of the same, and also suggested, for the con-
sideraton of the Convention to be held in this
county at Yankee Jm's on the 9th inst, the pro-
priety of taking such action would secure
meeting of the citizens of Placer Ell Dorado and
Sacramento, as the papers of the two last men
toned counties had avowed themselves in favor
of that route which should prove the most
Observation-Disclosures located in Placer or Ell Do
RADIO During this week, however, the Senators
and Representatives of the counties of Ell Dorado,
Sacramento and Yolo have called convention
to meet in the city of Sacramento on the llth
inst, "for the purpose of taking into considera-
tion measures to insure the speedy completion of
Wagon Road from Sacramento to Carson Val
ley; and in connection with this, bill has passed
the Legislature providing for submitting to the
voters of Sacramento and FL Dorado counties an
appropriation of S25 900 by each county, for the
construction of wagon road to connect with
National Road From this we arc led to infer
that the citizens of those counties have deter
mined to take action among them elves, and the
route to Carson Valley through Ell Dorado is the
one determined upon. If they see proper to pur
sue This course we havo no objection to make
we shall, how, Yer, in this article, present an ar
or c,o3 10 tha ITO
through Placer, that the Sacramento Convention,
and the citizens of Placer, Nevada, FL Dorado.
Sacramento, Sutter. Yuba Yolo, and Solano, may
well take into consideration.
From information derived from gentlemen who
have Travelled the routes which will consider,
we are enabled to speak with accuracy.
From Sacramento to Carson Valley, through
Placer county, the distances as follows:
Miles
From Sacramento to Auburn, 80
Auburn tt Forks House, 80
Forks House to Secret Spring House,
Secret Spring House to Robinson's Flat,
Robinson Flat to West Summit of y
Sit ira Nevadas,
West Summit to lower end of Squaw
Valley, near Lake Bigler, and al T 3
the crossing of Truckee river,
Truckee crossing along east bank of :
river to lts head at the lake,
@ thence north to head of Lake Bigler, IL
North end of Lake Bigler to East 2
Summit of Sierra Neyadas,
East Summit to Washoe Valley
Washoc Valley to Carson Valley. s
Total 135
From Sacramento to Auburn the roads are as
good as any in the State; from Auburn to the
Forks House (on the divide between the North
and Middle Forks of the American river) there
are two roads: one crossing the North Fork three
miles frD IN Auburn, and passing through Yankee
Jm's and near Michigan ctythe other by way
of lilinoistown, crossing North Fork eighteen
miles above Auburn and passing through Iowa
Hill. Over both of these roads stages and heav
lily loaded teams pass daily; (stages leaving Iowa
Hill and Yankee Jims at daylight, reach Sacra-
mento at noon.) The companies owning the
bridges and turnpikcs at these two crossings have
expended II any thousands Of dollars in making
them the best of mountain roads; they are ex-
celled by none in California. From the Forks
House to Secret Spring House the road is gener-
ally good-it only being necessary to remove
some loose stone to make it easy travelling for
wagons. After leaving Secret Springs the road
ascends steep hill, which can be improved at
small cost. This hill is the first obstacle to the
pessng of heavy loaded teams in the whole dis
tance as miles, from Sacramento. From top of
Secret Hill to Robinsons Flat the road continues
good and from thence to the West Summit of the
Sierra Nevadas, seventeen miles, follows the di-
viding ridge up an easy ascent, crossing no can
ons. and requiring but small amount of work at
two or three points. The highest ridge Of the
summit is avoided by following around a rar-
row bench of land to the south side, at which
point some light side-hil cutting is necessary.
From the summit the road descends three miles
into Squaw OF Grass Valley; from the head to the
foot OF this valley at Lake Bigler, is over an al
most level road. An excellent grade from the
summit can be obtained by running to the head
of Squaw Valley and along its side to its foot
at the crossing of Truckee near Lake Biger'
The river at the crossing, is thirty feet wide, and
between two and three feet in depth in The sum
mer season; has hard, firm bottom. Down the
eastern bank of the river to its head (the lake,,
the distance is five miles and but little work ne
cessary. Following along the western shore OF
the lake twelve miles, its northern end is reach
ed--good road with the exception Of two miles,
which rcquises some side hill cutting. From here
'The Truckee river runs north-w esterly from
Lake Bigler for a short distance, then circles to
the north and east, and flows in easterly direc-
tion through the Sierra Nevadas to their eastern
base. at Truckee Meadow and thence north-by-
ga ast into the south end OF Pyramid Lake