The Placer herald., 1857-06-27
Why the Sacramento Valley Railroad
Should be Extended to Auburn.

That before investing money in any pub
lie improvement, it is first necessary to as
certain whether it will subserve the interests
OF the public, and prove profitable to the
sockholder, is too p ain proposition to re-
quire argument. That there are many works
that accomplish neither the one nor the
other, is evident to every man that makes
any use of his reasoning faculties. In no
country in the world are works Of a public
nature SO readily undertaken as in America,
and no class have added SO rapidly to the
commerce, wealth and convenience of the
nation as the stupendous system of railroads
that spreads a network of iron over the
whole land.
The initiatory step has been taken in Cali
fornia, and the pioneer railway has been
laid down whose connections will, before
many years ramify every portion Of the
State. Thus far however, the division of the
Sacramento Valley Railroad that is compet-
ed (22 miles in lengthy has failed to meet
the expectations of its stockholders, or ans
wer the demands of travel and trade. The
necessity for an extension to some point
farther north, that will answer these require.
ments, has prompted the company to such
action as they hope will secure the desired
object, and at the present time they are run
ming surveys up the valley in the direction Of
Marysvle and Orovile; and will also, we
are assured, survey, in a few days, lateral
branch from the main trunk above Folsom
to Auburn. That it is necessary for this road
TO come to AubUrn to secure the coveted trade
Of theimportant counties of Placer, Nevada
and Sierra, is susceptible of easy demonstra-
ton; and failure to touch this point, can be
as plainly shown, will result in the perma-
nent loss of the carrying trade of Placer aud
Nevada counties.
In the years s53 and '54, when Mr.. Judah,
at that time Chief Engineer of the Sacra-
mento Valley Railroad, made his report and
estimates upon the road, he took as the basis
for its business the entire number of travellers
and amount of freight that crossed the Anne
rican at Lisle's bridge, and such other ave
nues as led eastward into Ell Dorado, ane
northward to Placer and Nevada. This show
ing of business was extremely favorable fo
the contemplated enterprise, and the line
Was extended to Folsom in the belief tina
this extensive trade would be secured. Tha
it has completely failed to accomplish the
object is a matter Of public notorety, and nc
doubt Of deep disappointment to the stock
holders Of the road The reasons for this
are plain: The distance from Auburn te
Folsom is eighteen miles, from thence to
Sacramento twenty-two; from Auburn tc
Sacramento by the direct travelled road it il
called thrty-fv miles, but actual measure
ment, it is believed, would show it to be no
over thirty-two. Travelling on this roat
eighteen miles (the distance required to &c
from Auburn to Folsom) would bring the
teamster within fourteen or sixteen miles o
Sacramento. The saving Of so short dis
tance, over perfectly level road, is no OBJ
ject to the teamsters. Many Of them take
return loads of lumber from the mountains
and nearly all of them are purchasers of the
loads they haul away from Sacramento
Under this system, if they drove to Folsom
it would be necessary to employ persons to
take charge of their teams during their alb
ssnce in Sacramento making their purchases
and no time could be saved whatever. This
is the experience Of some of the Auburn
teamsters who tried the experiment. The
above remarks apply to all teams from the
northeastern portion Of Placer county, and
also from Nevada county, they being com
PEELED to come through Auburn. From this
it is evident that our trade will never 60 to
Folsom.
The railroad company have thought that
by an extension of the road to Bear river, at