Mariposa Democrat., 1857-04-29
THE TRANsMONTANE WAGON ROAD


THE TRANSFORMERS WAGON ROAD.
On the 2nd of next month the Convention meets at
Mokelumne Hill to deliberate upon and recommend
the most eligible route for an emgnnt wagon road
across the Sierra Nevada mountains. The object Of
the movement is to divert portion of the emigration
10 the Southern portion of the State and especially
the counties bordering and in the San Joaquin Valley.
Heretofore these counties have been cut off from the
benefits of the emigration across the plains, not so
much on account of difficulty as of ignorance of the
various crossings ofthe sierras, many Of them equally
as good or better than the Northern and usually
Travelled ones This, unfortunately, has hindered and
retarded the settlement of the San Joaquin Valley and
its vcinities and the upper middle and northern
counties through the great arteries Of population the
emgrant roads, have received the emigration, the
wealth, and enterprise and thus outstrpped us in all
that constitutes the prosperity and improvement of the
commonwealth. We desire the Convention TO remedy
these evils, by concentrating the Southern counties
upon route that will ensure the greatest facilities for
emigrants to enter this part of the State.
There are those among us who believe the Tejon Pass
route VIA Sonora The result of our information upon
this subject (imed it is true) is that the Big Tree
route presents the most facilities and inducements
1t is well known that the great Of emigrants who
come by Salt lake. will sooner take Carson Valley in
their way, than TETON, even though they intended
locating in any of the Southern counties Now unless
the Big Tree or Sonora route is made acceptable they
will continue 10 pass to Pacevillc and needy, as is
usually the case will there sell or trade their stock &c.
to save them from starvation or else push them
through to the counties west Of the Sacramento
Hence It is evidently true interest to openup direct
communication with the Carson Valley and Walker
River routes so as to share immigration with the more
Northern counties. The emgrant, with his stock and
family without any predetermined place of location
will generally make for the nearest point where gra
zing for his stock and home for his family can be
procured. These he can easily and certainly find in
the counties south of the Mokelumne River, for the
lands of the San joaquin Valley and its tributaries
inviting, both regards fertility and luxuriance of
pasturage. The Southern mines are also rich and ex
tensive and hitherto have been more tardily de-
veloped through deficiency of the population and
wealth necessary to enable the construction of acque
duets for supplying the mines with water, and on
count of the absence of other agencies of improve
want of energy and enterprise. This we contest
For having resided in both sections of the State, we
are convinced that the difference is due rather to the
accidence of numbers, wealth and means than to any
distinctive natural characteristics of population. We
have observed that discoveries of mines Improvements
in machinery and facilities for mining originates
1t is the want of mining ground, supernduced by an
overcrowded population, that leads men to prospect
and discover gold in places apparently unlikely, that
otherwise would not have been thought Of The prin-
cipa reason then, of the backwardness of the South
mines is want Of population caused by there not
being great highway TO pour into them its annual
thousands from the Western States and the difficult
ties heretofore imposed upon communication between
San Francisco and the Southern mines. The steam
boat monopoly and high travelling expenses, have al
most barred emignnt passage from San Francisco to
this region andeft comparatively isolated. There
fore II Is 10 be hoped the Convention will provide the
remedy for these inconvenience, by attracting hther
wards the contemplated share of immigration whose
quickening and regenemting influence would not be
long ensuring the desired wealth and prosperity