San Andreas independent., 1858-06-19
FROM vALLECITO.
Correspondence of the Independent.


VALLEcITo, June 18th, 1858.
Mr. Editor About two weeks ago took
trip to Carson Valley, intending to visit the
rich diggings ON Walkers river, but meeting
party of miners returning, who reported the
aforesaid diggings not SO rich as they ought to
be, concluded to stopin that pleasant Valley
few days, and return (which did,
was very Hospitality entertained and kind
ly treated by the citizens of the Valley, dur
ing my stay.-for which they have my sincere
thanks. Many of them feel great interest in
the Big Tree road, and inquired of its condi-
ton, &c. Now, word about this road:-I
have passed over it several times, in the fall,
spring and summer,-three times while the
party were working on the road last summer,
-and know its wants, its advantages, ETC.
Mr. Shearer, the gentleman who superintend-
ed the work on the road last summer, did a
great amount of work for the means at his
command, and applied the money judiciousy
as far as it went but the funds placed at his
disposal We're not sufficient to make all the
Improvements required, and as Placerville,
and Sacramento, are now making such gigantic
efforts to put their road in condition superior
to ours, we should do something to put the
Big Tree road at least on an equality with
theirs. Now, for its wants There is about
two hundred yards in Hope Valley, within one
mile of the junction of the Placerville and Big
Tree roads, which requires ditching on each
side, and raising in the middle, as the ground
is low and fat and water stands on it some
time after the snow is gone From this place
to the bridge on the West Fork of the Carson
river-fve miles-the road is good; there is
spot, about one-fourth Of mile long, of the
same wet character which also wants ditch
ing; then, there is about one mile on the
south side of this Creek, in Faith Valley, where
ditching on both sides of the road would be
useful. The road is good and hard, at all
times, from there into Charity Valley, where
there is about one mile which wants ditching.
Mr.. V. Shearer ditched and raised the road
through the most boggy part of this valley,
last year; and then directed my attention to
the necessity of ditching it all, but said his
means were limited, and there were other
parts of the road which needed the work more.
The road through the upper part of Summit
Valley, for half mile from the summit down,
wants ditching on the upper side; the lower
end of Summit Valley is ditched and drained,
in the best manner Between here and the
Twin Lakes there is about half a mile which
wants ditching on each side; next we come
to Glover Valley, the lower end of which is
ditched and raised; but the descending slope,
from there to Deer Valley, wants ditching on
the upper side; it is hard ground, but the
water from the melting snow runs along and
across the road, and washes away the lower
side. From there to the descent into Silver
Valley, with the exception of about one hum
dred yards between the Forks of the Mokel-
umne, every place is dtched where needed
There is about one mile which needs dtching,
on the upper side and half mile in Silver
Valley ON both sides. Next we come to Bear
Valley, which needs ditching about three
fourths of mile; Domingo and Onion valleys,
about one-fourth of a mile and the same at
Big Meadows,-and we have done with ditch
ing. All the places l have named, are not
soft now, but they are soft when the snow first
melts away-being low, fiat ground, and the
water drains off very slow. When l returned
week ago, there was but three places of
about one hundred yards each which was
miry. Four wagons have crossed over since,
and the Expressman says these places are
fast drying up.
But we ought to have our road in condi-
tion so that loaded wagons can cross as soon
as the snow is gone, without waiting month
for the water to ''dry up"
Many people are afraid of the mud in these
Valleys and prefer dragging over the Hang
town road where they cannot haul more than
half load, to the chances of being begged
and leaving their valuable goods to the Nwild
varmints." To fix these places would not re-
quire more than two thousand dollars Why
could not this sum be raised and applied to
the purpose Now is the time to do the work :?
Stir up your Constituents" about this matter,
and l will tell you more when l have time to
write. Yours, &c. RIENZI.
l see by the Sacramento Union, that Mr.
Thompson went up to the threshing machine,
and found twelve miles of snow,-[ twelve miles
wide, or t,celoe miles deep ? ON the Big Tree
road met Mr.. Dowd on the road who had
hard work to get along. Expressman, Dowd
says the Union must have misunderstood Ex-
pressman Thompson; as, first, there was not
twelve miles of snow, at that time, on the
road there being snow from one mile north
of the Summit, to the lower end of Glover VAL
ley, distance five miles,-and from Stanislaus
MeaG,,rs. to about four hundred yards over
the ridge between Stanislaus and Mokelumne
rivers, distance of two niles, and ~lth the
exception of about four hundred yarus, down
the slope from Pacific to Mokelumne Valleys,)
the road between those points,-a distance of
seven miles-was bare. Secondly: Express