Daily national Democrat., 1858-11-06
The Best Route.

Inc flumas Argus lnus colnluSnls on the
advantages of the route Of travel through
the Sierra Nevada into the Sacramento Val
ley:
"We are prepared to furnish testimony that
cannot be controyerted that the route
through Plumas is shorter, better grade
well wooded and watered, and the snow belt
as perfectly safe at all times and seasons, a.
on the lines of many railroads in New York
and Canada. We know Of no reason why
the poorer of the two routes should be Sc
lected to contrast with the southern route. at
the risk of finally locating the road on a line
not best calculated to promote the greatest
interest of the greatest number. We know
of no reason why it should be understood at
Washington that the waters of Honey Lake
Valley are so strongly impregnated with al
kali as to be destructive to cattle, when
there are five thousand head feeding on her
grass and drinking of her waters daily, and
in as perfect health and as good condition as
any cattle in the State Selfish motives falsi.
fy the truth, and self protection demands of
US a refutation of the falsehood. In order
to effectualy do this there must be combi-
nation of all parties whose interests are at
stake and as we view the matter, the list
will comprise every man north of San Fran
cisco. We propose then union OF strength
without consideration of political difference
on this one question. 1t must be manifest to
the dullest comprehension that there is n
powerful influence at work to turn travel
and attention from the pass through Plumas
county, and it is equally manifest, that that
influence must be counteracted, or We must
lose the advantages that should naturally
accrue to us from their possession. Sierra
Butte, Yuba, Shasta, and Plumas are vitality
interested in this project, and if the citizens
will unite their efforts and exert themselves
with an energy worthy of the great object
to be obtained, success must attend them.
Good wishes will not answer the purpose /;
public meetings and resolutions will not eff
feet the object. Those who profess an ankle
ty for this object, must express it in dollars
and cents, and by an actual survey bring to
to the knowledge of the Government and
people, the facts that have been suppressed
by their agents, and refute the falsehoods
that have been put in circulation. This sur
vey should be made now, at the most unfa-
vorable season of the year, when, if ever,
obstacles by storm and snow will affect the
road"
Actual survey has demonstrated that, if
there is to be Pacific railroad any where
else than on the extreme Southern route, the |
Noble and Henness passes afford the very
best entrance through the Sierra Nevada of
any otherpoint in the whole line of the noun
tain barrier. No digging down of mountains
required nor tunnelng through solid rock
Nature, it has been well said, has done more
for these passes than all the labor, skill and
capital of the Nation could do for the John
son Pass or any other Pass leading into the
Sacramento Valley, in any given number of
years. They afford, in connection with the
gradations reaching them from either side of
the Sierra, a natural grade for railroad.-
decry the advantages of the former, to wit
the Noble Pass, because it was little too
high up north to suit the interests of certain
spectators in Sacramento, who preferred to
see worse pass selected and unnecessary mil
lions of money expended in making it pasSa-
bic, to being deprived of their own selfish pc
,uniary benefits. The Union made very
good argument against the feasibility of n
'ailroad through that Pass, but, unfortunate.
y for the stability of the argument, it was
based upon the report of survey made in
1855 by Lieut.. Williamson, who travelled over
very rough portion of the country IN the
Oic'nity of Mobiles Pass, which portion of
country is now aoholly avoided and an excel
lent wagon road running to the south of it
Heavily loaded wagons are constantly pass
ing to Yreka and Shasta over that same
route
A railroad can be constructed without diff
6culty either from Marysville through the
Henness Pass, into the Salt Lake Basin, or
from Fort Reading, on the Sacramento river,
in Shasta county, through Mobiles Pass, into
the Salt Lake Basin. The Henness Pass is |
probably the better one of the two, if we
consider the advantages of more direct
route into the main body of the Sacramento
Valley. We believe it has been demonstra-
ted also by the accomplished Yuba County |
Engineer, ID. b. Scott, that it will require |
less grading for railroad through the Hen
ness lh"h through tue Noole IaSs. be that |
asst may, either one of the Passes is SO inf |
nitely superior to all others through the ST.
ezra Nevada range, that it is ridiculous pre-.
sumption to attempt to bring the latter into
any comparison with them, whatever.
The attention of the Government should.
and will be, drawn to these facts, in due time
We trust that these who are acquainted with
the advantages of either of these routes by
personal observation, will favor us with their
communications