Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-03-26

cerviic route presents better immediate claims for
an appropriation than any other.
This route Is central. None other is any where
near 80 central as this convenient TO or Access
sbe from all parts Of the State.
The route EIom the metropolis Of the State to the
Eastern side Of the mountains Is much shorter than
by any other route. The trip from Sacramento to
tcnOa in Carson Valley has been constantly made
pr nearly year past, by stages, in two days.
From Placcrville to Genoa in one day.
The main overland emigration has for years fol
lowed this route which flct alone issr0ng evidence
"f its superiority over other and rival routes The
Truckcc ruute was ycnrs since almost abandoned
for that BY way Of Carson Valley. This has not
been done without good reasUn-and overland emf
grants nrc guOd Judges Of mountain roads. II is
better to make good roads upon the route which
travel has selected for itself, than to endCavor tn d.
vert emigration from the course it has voluntarily
chosen, by makink new roads in other dircc,innH.-
Il is doubtful whether travel would follow such
roads even if constructed.
The central overland mail is now carried over
this route and doubtless W i'll always continue On it,
rs this il the shortest possible line between Sacra
lncntO aud Salt Lake City, aud the only route By
which Carson Valley can be accommodated.
Even tllnughh were a quCstiOn Of doubt, whether
J0hnson'S Pass possesses equal natural advantages
with Others yet there be M doubt that with the
improvements which have been made upon II, II Is
now by far the best road over the mountains. Pri-
vate enterprise has expended much money upon IT,
The city Of Placcrvc has paid money for its survey
and improvement And the counties II Sacramcn-
to aud FL Dorado have expended 81, n~ toward its
construction. II Is capable Of being Travelled ut all
seasons Of the year. and is now actually being trav
elrd every day in the year. Tho overland mail is
carried over it every week both ways, aud during
all this unusually severe winter has never bccn,de'
luycd upon II single occasion by any obstacles upon
this road. II has never missed crossing in within
schedule time. That which il conjecture as to other
rSnlds is demonstrated fact as IL thiS,-it Gun be
travelled over every day in the year for IL has bs'"
With what has been expended upon the r"ad, AGO.
O00 will make il Ns good q mountain road as any in
the Union. II will bc credit well rs an advnn.
nge to the State ind the formidable Sicrras will be
shorn Of their terrors to the weary e'nigrnnt.
II in ungcnerous and unjust for the rest If Cali
fnrnia 10 leave the completion Of this great work,
the advantages Of which to be shared by ALL to
the counties Of sacramento and Fl Dorado. And ii
would not be credtable that work upon which so
much has been expended should be permitted to 30
out Of repair or fall into decay.
The State Treasury is now In such n condition
that the sum Of money asked for may be given with
out the slightest embarrassment or Inconvenience,
and We are Oftbose no think that the public n0n
eys may sometimes be well applied in public
improvements in the support Of officers or even
State Prisons or Insane Asyums, although the lat.
ter proper enough, yet the former ought not to
be excluded. The stage Of Nations civilization
can be accurately judged from the conditions Of its
roads; aud while we all cOnccdc that emigration is
the prime necessity Of our Young State, and while
We IRE constantly inviting cngrnnts hi,hcr, we
think portion Of the public moneys would be well
applied in improving the highways BY which they
arc IL come.