The hydraulic press., 1859-01-08
MARYSVILLE AND DOWNIE-
WILLIE ROADS.

those towns, via Fosters Bar, Garden
Valley, and Camptonville. Messrs. Rice
& Atchison, two very energetic and
public-spirited gentlemen, have labored,
long and efficiently, to effect this object,
and, it would seem, they are now on the
eve of complete success. There is, al
ready, a very good from Marysville
to Fosters Bar; and, to render the re-
naming distance to Downieville of equal
character is now the great object of the
most active and influential business men
of Marysville and Downieville. The
construction of this road is to be effect
ed by a joint stock company, with a cap
ital of $4,000; and the newspapers in.
form us that the stock is being rapidly
subscribed. We are glad Of this. It
delights US to witness such manifesto
tons of enterprise and public spirit am
ong our mountaineers, and we can not
regard but with feelings of kindness ev-
cry internal improvement which serves
to facilitate communication between the
mountain towns and the Bay of San
Francisco.
1t is not, therefore, with any feeling
of local rivalry, but with the simple and
sincere desire to promote the public
good, that we wish to call the attention
Of the business men of Marysville and
Downieyille to the fact that a route, be-
tween those points, as short and in every
respect as favorable, now exists, via the
Empire Ranch and North San Juan. A
glance at Goddard's map of California,
Sd edition, will establish our assertion
as to the shortness, and the submission of
few facts will equally establish that as
to the tauoraJleness.
From Marysville to North San Juan,
via the Empire Ranch and French Cor
raj, there is already an excellent road
not better one anywhere in the mount
aims of California-with commonly es-
timated length of forty miles. From
North San Juan to Downieyille there is
road which requires only the expendi-
ture of some ten or twelve thousand
dollars to make it equally excellent with
that to Marysville. Let us examine this
road to Downieville, point by point.
It is two miles from North San Juan
to Freeman's Bridge, on the Middle
Yuba, and the road is good. Thence it
issix miles to Grizzly Fort, on which Mr.
Freeman is now constructing good and
substantial road. Thence to Plum Val
ley three miles and a half; thence to
Cold Spring four miles thence to Fred s
Ranch four miles; and thence to the
City Of Six four miles and half. Up
to the Flat, between Fred's Ranch and
the City Of Six, the road from North
San Juan, after the completion of that
part of it on which Mr. Freeman is now
employed, cannot be excelled by any
other in the mountains. This Flat is
one and half miles from the City of
Six, and the City of Six, which stands
on the brow of Downieville Hill, is one
and half miles from Downieville, and
is elevated four hundred and forty feet
above the level of that town.
1t is but twenty-five and half miles,
by this road, from Downieville to North
San Juan, and but sixty-fye miles, at
the furthest, to Marysville. The only
labor necessary on this road, is the gra-
ding of the hill between the City of Six
and Downieville, and improving one and
a halfmilcs between the City..of Six and
the Flat We have good authority for
saying that the grade on the Downieville
hill can be safely established at from
twelve to twenty inches to the rod-as
easy grade as can be found on any of
the crossings of any of the branches of
the Yuba-and we have equally good
authority for saying that the expense
need not exceed twelve thousand dol
lars. This comparatively trifing sum
triAing, when compared with the results
it will produce-can easily be raised by
voluntary contributions from the bust
ness men of Marysville, North San
Juan and Downieville We know three
gentlemen, in our immediate vicinity,
who are ready to advance as many thou
sands, as soon as movement shall be
made to grade the hill between Downie-
vile and the City of Six.
If it were necessary we might appeal