The Nevada journal., 1860-01-06
NEVADA JOURNAL
FRIDAY MORNING, Jan. 6, 1860.
NEVADA AND HER RAIL RoAD-We

we would invite close attention. These
facts 60 to determine where the in
terests of our County lie in connec-
tion with a railroad.
No one doubts that sUoner or later
a communication with the seaboard
by railway is inevitable. A railroad.
by virtue Of our resources and wants
must sometime become a necessity
We are among the majority in believ-
ing that necessity now to exist
Whatever diversity of opinion may
prevail on this point, all will agree it
is wise to look around us, be fore
warned and forearmed to protect our
interests in time. Accordingly the
citizens Of Nevada City have raised
a handsome sum of money to survey
a railroad route to Auburn in Placer
County, and competent engineer
with corps of assistants adequate to
the task will enter upon the work i'm
raediately.
We propose to present the reasons
for connection with Sacramento ria
Auburn. By an examination of the
report of L. D. Judah, Chief Engineer
of the California Central Railroad, we
find that Auburn is 1856 above Sac
ramento, Folsom 175 above Sacra-
mento, and therefore Auburn is 975
feet higher than Folsom. The point
taken at Auburn by Judah was the
Placer Herald Office which is in the
lowest part of the town, while the
survey of Hon. Sherman Day estab-
lishes the terminus at Auburn of the
Auburn and Folsom road at full sixty
feet higher, which will make the as
cent gained from Folsom to Auburn
on the proposed road between the two
pidCes, 1,OOO Icct.
The elevation of Lincoln above
Sacramento, if anything, we cannot
ascertain exactly, but sufficiently SO
for all practical purposes. Going
from Folsom towards Lincoln we find,
by Judah's report, that the Half Way
House is 25 feet zo,cer than Folsom
requiring descending grade towards
Lincoln. The latter place stands out
on the plain on Auburn ravine, and to
the eve would seem to be but little
higher than Sacramento. But we
have data somewhat to the point of
determining the relative attitudes of
Auburn and Lincoln. According to
the report of Judah before us, there
is a fall of TAO feet from Auburn to
Gold Hill which is seven miles from
Lincoln. Allowing but 20 feet fall to
the mile. for the remaining seven miles
and we have $50 feet, the altitude of
the Placer Herald office above Lin
coin, Add 60 feet for the elevation
of the Auburn depot, on the railroad
to Folsom, above the Herald office,
and we have the approximate altitude
of Auburn at $40 feet above Lincoln,
which is absolutely less than the ac-
tual difference.
These facts are significant. and
demonstrate that the interests of Ne
vada County lie in a connection with
Auburn by railroad, tor are hare a
route a tsu miles shorter than to Ltn-
colin and are may safely sag 1c'th $40
feet less ascent to orerc0me. Indeed a
railroad from Nevada to Lincoln may
be pronounced impracticable. The
hills are too abrupt n the vicinity of
Lincoln to run railroad in this direc-
ton. The spur railroad proposed
from Gold Hill to tie California Cen
trail, we find OH investigation can be
of but little practical benefit to this
County. Indeed if we design to have
a good railroad connection with the
Sacramento Valley the extension rail-
road will rather be a curse than a
blessing if completed. We cannot
connect with it without overcoming
about 1000 feet ascent, whereas on
the Auburn route we have but about
half that number of feet to overcome.
Nevada is, in round numbers, 1900
feet above the sea level, or say 2,100
above Sacramento. She is then 1850
higher tb an Auburn. Now an eleva-
ton of ,O35 feet has been easily over
come in 10 miles, the distance between
Folsom and Auburn. 1t is evident
then, the route being practicable, that
an elevation of i ,050 feet can be ca
silly met in 2S miles, the distance be-
tween Nevada and Auburn
If, then, we desire railroad to this
do o,1 70