The weekly Butte record., 1861-02-09
Pacific Railroad and Route.

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ture accomplishment. The report that the
President will veto the bill on account of the
great cost of the enterprise, and the present
distracted condition of some Of the States, can
not be fully credited because these facts could
not justify the postponement, and possibly, the
final defeat of so great necessity to the people
of the nation-for no one can doubt that its
success would not only strengthen our credit at
home and abroad, but would unite US more
strongly together, than ever, as a people.
And as our hopes and belief, and those Of
several of our cotemporaries, still exist, as to
its ultimate success. we all naturally turn to
the most practical route to surmount the bar
rier presented by the Sierra Nevada mountains.
And as we are accused Of being welded to
"pet route" namely, the Honey Lake, Big
Meadows, and Butte Creek road, yet we are
not so, without good and valid reasons Our
own knowledge of great part of the pet route,
united with that of others who are as deeply
and vitally interested in the matter as ourself,
has convinced us as well as many others of its
superior practicabiity over all other routes
above Walkers Pass.
The main object to be sought is the lowest
altitude, so as to have an easy grade, without
too much snow this our pet route" has, as
shown by actual measurement, and actual
travel on the line Of the proposed road, during
the past two winters.
Our cotemporary of the Plumas Standard,
in an able and disinterested article after show
ing the practicability of the Truckee, Beck
wourth Valley, and Middle Fork of Feather
River louie to Oroville, holds this language,
which we adopt:
q We know whereof we write, and do not hes-
tate to assert that should ever road be built
the Sierra Nevadas, and it is not locatel through
some OF the low gaps around the head waters of the
Yuba Feather, it will be because capital is
brought to bear for private selfish ends, against the
plain natural route which nature offers.
We are not interested in any route; the oad we
think best does not touch Quincy; we only desire
TO see road into California at some point; and
the signs are that the road will soon be commenced
call the attention Of those who may be interest
ed to the above facts. The old Hangtown Johnsons
Cutoff and the old Truckee route by Nevada, are
all impractlcabe, except in the eyes OF those who
may be pecuniarly interested; and the road that
offers the least obstacle in grade and snow, must
commend itself to those who want a road even if
it does not come by their own doors.
We have not written the above for 'buncombe,
but call the attention of those who may be called
upon TO iufuence its location, to the fact of the
entire feasibility of the above route We have been
over every foot of the ground to within fifteen
miles of Bdwell's Bar, and we have had some eX-
in liipl1 tbn tf,po he
Placerville, Johnsons Cutoff and old Truckee
routes, and feel authorized in saying that there is
not through the whole length of the Sierra Neva
das route that offers as many natural advantages
for railroad as the we have pointed out, unless
it be the one from lasseu 5 Meadows on the Hum
boldt, via LanderS road to Honey Lake. thence, via
Little and Big Meadows, down Deer Creek to the
Sacramento Valley
And this latter route is the one we look to-
as being the only one that presents the desi-
deratum of lowest altitude, easiest grade, least
snow, and the most direct route to the Sacra-
mento Valley, and at a point where it can
connect directly, by projected Railroads, with
tide water,-and accommodate the most peo-
pie and the greatest interests.
Col. Williams, of the Territorial Enterprise,
comes back at us somewhat sarcasticay, but
shows peculiar diSilherestedneSs by concluding
thus:
% In conclusion we must again assert that we are
the partisan of no route, and would be glad to see
railroad over the mountains even if it did 60 by
HumJug Valiey.
We'll, VIC accept the apology, and quote
again from the Col, to show that he still does
believe the "Noblc Pass" (9 Honey Lake
Valley route, the best through the mountains ::
I'VE still think the Noble Pass the best one
through the mountains, from the Oregon line to the
Colorado river, for the construction OF a railroad,
but it does not 90 by way of Humbug Valley but
bears to the north to Shasta follows of the
valleys to Tehama or Red Bluffs on the Sacramento
River Either of the points above mentioned, can
be reached from Honey Lake Valley by following
succession of Valleys but little grading being
necessary. Whether it would he advisable to build
q road that far north is a question will not de-
eide upon.
And the Colonel will rccollect that the very
same succession of vallies that will lead towards
Tehama, lead also, to the Humbug Valley and
Butte Creek route,-for such is the fact.
Then we say that our "pet route is
Strengthened by the concessions of all parties
who are really interested in having the road
built, and having it run by their own doors;
although by such concessions it puts it on an
other route and away from them. Pro bono
puJlico is good rule, if it does sometimes work
against our dearest interests.
bssy~ The recent Breckinridgers have emer.
ged from their chrysiIis state They are no