The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-30
The wagon Roads to Ivashoe.

Under this heading the San FranciSc,
Bulletin publishes a letter from Mr.. IIark
ness, of Georgetown, in regard to til,
Georgetown route. While we have n,
disposition to find fault with our George
town neighbours for bringing their read
leading to Nevada Territory prominently
before the public, we yet must Object Il
their doing it at the expense Of the PA
cervillc route, particularly when they, un.
intentionally, perhaps, misreprcSent our
route. The enterprise and liberality Of
our Georgetown friends challenge ON
admiration. and we shall not object if thcy
succeed, in legitimate manner, in Oh.
tanning a large share of the freight and
passenger business to WaShoc. There
is enough Of freight moving in that direc-
ton for several roads. Mr.. Hardness says:
Although the people of Sacramento and FL
Dorado have been taxed IL sum Sufficient IL
make IL good free road tn the Eastern line ui
the State, had the same been properly located
vet the tax PAYERS Ht these counties, when truv-
cling TO Nevada, are subject 10 the most extor.
tionaIe tolls. $3u.poU To 50, 900, honestly laid
out, will make better road TO Nevada and
nearer, by eomilcs, than this day exists through
Placerville."
Does not Mr.. darkness know that the
tolls collected on the county road are ex-
pended exclusively for the improvement
OF the road? All roads require constant
repairing. Does Mr.. Hardness desire to
see a special tax levied on the taxpayers
Of our county, large majority Of whom
never pass over the road, to keep the road
in repair for the benefit Of outsiders? II
not, let him suggest some plan whereby
it can be done without reSorting to tolls or
tax. Competent Engineers have exam.
ined the different routes, and they all agree
that the paccrvillc route is the shortest
one to Nevada Territory. Again, Mr..
Hardness says:
"Teamsters are induced to pay 81 per trip
as toll rather than lrayelIhe public highway.
+ Foil roads are built for the benefit OF
teamSters and travellers, and they are not
compelled to travel over them. Mr. II.
has been misinformcd. We have it from
the best authority that transfers pay but
Sl337i toll "per trip" In no instance
have they paid more. There is a vast
difference between ST and $l3. Mr..
darkness concludes his letter in these
words:
1.-THE facts in the case warrant us in claiming
that we Of the Georgetown route have the ad
vantage in Mortne& Of Iisttnre. also in the tar
est pass, and in more uniform ascent in reach
ing the summit"
Mr. darkness, probably deceived by the
information of Others, states that they
have "the lowest pass" An experienced
Engineer, gentleman of unimpcachablc
vcracity, who has surveyed both routes,
assures us that the Georgetown route is
eleven hundred and twenty-five feet high.
or than the PlaccrviIle route, and the snow
belt twenty-scven miles longer, and the
distance much greater. The Georgetown
route runs nearly to the head waters Of
the North Fork Of the American river
and then makes long dctour in order to
reach Lake Biglrr. The Placerville route
runs straight to within half mile Of Lake
Biglcr. Mr.. Swan has gentleman in his
employ who assisted to survey the George
town route, and he states that it would
be next to impossible to keep it open in
the winter mouths. An examination oil
the map will at once prove that the PA
cervillc route is much the shorter of the
two.
The idea Of taking freight in ferry boats
"across Lake Biglcr to Carson City," is
prcpoStcrous. 1t would bankrupt, in a
short time the heaviest capitalists in CAL
ifornia to engage in such wild enter
prise. How many ferry boats would it
take and how much would it cost to build
them? A suitable ferry boat could not
be built for less than $4,000 Could
shippers afford to pay the freight ncces-
sarily charged in order to make the spec
ulation pay? Certainly not. 1t would
be a failure.
We are free to admit that the George
town route is an excellent summer route,
and with proper improvement will be no
mean rival of the Placerville route. Res.
idents of the same county, having inter
ests in common. we should assist each
other, and not injure our routes 10y use
loss discussions. The trade to Washoe is
steadily increasing, and with proper
efforts ne may each secure q large share
Of it.