The Placer herald., 1861-01-12
Railroad Topics.


Lower House OF Congress, and the expectation
that il will now become law, providing, as the
bill does, appropriations for n road from the navi-
gable waters of the Sacramento river to the east
ern boundary Of the State, has called something
of public attention to the subject, and is bring
ing out discussion as to the practicable routes
from the valley over the Sierras Various POI
tions of tie Stute will put forward claims as to the
proposed road, but il will be admitted that it is
desirable to have the road located as near the GEN.
trail portion of the State as possible, as afordng
a more direct connection with the main line TO
be built the territories, as well as extend
ing present facilities to the heavily populated
counties it would pass through. and to meet
the growing demands of the Washoe mining
country. Explorations during the last summer
and fall have demonstrated that this desideratum
can be obtained. and through the counties OF
Placer and Nevada on the dividing ridge between
the waters of the North Fork of the American
and Bear River. exists Il route to the eastern
slope of the mountains upon which grades can
be obtained no greater than at present in use ona
number ofroads crossing the Allegheny mountains
This fact having been established by barometri-
cal and instrumental survey gives prominence
TO the route that no other has or will probably
attain: and while other passes may he as low as
Summit Pass it will not he found that there
lists another route in the central portion of the
State upon which ere are no rivers to cross
after leaving the valley until the State line is
reached or that shows so gradual an ascension OF
grade from the valley to the summit. To reach
Summit Pass two lines are Designated one direct
from Sacramento City 10 Lincoln. and from
thence ascending the foot hills to the lllinoistown
divide (between Bear riv CT and the North Fork)
above Auburn, and following the divide TO the
surrmit On this line the only river crossing
Ia, A Of Int
grades from The plains up the foothills toward
the IllnoistOwn road within distance OF eight
or nine miles, would be necessarily so heavy from
the abrupt rise Of the country that the maximum
grades would be at least l50 feet to the mile. The
other line is from the terminus the Sacramento
Vall"y Railroad at Folsom. and from thence to
Auburn lllnostown and the summit. From
point six miles above Auburn the two routes are
coincident. AS is well known the Sacramento
Valley Road is an accomplished iact-thc line is
% miles in length. From Folsom to Auburn. a
distance Of Is 0S miles a 10 .ation survey giving
complete estimate of co t. grades, etc. was made
last year by Sherman Day. under the authority
OF the Sacramento Placer AID Nevada Railroad
Company. 4 preliminary survey WAS Subsc-
quenty made, by Mr. Elliott. from Auburn up
the Illnostown divide twenty miles and thence
across Bear river to Grass Valley and Nevala.-
And later he ran "A survey from Dutch Fat (seven
miles above the point VIII re the railroad survey
crossed Bear river and went to Nevada for a
wagon road up the divide 10 Summit Pa 5. Don
ncr Cabins. and down the 1ruckec Mr.. Judah has
also Informed us that he has ascerained the pru0-
lcahility of Il railroad over the same route. and
has published his views relative thereto in pamph
let form The whole distance then. from Folsom
to the summit and down the Truckce has been
under instrumental survey. with the exception of
ahont seven m les Just below Dutch Flat. which
is also shown ny The elevations taken b. aneroid
b,romctrr would not require grades exceeding
som. by way of Auburn to IilinOistOWn give the |
maximum grades at eighty feet to the mile and |
from there TO the summit there are grades |
greater than are successfully used on the Virginia |
Central Railroad.
We have in This route that which should en- |
gage the attention OF railroad capitalists, the
citizens Of Sacramento. and the central cOuntie>
that desire the proximity Of The wcstcrn end OF
the Pacific Railroad. 1t is lolly to make new
road from tide water when there is already on"
OF % miles in existence running in thr right di-
rectioH, and another compa y formed and prepar-
inc to extend the rails still further in the right
direction over gi ound that careful survey has de-
monstra cd to admit of the easiest grades to be
found in climbing the mountain sides.
The location survey Of the portion of the Sac
Placer & Nevada Railroad between
Folsom and Auburn. rs per Engineers Report.
will cost fully equipped, having ? miles in
main and side track Sl.000.7l3 or S929297 as
cations on the Aniurn end. This provides for
costly engine houses. machine shop depots, To-
comotves etc. Above Auburn there has not
been any estimates made of cost. The lower di-
vision Of the road first thirteen miles out OF
Folsom, is of light cost the total estimate for
grading being bnt Sl30.9S9. and the cost Of sapei
structure per mile on same Sl0.Sl4. or S27 .51l
for the division placed in running order This
division will probably he completed within the
next twelve months. and we submit to the con
sidrration OF the people of Sacramento and the
press Of that city if this is not the line they
shonl aid to carry forward. Connecting as it will |
with their city. which must derive untold adj
from not only the future but the pres
ent business of the country, they should not be
to its success but aid in the enter
prise. instead of enlising in any project to run
another road fiom their city in competition to the
Valley Road. is moi in the number of roads
that Sacramento can be benefited but in the |
length of those that will bring her business from
q long distance.
If the Pacific Railroad Bill is to pass. and |
CALIFORNIA; receive appropriations under it. it |
cure the benefits TO he derived, than that the |
common efforts be rendered nugatory by a want
Of cooperation.
Loss of Cattle.
The general custom in California; of keeping