The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-11-01

We are indebted To +. A. Bishop, ESQ.
for a copy Of the report Of survey II
railroad route across the Sierra NevadaS,
via Placerville and the South Fork Of the
American River, made by himself and
Col. Lewis. As the matter Is dne M ta~@ !.
moment and Of vital interest to our city.
we lay the entire p tper before our readers
thinking it will better please them than
any article we could write upon its sub
ect matter
To George Blanchard. 4. O. Henry, F. A. Bee,
John Kirk and c. n. Bre'cster, o( PLIcerViiie
Cdfifornff, Committee Of Exploration for Rdti-
road Purposes across the Sierra NepG do.
GENTLEMEN = The rise and progress Of the
State Of California has already becnme a mat
ter of history. Her mineral products have
fixed her status among commercial nati..ns
but further advancement should be secured BY
the fuller development Of her vast mineral
and agt icultural recnurceS, and the opening al
superior inland communications, which ale
thu vanguardS If enlightenment and prospect
". Therefore. all projects. the solutinn 81
which tend tn that end, merit the attention
of her citizens.
California is not alone concerned in these de
sired improvements. Adjacent States and
Territories wilt b- UNNECESSARILY benefited BY
any system ct communication which reaches
their burdrrS.
Nevada TeTri,nTv which lies ia-the GteWt
Basin, ami an the eastern boundary Of Calif,r
ma, separated from her bv the Sierra Nevada
Mountains. lhuugh scarcely known abroad, and
but slightly explored by her own citizens, has
proved I" he exceedingly rich IN minerals, and
is already pouring stream It the precious
metals through thu detilc> If the Sierra. Th>
country Is prdct Iclll. shut out from the world
except through California. h"lng almost d-v"i !
II sol suitable h'r .R1 "liur', pasture 10
hcri- and timber FIR tIci aud tu' tLa ,gl ~
l",>es 1t i, dependent al ;t.r n Xalt,. o.,
Valleys OF California, fer f.'"i, ul-'u hrr "''A.
shops tor machinery. aud On her u"r;> : 'i.t
mauy Injuries and accessories which her pes
Il'' require.
Ttriap,i development II the mineral re
Cou'CcS Vt Nevada lis increasing P"pUl.Iil"n
aud requirements tor t"h clnIhing and ma
chuurr,. are causing much speculation ~ Ia
he mode 81 snipl,ipg their wants. THE de
m.ni = already :" great that the PRESENT
n-th ID If transportation bt Teams Is quite IN
..d,qli.;r IT,. "Nr.rienCe 1T the Iut>rht sea
>"u> ,,,W> that Ii'. very exte|!cntrna'i> leading
.hr uy;i .ih' III st ,'rAr'i't able passes IN the
St"rra Nrva'd are crowded to their utmost
rautb'V.
T.r a.. .rn.p IS aa. .nar "E freight and in.
cr l,.r- tlut,,} .'N.,n C.iit"ri,ia and Nevada
T,I...t,. -y'i.r with ;he high cost Il
'.'' ,,i I,E 49,. ,, ,rI,.
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- 80 a.,
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','., j.. ,,,. in,''., t,.n ,rn,I, s,n,,
-, S,.,ii i',Ik of H. Aur,ic,n River rise.
IN I,.. >,.r,. %,v,d, N,,,n,,nns LuituJ,. mir.
ty.,,sht degrees, INV inmate, north. aud pur.
sues "A general westerly dIrec,! II until IT'S VA
Ter. uullr With ituse # tbs Sacramento RivrI
AT Sacramento.
ria, Suuth For. Is in the vi unity Il Johnson
pas. wLi.b has an ..It,,u,.,.,I TX innusAnd
sven hundred and nft, .IN. T., o.c,. he S,.u
TLrpupn Ilns Pass runs die IN. q. g,n r,Mu
If iA. 81, rgA
The S.i,ltrv Ford branch Il M stream ~
tiers II ,Lnut six m,:es Wrsi Ut j ,f,nsuu'S Pa
al S;lt,trry Ford Taking its heui in the SIR
ra., about six nr eight miles nnIIh.wrs: -,
from IT'S confluence, it runs nearly parLl.,
with the axis of the range, and SpRtng II, tt.t
running through deep and marrow gorge, tnl
oar, ot The distance, it leaves the higher peak,
to the west wnI1e IN the East, belw cen IL aud
J,k, R,,t.r j, The man divide. much howell
and broken.
On the east side Of III, divide, frnr nr tive
miles IN a noriherv direction from SLIPPERY
Ford, II stream rises which flows into talle'
Leaf Lake, and from thence into Lake BIyIer
at It's S''uth western extremity.
THIS stream, flowing through gorge SIM
lar 10 the Slippery Ford branch OF the Amer
can. cuts the eastern base 81 the mouhtai u
yer! uTep'E' anu a' Ilsu' "'sles "ul w. ~" ,n.
i"S 'ne mann ''uSe 'ei1 N"''0" "
wv" St'e"li's'
Bigler Lake Valley, which hes east oil th'
sources OF the south Fork, Is enclosed ny
short range OF mountains, winch runs oet"ee'
It and Carson Valley. THIS range dIverSe'
from Tue MAN ehaln III Tue NIc'H''N Nv "ie WV
Carson Pass, bearing 10 The east and north an
lli It reaches tue lrucSee h'ver' Inc S"ea"
h"ing tb-' ;2il=t at >'kt RH,lrr. H"S%-tc'''S ~
west side, about tw"-lhrdS ut tue length &"
the Lake from the south end, breaks ITS way
through chain ct nl"unl"lnS' IN northwest
erlv and northeriv direction, Tor ABOUT ni'ee'
miles, then running north easterly Tor ao"n
the same distance, II hntlly changes It's courS'
L. the east and enters the Great baSlh'
TIE general allt"de at the range oet~ee,
Carson and Lake Valley seems 10 De MS h'R'
AS the main ridge Its crest, however, Is
ierced by several gaps; the lowest "
which Is called the walton Fass-naVlng al
altitude Of six thousand, four hundred ah'
ninety feet
A line Of railroad connecting PIacervill'
with the Sacramento Valley has been CAREFUL!
surveyed and found practicable, detailed Is
innate made Of the est Of construction, and i
Company organized under tue General Rail
road law of the State f,r the prosecution I"
the work.
7, :. rr,nosed IN carry the line from Placer
will. which IS situated ab"n, two and nne h, /
miles south of the Sluth Fork 0f the Amcrlcar
Rirer aInng The I,.f, hank If that stream tor .
=: - -. ,,,,,,..s;x ,,,iJas and Nh n