The mountain Democrat., 1864-01-30
Annual Report OE the ChieR Engi-
neer OF the Placerville and Sacra-
mentO Valley Railroad Company.

= NFNN- 49, ~'''N'NNN
road COmpdRy.
GENTLEMEN: The expenditures of Mr. Swan
during the short time that he was Superinten-
dent Of your road, having been made under nv
supervision, it has been deemed advisable for
me to report for the entire fiscal year.
MyrepOrt as Chief Engineer will also be en-
braced herein. The Chief Engineers report Of
1862, showing not only the feasibility but the
urgent necessity Of railroad communication be-
'~""'>> >Ms0SCxvNls and BRxigSble waters. hsvisg
been tavofabfy received by your Board, by
your directions l commenced at Folsom, the
first day of January of last year, thoroughly
locating the line, and during that month pre-
pared portion of it for grading.
1t being impossible tc get the whole of the
First Division ready for contractors in time to
take advantage OF the season, il seemed sound
policy for the Company to begin the work
themselves. The necessary preparations were
made and ground was broken by small force
on the 18th OF February, 1863, and the work
continued, with most satisfactory results, until
the 22d Of June, at which time the grading was
taken up by Messrs J. R. Myers 4 Co, u con-
tract having been entered into with them on
the 18th OF the same month for the remainder
OF tho grading and mason work on the First
Division, excluding section &C." Zone mile)
which had been let previously to MeSsrs. P in
} Dey h ASbee. W. - - b>'~e~-sr-AS~
was signed on the I'd day of June, 1868.
By the terms of this contract, the work was
to be- completed by the lst day of August they
| receiving in payment for the same, eight hun.
dred dollars in cash, and two shares OF the full
paid stock of the Railroad Company.
The grading. however, was not completed and
accepted by me until the 5th day Of December,
owing to the sickness, for large portion of the
time, Of the contractors and employees. | re-
| gret TO say that for this cause MesSrs. Pinney
l. Abbee lost considerably on the contract. But,
notwithstanding their difficulties and losses,
they chung TO the work with the most dogged
resolution until it was completed, to my entire
| satisfaction.
beg leave to recommend those gentlemen to
| your most favorable consideration, should they
desire further connection with the Company
and | also suggest the propriety OF making
them further advance Of stock, provided reliet
shall be asked.
The extreme unhealthiness Of the country in
the vicinity of Folsom, where Messrs Myers l.
| Co camps were located, proved serious OBJ
stacle to rapid advancement If the work, it
being almost impossible to keep enough fore
men well to direct operations; and the Chinese
laborerS were not entirely exempt from the ma
| larious influences of that locality. One of the
members of the firm Of Myers 4 Co.. Mr.. Rich,
died from disease contracted at the Willow
Greek camp.
The same causes operated against our COM
pany while the bridges were being constructed.
On account Of sickness 1t was difficult to pro-
cure carpenters even at the highest rates. The
Engineer corps also suffered severely from dis
ease.
Notwithstanding the obstacles already men
toned, and others Of IL tar graver nature, which
have been most vcXatiOus and discuuragng,
have to congratulate you for the successful man
ner in which the work has thus far been carried
forward.
,l,.,,, H. IS
own citizens. "A work of great importance to the
entire State has been undertaken, and is now
nervous with life. AT the present time We bave
no indebtedness that We cannot immediately
cancel. Our finances are in a most healthy con-
dition, aud We have received most tattering as
Surancrs Of foreign aid, which will enable us
to obtain our iron and rolling stock.
A few more miles of grading will complete
the FIRST Division, aud then, with our road In
running order, We Can safely rely upon recev-
ing large returns. 1t is certainly gratifying TO
know that the people of FL Dorado county take
such lively interest in this great enterprise
Endowed as they are, with the most practicable
Pass through the Sierra, ii seems but necessary
to construct the road into the heurt Of the coun
" to insure its completion across the noun
tainS.
There are other considerations, however, that
justify the and which has already been extended
To the work. Aside from the enormous amount
of through traffic which must pass over the
road, the local business must, in Il short time
become extremely valuable. 1t is from the de
velnpment OF this business that We may look
more particularly for permanent benefits to the
remoter portions of this county.
Ii is a we'll established fact that as the chan
nes of intercommunieatun increase, the latent
resources of any country become developed; :;
and in no instance can we find the rule moie
applicable than in our own county.
With our railroad completed. at least two
new and permanent villages will spring up un
its line. The one at Milirrs corral will attain
considerable Importance. This polnt is most
tavorably located ior supplying large section
of adj acent couDjyY with merchandise and
must also become al extensive market .or the
interchange of building lumber and iencn.
material, for grain, hay and other agricultural
products, which the rich valley IF the Cusumnes
supplies. These villages viii largely increase
| the taxable property OF the county.
The copper mines in the vicinity of Miller :
corral, on Deer Greek and the Costumes river,
have already proved to be valuable. With I'M
proved facilities for transportation this interest
! must develop largely, aud contribute materially
to the wealth of our county.
Nowhere III California are copper mlpes To-
Gated which have the facilities for transporting
| their ores to market, equal to those adjacent IL
| the line of this road Cheap carriage will ad.
NIT of a lower grade of ores being pro1tably
| worked, and from this fact alone We may expect
large influx of mining population.
In AmadOr county copper mining is becom-
ing an interest Of the first Importance. MANY
rich mines are now being worked. The ore
from these mines, and, in fact, almost the entire
freight and passenger transportation Of that
county, will be drawn to Miller's corral Stage
lines are already projected to connect that point
with Mokeumne HilI in Calaveras county, and
Columbia and Sonora, in Tuolumne county.
Another interest of nearly equal importance
to the mines, will be developed, which must
bring into action large amount Of capital and
labor. | refer to the production of lumber
Diamond Springs and III Dorado must neces-
| sarily become the depOts for that manufactured
from the timber which covers the ridges East of
those towns, while Placcrville will draw the
supplies furnished by the mighty forests Of
valuable sugar pine which grow on the ridges
and mountain slopes North of the South Fork
Of the American river and East Of Georgetown.
Pr0ductiveness of labor is but one result OF
| cheap transportation. Although the bulk of
our capital and labor is absorbed in obtaining
the products of the mineand the forest, 1t must
! not be forgotten that other industrial pursuits
are rapidly advancing The tilling of the soil,
the culture of orchards and vineyards, and the
growing of wool, are already matters of nn
small Importance. How much, then, would
this diversity of interests be subserved, bv
ready and cheap means Of communication with
the commercial center of the State? And who
can foretell the benefits which must accrue t"
this county, were the transshEment of ner-
chandSe and machinery, which goes through
the johnson Pass to Nevada Territory, made
from this place, the freight On which, for last
year, exceeded ten millions of dollars?
A railroad to Placerville would concentrate
nearly all OF the freight and passengers which
the SlprFn. and tu
IA low estimate, the thirty seven hundred teams
which were on this route last year, will be in.
ere ased to six thousand.
The grading Of the road, with triang ex-
ception, is now completed from the Sacramento
Valley Railroad at Folsom. to point on deer
Creek, IL distance of ten and three-fourth miles,
and aside from two hundred feet of low trestle