The weekly Butte record. [volume] (Oroville [Calif.]) 1866-1887, 1867-03-02

miles; from Quincy to Oroville, 20 miles. This, of
course, is but the preliminary survey to determine
tlistaI5z== end the probabilities of the route
The act organizing the Oroville and Beckwouth
Pass Wagon read company permits either the
North or Middle Feather river to be chosen As the
route, and the surveying party left Oroville on
Monday morning. and Bidwell Bar on Tuesday, to
ascend the Middle Fork the head waters of which
have their rise in Beckwourth valley and in the
mountains surrounding it, in the close vicinity OF
Beckwourths pass. Should this route be found as
many believe it will, to Offer equal advantages and
4 considerable saving in distance. it will doubtless
he adopted Is il leads directly to Beckwourth pass
through the noun tans into Long Valley, intersect
ing the stage road from Virginia City to Susanville
Either route win do the same, and we suppose the
company will be governed in its choice of the rone
entirely by the advantages afforded. and the bust.
ness to be commanded. We hope soon to have the
figures and distances en- the Middle Fork to lay be-
fore our readers.
The survey of the North Fork proves its entire
practcability for wagon road or railroad. Not
flake Of snow on the line ofthe survey from Indian
Valley 10 0roville. The survey was made to du-
ring one Of the most violent storms Of an unprece-
dentsd season. when the engines and track OF the
Dutch Flat railroad were buried so deep in snow as
10 render il impossible for the snow plows to make
their way through it. The fact of the interruption
on the Dutch Flat swindle was acknowledged by
the Sacramento Union. which admitted the inaoil-
ity Of the engine to clear the track between Cisco
and Alta, and that the cars did not go through.
We simply wish to place this fact in jaxtaposition
with another equally well established, and that Is
this: The surveying party on the North Fork
were out in the same storm, AMI not fake o.
snow fell upon them, while along the mountain
tain roads on either side Of them, 1t tell to the
depth OF Ave and six feet. Mr.. keddie, the Sur
veyor, is familiar with the Dutch Flat route anu
pronoances the Feather river route Infinitely Supe
iior TO it. in distance ss well rs in cheapness OF
construction and freedom from interruption by
snow. The money spen, in building The useless
railroad TO Cisco would have paid for railroad
from Sacramento to the Humboldt by the Feather
river route. The reason is obvious; The one has
10 be cut and tGnneled through the mountains, and
on the other, the river has completely tunaeiled
the mountains, below the snow line, from their
eastern base to their western foothills and the shores
OF the Pacific ocean. II is the only stream thai
that completely sewers the mountains from, the Co.
luubia river in the frozen north 10 the Kern river
on our southern boundaries. Ii is the natural
for the national railroad approach the Pa
cine. Its construction here would secnre servic-
able road at all seasons Of the year. and add great
ly TO the importance and wealth ef the State. That
il not adapted. is owing to local ealouses and
seldshness that has proven the bane Of the growth
prosperity and Advancement Of California. North
crn California may have mail line to Ihsho and
Montana, but it must Stop at Chico. Whatever ad
vantage ii eoners 10 the general public Of the ter