The weekly Butte record., 1867-05-18

and secure From Twelve Nile Bar to the Juac-
ZION Of Indian and Span ish creeks, 10 the jane
ton of this road line with that NJ the India Val
lev and Q1iney road. the country Is well adapted
far the buildiur Of road being campsratiyely free
from rock and little broken by streams or canoas.
In Spanish Creek to Quincy, the line runs through
five miles Of valley land on an almost natural road.
From Quincy TO Beekwourth 5 Pass, there is al
ready very good road through American, Long.
Mohawk and Sierra Valleys the only hill on the
whole line being the low ridge between the head of
Spring Garden creek ani the waters of the Middle
Fork.
In making the examination, one great object in
view was TO locate the line of road where travel
would be the least impeded by the heavy SHOWS Of
winter. The past season has beea snlsallly severe
and during the storm of the 10th and 2ist OF Feb
ruary, the snow fell 10 greater depth in American
and Sierra Valleys than has ever before been known
since the settlement of California by Americans.
AT Shore, Bar on the line Of the road point so
miles above Oroville no snow fell during the Storm
At Rich Bar the snow fell TO the depth of fourteen
inches, at American Valley twenty-siX inches. and
the summit of the Sierra Nevadas, at Beck
wourths Pass, only four feet covered the ground.
The snow near the river seldom lies more than two
days after falling and falls only during the most
severe winter storms.
examined carefully the country of the Middle
Fork OF Feather River from lis junction with the
North Fork 10 Hartmans Bar, IS miles above 0ro-
Vile and TO this point | consider il quite mprac-
ticabe for wagon road. an from the general To-
biography of the country. would judge the next
twenty miles TO be similar 10 that had passed over.
The greatest obstacle 10 road is that Of the steep
rocky canon through which the river flows. Per
haps the most formidable is that at Bald Rock, -
miles above Oroville. Bald Rock Canon Is about
four miles long. and appears cleft in the solid
granite. and is impossible tor tootmln. In build
ing road up this canon, II would be necessary to
blast through the solid granite. and in taking the
line above the canon-the highest point of which
(Bald Rocky is about l 200 feet-t would require
grade of l5 inches 10 rod, for distance OF A
miles The main stream is very meandering, and
the country on each side much broken by rocky
streams putting down tn the river, forming gorges
in the hill. which would alone render almost i'm
practicable wagon read The snow on the
nit of Bald Rock, found on the I'd OF March to
be 20 inches deep; al the mouth OF Willow Greek,
near Hartman's Bar, point IS miles above Oro-
VILE it fell during the storm of February, y and
at Nelson's Point 81 feet
In comparing the relative merits of the countries
of the North and Middle Forks, in view OF u wagon
road from OroGile TO BeckwOurth Pass, find the
latter to be six miles shorter, but in every other
respect the North Fork has every advantage. The
hill on either side of the Middle Fork is very steep,
consequently land and snow slides numerous,
which wouid render difficult and expensive the
building OF a substantial and satr road, while on
the North Fork there are no very steep hill sides,
and not single land slide the whole line. The
snow on the NJ. f. falls TO a depth of from two to
two and halt feet more than the North Fork,
aGd lies a greater leNgtn OF TINE. 1uere are di-
ready 30 miles OF road on the line located, through
valley land more than on the Middle Fork. There
are impossible canons on the line of road on the
North Fork while the bed of the stream of the
Middle Fork appears 10 be one continuous canon
from Rynharts Bar TO the foot of Bald Rock, dis
tance of over 30 miles. The distance on the line
of road, as located from Oroyie to BeckwourthS
Pass is as before stated l45 miles, the distance
along the Middle Fork, 1879, showing difference of
six miles.
| have been brief in this report possible.
When a more detailed survey is made, | shall be
better able TO lay before YOU the probable of
building the road, the accurate grades and other
Information that may be interesting.
ARTHUE ". KEDpIE.
Indian Valley, Plumas Co., aIarch 30, 1867.