The Shasta courier., 1869-10-02
COMMU NICATION.

1 and Oregon railroad, came to our town,
and the citizens of Shasta literally sub
scrlbed for his undertaking. scarcely year
has passed in which a railroad to Shasta
was not brought prominently before the
people. Our hopes for railroad connection
with San Francisco were ultimately raised
by direct promises of members. of the orig
mai ch rter party, and again cold water
thrown on them by interested parties, who
claim the best know edge of the topography
OF our county and its surroundings, ,wheth-
er with sufficient reason leaves room for
great doubts. Any way, this is still a
theme about which residents of Shasta can
become very excited, and with some minds
1t has become question Of life or death
for our once fourishiug town.--a-
Mr.. Elliot who made the first survey,
aud great many who are well acquainted
with the intended route from Red Bluff to
Shasta agree, that road crossing the Sac
ramento at the Iron Canon 30 to 33 miles
| from Shasta, would find no obstruction of
any consequence, on the contrary, right on
the crossing an elevation 800 feet above
the sea is reached, and the line remains on
high ground with an easy grade to Shasta
at an elevation of l20G feet, or greater !;
no costly digging, nor bridging is necessary
for this distance. 1t is also the route to
Oregon, for which Congress has amply
provided by land donations aud whose
charter is now held by the Central Pacific
Company. This company has commenced
work on the California and Oregon line at
Marysville, and in the extension of the
survey, reached point on the East side of
the Sacramento, near the Southern bound
airy OF our county. 1t is said their inten-
tion is to cross the Sacramento and follow
up ON the West side with the view Of ulti-
mate location of the road on the most
favorable side of the river.
A glance at the maps of Shasta and
Tehama County, shows that in Shasta
County alone, five creeks, subject to fire.
quent and sudden overhows empty into the
Sacramento on the East side, with numer-
Gus sloughs between each, making continual
bridging for railroad necessity; the
land between and near such line for twenty
or thirty miles, if of the least value, is all
taken up--near the river very little for
raising grain, some, as at Saltwater creek,
for grape culture. Timber OF any account
is only to be found at distance of some
thirty miles from the Iron Canon on the
proposed route, and not to be met with
thereafter till road reaches the mouth OF
Pitt River and the neshborhood of Nc
Cloud River. The whole country till al
most up to Fort Crook being mostly used
for stock raising aud making hay, there is
very littly travel going on, and whatever
is wanted by the inhabitants of the East
side is supplied by the merchants of Shasta
Noimmediate benefit could be received by
a railroad from such location, and the whole
expense of building the full length Of the
road must be first met by any company un-
dertaking it and looking to the future for
reimbursement of their outlay, and the
natural increase of trade and travel through
tha medium of their road.
Different it is on the West side of the
river. s.Agriculture Is met with from the
entrance of the road in our County the
whole Cottonwood and Clear Greek region
is known for their superior article of wheat
for every kind CT grain, and rich gold and
lver mines; for their timber region of
yellow pine within twelve miles Of the
County road, excellent fruits, grapes, aad
splendid Ca tie and horses, ali Of which
are merely waiting for better accommoda-
tions to be Immediately brought to market.
Going further, the road would traverse one
of the finest timber countries in the State,
splendid su.ar pine, oak and laurel Shasta
Valley and the northern boundary of Scott s
Valley is tapped and the whole trade of
klamath, Del Norte, Trinity and Siskiyou
is bound to contribute to the traffic of such
a road. The California Navigation Com
pany brings at present 320U tuns of freight
per annum for Shasta, travel is continually
going on, and at least twenty-five persons
make through trips to Red Bluff daily,
beside mail and express contracts, making
an immediate annual income of very near
100000, which without exageration,
would be increased by railroad to double
the amount Every few miles of rail-
road built on the West side of the river
would be used as soon as finished for ira s.
portation of freight and passengers and
yield an income in nearing the placer
diggings on Cottonwood and Clear Creek,
gold lodges at Muletown, silver and quick
silver mines at South Fork, not inferior to
these of Washoe, these will receive a new
impetus, and any benefit derived will un-
doubtedly be mutual. But Shasta County
is according to Whitney one Of the richest
mineral counties in the State, and above
Shasta is actual gold and copper mining
going on for years; French Gulch with its
gold bearing ledges worked for years, Cop
per Greek with its copper ore rucing up
to 90 per cent. the Iron Mountain, with
its millions of tuns of ron ore, assaying
from 80 to 80 per cent, easy of access and
only six miles from Shasta on an air line.--
Comparing the ground on both sides Of
the river the expense for building that
norton of the road situated in our county
on the West side, will be but one half the
cost in building on the East side; the
advantages of one side over the other we
have attempted to show the profits de-
rived from it by the company building it,
we leave to their own calculations. Xxx
Shasta, Sept. 10Th, 1869.
To .CH1NA.-Ex-G Governor, f. f. Low
has been appointed Minister to China.