Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1872-08-27
A RAILROAD SOUTH.

cru UCSl uitSStCu W tuO SoSt"oiNt
along the line Of the Central Pacific
road ; although We have here, In the
section above alluded to, and much
more conveniently located in other re-
spects, a vast mining region. inferior
in no particular to any in Eastern Ne
vada or In Utah Territory.
Included within a strip Of, say 100
miles In width and 2o0 long, north and
south, we hive a large number Of min
ing camps or towns, in nearly every
one Of which mining operations are be-
Ing extensively aud probably carried
on, Notwithstanding the great disad-
vantages under which they labor by
reason of their isolation, or lack Of
cheap aud speedy communication with
the business center Of the coast. Of
these we will mention Pine Grove,
Aurora. Bodie. Columbus, Silver Peak
Ida Valley. and Montezuma districts,
In this State. and OH the same general
limo southwark. with but 4 few miles
intervening. Benton or Hot Springs.
Deep Spring Valley. Waucooa. kear-
sarge, and Cerro Gordo in California.
In all Of these camps there are mines
or lodges OF silver, gold or galena ore
of extraordinary richness, to say moth
ing of hundreds Of inferior grade that
might be worked to fair profit under ia
vorable circumstances. Under present
conditions no one Of a less assay value
than 800 per ton can be proftaoly
worked in any Of these districts, and
in consequence, hundreds aud thou
sands Of ton Of ore, varying from go
to 800 per ton, assay value, are cast
aside rs being practically worthless.
We are assured BY parties we'll &C
ouainted with that country, that the
number of lodges to be found carrying
ore of these grades, to say nothing OF
those that are worked yielding away
up into the hundreds, are simply In
calculaJle. They believe that almost
the only condition necessary to make
all this vaSt wealth available to the
world, would be afforded by r rail-
road. That Is the grand disideratum
| of the residents Of that region. They
we'll know that 1t Is an essential con-
dition to the proper development OF
their couatry, and, Furthermore, firm
" believe that such a road would even
be II paying investment for its build
crs. Every ten-lnile station for at
least $50 miles OF the route would be a
freight depot, 4 condition OF things
not Mt all improbable when 1t IS under
stood that a rich mining country at
least 100 miles wide for the whole dis
lance. would be tributary to lt. In ad-
di,ion to its minerals, this country
possesses n large agricultural area. Ca
pable Of sustaining 4 large population,
which would contribute largely to the
triumph Of the road.
For n distance of nearly 400 miles
from the Central Pacific to the South
ern Pacific Railroad routes, there is
10 other practical route across the
mountains to reach San Francisco, aud
any railroad to connect those two. rum
ming through the chain OF valleys
along the eastern slope Of the Sierra
Nevada Mountains, would inevitably
command n profitable business aud a
commanding position in reference to
the overland routes, to either one OF
which it could become a feeder. At
the present time at least nine-tenths
OF all the freishting in the extensive
region south Of Aurora Is done
via. the Southern or Los Angeles
route. although that route offers no
advantage in point Of distance. The
freight tonnage of Cerro Gordo alone
Is but little less than 500 tons per
month, notwithstanding the great ex-
peuse or drawback OF 275 miles OF
wagon transportation over q very
heavy road. This, though the princi-
pal, Is the business of one district only
In n dozen or more. With the impe-
tus that n railroad would give to all
the interests Of the country through
out its length. the present amount OF
f~reighting would be Of the merest ill.,
significance compared to what 1t would
then be-. An extension Of the Virginia
and rruckee Railroad Of less than $50
miles, would command the whole OF
this business, anu in various ways
make it contribute something to the
advantage Of our own section OF the
State. Otherwise We lose all benefit
from the trade and freighting business
not only Of Southeastern California,
but all of the Southern portion Of Il
own State rs well. 1t Is In the power
of the energetic projectors Of the Fir-
gimia aud Truckee Road to control the
whole of this, If they commence In
time. thus fo~restalling q branch road
which will surely be built north from
either the Atlantic and Pacific. or the
Southern Pacific overland roads, and
which we have good reason to believe
will be commenced as soon As either
Of them reach the eastern foot Of the
Sierra Nevada. We mention these
things in the hope that our own rail-
road men. now that they have one im-
portant link In the chain complete.
will not rest until they give this mat
ter a thorough Investigation. and u
then deemed advisable, 10 extend their
road in time to head OIL ono from the
south. The counties through which
the road would pass should. and OF
course would, give ample encourage
ment and assistance. 1t Il an Import
ant project, aud one which commends
its.lft IN thp attention of all interested