Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-04-21
RAILROAD BUILDING IN CALIFORNIA

| ne lotiOWiuS ueIlOranua concerning the
railroads now in process of construction
in California, their length, and the charac-
ter OF the country through which they are
being built. is obtained from official sources,
and can be relied upon The informa-
tion is of interest to all, whether in city
or country, whether agriculturists or busi-
ness men. First comes the extension of
the Oregon Branch of the Central Pacific
Railroad (l) The road from Redding to
Bailey's Lower Soda Springs), will be 60
miles in length. The line runs along the
Sacramento river, closely following its
high-water mark, through q canyon coun-
try, compelling costly construction and
numerous crossings TheE country back
from the river rises into broken mountains,
covered with brush and of but little value.
Settlers are few, and engaged only in min
ing and stock raising. The minimum grade
of this section is 20 feet per mile. (2) The
road from Bailey's to BerryvaIe Tor Sisson's)
will be l3 miles in length. The line rises
away from the river toward the sum-
NIT, requiring above Berryvale a steady
upgrade of 1l6 feet per mile. It fol-
lows the east side of the Sacramento can.
yon. The country is heavily timbered,
fir predominating, and has but few inhab-
itants. 81 The road from Berryvale to
Black Butte Summit will be seven and
four fifths miles. 1t runs over bench lands,
timbered and comparatively smooth, with
occasional meadows, all of which are culti-
waited and occupied. Black Butte Summit
is on the ridge or divide between the waters
of the Sacramento and Klamath rivers
al The road from Black Butte Summit to
- p,,&A al ,xv,l bo o.eI&
and two.fifths miles in length. The line
descends into the Shasta valley, through
land of a hilly rather than q mountainous
character. The country is well timbered,
being covered with pine and fir. The dis.
trict is spsrsely settled. (5) The road from
Shasta river to the head of Willow creek
will be thirty three miles in length. The
line runs through the Shasta valley, which
is from ten to twenty miles wide. The
land is mostly level, destitute of timber,
and well adapted to stock raising. Quite
a number of settlers are located there, the
chief industry being the dairy business.
(6) The road from the head of Willow
creek to the Klamath river will be two
miles in length. The road, as surveyed,
runs through canyon, down grade of
ninety feet to the mile. The country is
billy, bare Of timber, and contains but few
settlers. (7) Theroad from the Klamath river
to Fox's, on Cottonwood creek, will be eight
miles in length. Itruns over a good coun-
try, which is well settled, the principal
business being farming and stock raising.
The district is bare of timber. The road
from Fox's to the State line will be seven
and one fifth miles in length. The survey
here passes up Cottonwood canyon, on
grade of ll6 feet to the mile. There is
some timber on the land, principally pine
and fir. In the district there are few val
leys and hills, suitable for pasturage. The
total mileage of this Oregon branch of the
Central Pacific Railroad will be one hun
dred and thirty y-nine and two-fifths miles.
Next comes the San Joaqnin Valley and
Yosemite Railrosd: The road from Be-
renda to the end of the survey at Perry's
Ranch, will be twenty. FIVE and seven
tenth miles in length. For the first thirteen
miles the road runs over rolling plains
the remainder is through broken foot-hill
country. Next is the Winters and Ukiah
Railroad From Vacaville -four miles from
Elmira, on the California Pacific Railroad),
the survey was commenced toward Clear
Lake, distant, at the town of Lakeport,
scNSuty HlilSe' Lie survey uao OcCu COuI-
pleted forty.two miles. 1t runs through
mountainous country, although there
are numerous small valleys suitable for
grazing or cultivation. Next comes the
Northern Division of the Southern Pacific
llsilroad. From San Francisco to Soledad
the distance is one hundred and forty.three
miles. From Soledad to the junction with
the main line in Tulare valley the road will
be one hundred and sixty. one and seven-
tenths miles in length. From the junction
on the main line to San Francisco, via SOL
edad, the distance is three hundred and
four and six.tenths miles-via Martinez
two hundred and ninety-nine and four
tenths miles. The proposed road from
Soledad to the junction with the main
line in Tulare valley will run southerly tor
about sixty.four miles up the valley of the
Salinas river. This valley contains some
good agricultural land, with high hills on
each side, affording pasturage. The line
then turns eastward up the valley of the
Estralla and San Juan creeks, crossing the
coast range of mountains at an elevation of
over seventeen hundred feet, into the Tu-
lare valley, across which it will run east
erly for about forty seven miles to the
junction with the main line. South of
Tulare lake the country is low and swampy
for considerable distance, caused by the
overflow of Kern river and Tulare lake.
The agricultural land in the Salinas valley
will require irrigation. When irrigated,
as is the case with much other land in Cal
ifornia, it becomes extremely productive.
TArponaut