Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-30
Ell DORADO.
FIRST EXCURSION TO THE TOWN
OF PLACERyILLE.
Sacramento the King of the Valleys
Greeting to the Queen of
the Mountains.

Yesterday morning seven carloads of ex-
cursionists left this city for Placerville,
to join that people in the celebration of
the completion of the railroad, which now
connects the county seat of Ell Dorado with
the Capital of the State. Four hundred
and twenty of the best citizens of this COM
munity, many of them accompanied with
their wives, composed the party, and a
more representative one never left this city.
They were accompanied by the First Ar
tillery Band, and every station along the
road added numbers to swell the party,
there was but little standing room left in
the cars.
The train pulled out of the depot at Z
o'clock, and soon was rattling up the valley
toward Folsom. The day was most beauti-
full, the sun shining with genial warmth,
and the green grain fields and the bloom
ing orchards lent an additional charm to
the landscape, which on every hand was
most beautiful. The train stopped short
time at Folsom, where the band PLAYED
several airs on the depot platform. At
this point an additional engine was at
tached, and soon with a double header
they were climbing the foothills toward
the town of Latrobe. The rolling hills in
the neighborhood of White Rock are
covered with carpet of green, bedecked
with beautiful fora, upon which were
seen feeding numerous dairy herds
The scenery in the neighborhood of
Cothrin's grove, the famous picnic grounds,
never appeared to better advantage; the
fora is just putting forth and the large
spreading oaks are clothed with new dress
of green. A halt was made at Latrobe,
where a number of Ell Doradans Joined
the party. Here the band serenaded the
hundreds of citizens who had congre-
gated there, and the excursionists took a
sun-bath as they promenaded the depot
The scenery from Latrobe to Shingle is
very similar to that in the neighborhood of
Cothrin's grove, and the road on both sides
is rapidly being put into orchards and vine
yards.
From Shingle Springs to Placerville is an
entirely new road, just completed, and yes
terday's excursion was the first passenger
train to run into Placerville. On leaving
Shingle it passes through Buckeye Flat,
one of the most fertile valleys in the foot
hill regions. 1t then passes through a tun-
mel several hundred feet in length, and on
emerging the eye rests upon an entirely
different kind of scenery.
From redlands, vineyards and orchards:
from wide-spreading oaks and grain fields
the transformation brings before you a
hornblende range, quartz mills, placer
dunes, pine trees, manzanita covered with
pink fora, and chaparral whose beauti-
full white flowers fill the air with their fra
grant perfume. Here are to be seen the
Of ,Nln h. LII Il
hills mined from their summit to their
base; side hills stripped of their soil to the
bedrock; mining bitches meandering in
every direction, and beyond the eye rests
upon immense pine forests, towering above
which, some thirty miles distant, the
long range of Sierras, their SUBMITS
covered with snow, glittering in
the sunlight. In the little valleys
nestle, in meadows green, the farmers cot
surrounded with blooming orchards, while
the sloping hillsides everywhere show
vineyards of bearing vines and the clear
ings recently made for the new vineyards
and orchards that are being put out this
season. The historic town of Ell
Dorado, Old Mud Springs" is next
passed. The road passes through
the edge of the town and through
several fine orchards. This at one time
was place of many hundred inhabitants,
and to-day is prosperous town, the dis
tributing point for a valuable mining and
agricultural section. The next object of
interest IS the high trestle over Webber
creek, over 112 feet in hight, and one of
the finest structures of the kind upon the
coast. The scenery along the south slope
of Hangtown creek, just this side of Pla-
cerville, is grand, and presents landscape
OF farming country unsurpassed.
or IL l.. Il.
lower end of the town of Placerville,
amidst the firing of cannon, the ringing OF
bells, and the loud huzzahs of fully two
thousand people who had assembled to bid
them welcome.
1t would be difficult to even attempt to
describe the open-armed reception that the
people of the mountains extended to their
neighbors of the valley. Their band PLAYED
Hail TO the Chief" and the committees,
and they were numerous, took charge OF
the visitors as soon as they had alighted
from the cars. The entire city was decor
ated with the national colors. "Old Glory"
was flung to the breeze from every
flag g-staff, the fire companies were out in
full uniform, as was also the G. A. r.
Post, hundreds of Ell Dorado's fairest
daughters were receiving, and the people of
the valley capitulated. To be captured by
such a galaxy of beauty was more pleasant
than the winning of victory on battle
field.
Among the excursionists were many who
had formerly lived in El Dorado, and soon
they were hand-shaking with old COM
rades. Many had not been in blacerville
for many years, but the enthusiasm of the
people, coupled with the remembrance of
the old-time days, rejuvenated them, and
the hills looked down in memory as they
did more than thirty years ago, when the
tools of their profession was pick, pan
and shovel.
FORMAL WELCOME.
AT the depot, which is only partially
completed, a rude platform had been
erected. After music by the hand Hon. G.
]. Carpenter called the assemblage to order,
and introduced Hon. George K. Williams,
Superior Judge of Ell Dorado county, who
delivered an interesting and eloquent ad-
dress of welcome.
He said they had assembled to celebrate
an event of no small import to Ell Dorado
county. The completion of the railroad to
Placerville, connecting US with the State
capital, and thereby the rest of the world,
marks the beginning of new era in our
prosperity. He gave brief history of the
first railroad in this State, that of the Sac
ramento Valley to Folsom, which was be-
gun III loOt- Two companies were organ
lied that year-the Sacramento Valley, the
one now in operation, and the Sacramento
Railroad Company, which was to run
along the banks of the American to the
then prosperous town of Mormon Island
The latter abandoned their organization,
and never attempted to build the road,
anc the town of Folsom was made,
by the terminus at that point of
the other. Whether the Sacramento
Valley road was a financial success
he could not say. Time rolled on, and in
1853 an important discovery was made in
Nevada just beyond the Sierras. Stories of
silver mines reported to be fabulously rich
were heralded from beyond the mountains.
Californians rather unwillingly rejected
the rumors, but they soon became estab-
lished facts In going across the noun
tains they selected the route through Pla-
cerville, and all through the winters of
1859, go and 61, and during the summer
seasons also, all the material for the silver
land passed through this city.
The mines proved valuable, their perma-
nency was established, and enterprising
men with capital constructed highways
q slonp our foothills sud ovar o,,- m, ,a,1p.ot,1e