Year: 1866

I Nor LEI.-The mail route from Oroville to So


sA1ville has Rot yet been let, although Mr.. Allen


Weed, the present contractor who has performed


the mail service on the route during the entire


winter just passed, is the lowest bidder at $ COO


The balance Of the route from Orovilie to Bois,


City has been let as heretofore announced 10 Mr..


T Williamson. of San Francisco at $50 900 for tri


weekly mail There is but one reasonable solution


of this delay, that is because the route does moi
extend between Chico and Boise City, instead O


running from Oroville to Boise City. The posta


authorities looking at mail routes already estab


lished and in successful operation disposed tc


continue mail communication with Idaho th ereon


and extend it into the territories beyond but Gen


Bidwell our Representative in Congress. whose in


iuence is all powerful in the matter is interested


in Chico and doubtless desires TO make that the


starting point for the Idaho mail. How be is to


get the mail to Chico does not fully appear. That


place is situated some FIVE or six miles from land


ing on the Sacramento river, where stern wheel


steamers touch seminonthly. and some twenty five


or thirty miles away from railroad communication


with San Francisco. If Orovlle. with its railroa


facilities is Objectionable point why not let the
route extend between Dogtown and Susanyille :


Why the necessity for delay? If the mail for Ida.


ho must start fromChico, not so at ALL in Gods


name let the route be established between Chico
and Boise City, and then let Digger Vaquero


straddle mule and swim the sloughs to the steam


boat landing on the Sacramento river. and hailing


the first downward bound steamer, place treasure


letters and passengers on board for Sacramento
Either that, the dusky Indian on his watch-eyed
and pye-bald mustang will have to approach rail
road communication and transfer the mail to the
cars at Orovile. This all wrong. We are wrong
in saying anything about the delay. 1t is a weghty
matter. Much has been accomplished In establish
ing the route from Boise City to Susanville. The
delay in letting the balance is undoubtedly the
result of mastery craftsmanship, as may also be
the idea of weekly mail from railroad communi-
cation at Oroville to Susanvile to connect with
tri-weekly at the latter point for Boise City The
mail for Idaho arriving at Susanvle, can be divi-
ded into three parcels, and carried thence at differ
ent times to Boise City. Or it may be that the
route is to be let "ferked end downwards," with a
weekly mails from Susanville to Red Bluff Chico
and Orovile. That will preserve the balance of
power, and the entire service can be performed by
the route from Orovile when the others are block
AIDED by the SHOWS of winter. We trust however
that the opportunity of securing this mail route
TO Idaho will not be lost to our county and to
thern California by any petty jealousy of this na
ture There is real danger Of it, however. While
this delay is occurring, Efforts are being made to
establish the route over the Central Pacific road
and from thence along the eastern slope of the
mountains to Boise City. 1t ought to go on this
route. 1t is the natural one. 1t will make no diff
ference in point of fact whether Chico is point on
Butte county, where 1t ought to go. If Gen. Bid
well permits it to go through the State of Nevada
by reason of delay oecasioned by desire to have
some particular Post Office made the terminus of
the mail route, he will do this Congressional Dis
trict an unpard enable injustice. The fact that
the railroad terminus is at present at Oroyile is
good sufficient reason why the stage route should
start from this point. The railroad will ultimately
be extended up the Sacramento valley, and then,
should Chico be found better point for the mail
to diverge to Boise City, be it. But it is folly
double twenty-five thirty miles of mail route,
and run around established Post Offices on the di-
rect line from railroad communication for the pur
pose of directing the trade and travel that may
travel over it to an out-ofthe way point. 1t makes
no difference to 0roville whether it is sent from
here to Boise City by Chico or by any other point
that does not materially increase the distance
What we do demand, however, in the name Of the
people Of this Congressional District is that the
route shall be let and not be lost to California and
established through Nevada, by delay over a boyish
quibble- Give this mail route now, and the
same private energy and enterprise that, uuaided
by government subsidies, has built the railroad
from Sacramento Ito Oroville, will ultimately ex-
tend it to Boise City, and thence to the Mssour
river if Congress should conclude to forever with
hold all assistance from Northern Pacific Rail-
road. Providence helps those who help themselves.
We have more miles Of railroad extending north
from Sacramento, than the Central Pacific Compa-
ny have yet been able to construct Business ent er
prise and the demands of commerce will extend it
to Lake Superior over practicable route while the
great Central Pacific Company endeavoring to
drill impenetrable rock with Government green
backs. Let the mail contract. and let business
proceed in a basineSs-like manner.