Year: 1866




Congressman as one that he had introduced into
the House Of Representatives on June 18th, at too
late date probably to secure its passage at the
present sitting of Congress. The following is the
bill we find il, and we congratulate northern Cali.
fornia that BIDwELL is aroused from his Rip Van
Winkle lethargy to the fact that Chico does not
constitute his entire district But this bill not do
at all. He must try again:


Belt enacted by the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentafires of the United States of America in
Congress assembled, That there be and hereby is
granted to the State of California, to aid in the
construction OF military and postal wagon road
from the town of Orovile. by way of the middle
fork of Feather river to the eastern boundary of
said State, alternate sections each side of said
road for each mile: Prorided That the lands
hereby granted shall be exclusively applied in the
construction OF said road, and shall be disposed of
as the work progresses; and the same shall be ap
piled to no other purpose whatever; 4nd prorided
further That all lands heretofore reserved to the
United States by act of Congress or other compe
tent authority be, and the same are, reserved from
the operation of this act. except far as it may he
necessary to locate the route through the same, in
which case the right of way is granted Prorided
further, That where any Of the lands reserved
herein mentioned are mineral lands, but shall con-
tain timber the timber thereon is hereby granted to
such extent as will not interfere with the
working of the mines.


81. Ind be it further enacted That the said
land and timber hereby granted to said State shall
be disposed OF as the legislature thereof may pro-
vide FOR the purpose aforesaid and for no other
purpose; and the said road shall be and remain a
public highway for the OF the government of
the United States, free from tolls other charge
upon the transportation OF any property, troops or
mails OF the United States.


s }. And b. ii further enacted, That said road
shall be constructed of such width, graduation,
bridges, and other necessary structures, to per-
init of its regular use as a wagon road and in such
mann fha Sfafn af ali hrrYn
prescribe.


S4 -dnd be it further enacted, That the lands
and timber hereby granted to said State shall be
disposed Of in the following manner only, that is
TO say: That quantity Of land not exceeding thr-
y sections for said road be sold: and when the
Governor of said State shall certify to the Secreta
ry OF the Interior that any ten continuous miles of
said road are completed, then another quantity of
land hereby granted not to exceed thirty sections,
may be sold, and from time, until said road
is completed: and ii said road shall not be compile
ted within five years from the date of this act, no
further sales shall be made, and the lands remain
ing unsod shall revert to the United States.


So Ind be ii further enacted, That in the
of the legislature the Governor Of said State
may authorize said road to be begun by good aud
responsible company duly organized under the laws
of said State, by the counties through which
said road may pass, subject to the approval of the
legislature when the same shall convene.


There is not that lberality about this bill that
was recognized and acted upon by the late legisa-
ture in this natter In providing tor the construc-
tion of wagon road from Oroville to the eastern
boundary line of the State, the leg stature permit
ted the company to locate the route up either the
Middle or the North fork of the Feather river, ac
cordng to the judgment of the company as to
which would afford the best and most practicable
route. Is for the purpose Of orestaliing the pub
lie interest in this respect that this bill confines the
Tl~o~,
seemed to be, whether correct or not, growing
disposition to adopt the route of the North Fork,
for the reasons that, from Indian Valley there is
succession of vaes extending eastward through
BEcKwouRTu's pass 10 the boundary line; and be-
cause it would connect with the road now being
built by Plumas and Iassen counties from the lat
ter place to Susanvile; thus materially shortening
the northern California overland route to Idaho
This would of course. have interfered with Gen.
BIpwELL's Goose Egg Chico and Idaho mail
line. We say Goose egg, because as an opposi-
tion line to the daily route through Nevada backed
up by the Central Pacific Bailroad Company. it is
shameful and contemplate abortion. 1t should
have been daily line from Boise City to Sacra
mento, with subsidy of not less than three hun
dred thousand dollars. That would have made this
as it ought to be, the main route for freight and
travel to Idaho, and conferred great benefit upon
northern California. That has been lost, however.
for the advantages TO derive to Chico from tri-
weekly mail ending there. 1t may be regarded As
extremity doubtful whether the subsidies offered by
this bill, will outweigh the advantages Of the
North Fork route in the estimation of the company
already formed for the construction of this road
II so, and it becomes law they can avail them
selves OF its terms. BipwELL's endeavor evidently
isto leave no outlet from the mountains for Quincy,
Indian Valley and Susanville, except by the way of
Chico All that section must be tributary TO his
individual interests. aud with that in view he con-
fines the subsidies of this bill to the construction Of
wagon road ''by way of the middle fork of Feath-
river" and "io no other purpose whatever" the
restriction being repeated, as if to desgnedy warn
she company against trespassing upon that portion
of Plumas and LasSen counties which the General
intends to make and hold tributary to Chico. But
we have no idea that the bill ever become law. 1t
amounts 10 nothing if it should. There are agri
cultural lands on the route but what are already
occupied by pieemptors. and the reserv alton the
mineral lands. leaves enly the timber Of the noun
tains 10 be considered in the purchase of the land.
II is mex, to nothing. i, might in tine be made
svsible to company able to complete the road
without present assistance. Otherwise il is of no
account and we may well doah. whether it was de-
signed to he. Having, by his selhshness deprived
northern California OF the trade and travel OF Ida
no and Montana, and given it TO Nevada, II Was
necessary tor BInwEIL TO attempt something that
would in some measure redeem his buadsriRg SCI
hshaess aud folly. Hence this bill Ii is failure.
We repudiate it, and spit upon it. in behalf of the
people of northern California, whose interests
General BlpwELL has sacrificed to advance his own.
Let him coafne his efforts to the extension of the
railroad from orovills 10 Chico Thss is something
that his limited vision and overpowering se6shness
can comprehend, and he will be contributing to the
public interest while advancing bis own. The
question of its extension beyond Chico will afford
hnc opportunity for contest with himself as to
whether it shall so beyond that point. II has been
beneficial to Oroville. 1t will be to Chico. Take
it, if you want it. Stop il there. if you wish to
and can. You have our good wishes for its exten-
sion far as desirable. But unless he can do 50 ne
thing for the Feather river route commensurate
with its Importance as practical opening through
the mountains for railroad. we respectfully ask
General RfpwFlL to attend to his business at Chico