RAILROAD REPORT — ROUTE WEST OF CASCADE RANGE. 55 



It is proper to state why the altitude of the divide hetween Sacramento and Shasta rivers has 

 heen assumed at 3,500 feet, on profile No. 2, sheet No. 2, upon which the Sacramento river 

 route is indicated for the proposed railroad line. This is only an approximation to the truth ; 

 hut I believe it worthy of some reliance for the following reasons. It will be noticed in the 

 report upon the wagon road from Yreka to Shasta, contained in the last note, that this passage 

 occurs : " Following, as it (the proposed wagon road) does, the course of a river (the Sacra- 

 mento) until it arrives at its source, it then enters a level plain, and no dividing ridges are to 

 be crossed separating stream from stream, as is the case with nearly all the wagon roads which 

 have been constructed in like cases." On profile No. 1, sheet No. 2, representing the surveyed 

 line, it will be seen that Shasta Butte rises from a natural eminence, which extends many miles 

 both north and south of the mountain. The greatest altitude upon this pedestal of the Butte, 

 where we crossed it, is, without taking into account isolated ridges, 3,457 feet. These two 

 facts have led me to assume an altitude of 3,500 feet for the divide. This altitude gives an 

 average descent of more than forty feet per mile to Shasta river, and to the Sacramento river 

 above Johnson's ferry ; descents, which, in my opinion, are very much greater than the 

 appearances of the streams justify. Any less altitude would, of course, render the route more 

 favorable to the construction of a railroad. 



As soon as the open portion of the Sacramento valley should be gained, there would be no 

 further difficulty in reaching Fort Reading with easy grades. The total distance from Yreka 

 to the Fort, by this route, is 120 miles. 



that a stock company be formed, ami a charter applied for at the next session of the legislature. This plan will insure the 

 early completion of an enterprize which will open an exhaustless mining region, now nearly untouched, and place the town of 

 Yreka, and the whole northern portion of the State, now so difficult of access even by pack trains, within five or six days' travel, 

 by loaded wagons, of the different depots in Sacramento valley. 



E. C. GILLETTE. 



A. SKILLMAN. 



W. W. TRACY. 



JOHN J. TOMLINSON. 



WM. A. MIX. 



R. A. McCABE. 



M. MITCHELL. 



J. TYSON. 



