54 RAILROAD REPORT ROUTE WEST OF CASCADE RANGE. 



plateau, which would present no serious obstacle to the construction of the road. This route 

 would be very circuitous, however, making the distance from Yreka to the Fort between 250 and 

 300 miles, while, in a right line, it is only about 90 miles. 



It is believed that this detour could be avoided by striking the head-waters of the Sacramento 

 river west of Shasta Butte, and then following the course of the stream to Fort Reading. I was 

 prevented, for the reasons above stated, from surveying this line ; but a party of gentlemen 

 from Shasta recently examined it with reference to the construction of a wagon road, and made 

 a favorable report,* estimating the expense at $50,000. I had a personal interview with one 

 of these gentlemen. He stated, that, although some sharp curves and deep cuts would be 

 necessary, he had no doubt that a railroad could be constructed upon the route at a reasonable 

 expense. 



* It has been deemed advisable to subjoin this report in full as it appeared in the Yreka Union of November 3, 1855. 



Wagon road from Yreka to Shasta. 



YREKA, October 29, 1855. 



We, the undersigned, who left Shasta on the 25th instant for the purpose of examining the route for a wagon road to Yreka, 

 ria the Sacramento river, arrived at this place on Sunday morning last. 



The entire length of the road will probably reach one hundred and ten miles. The general course is directly north, and no 

 deflections from a straight line occur, except in those places where the short bends of the river must be followed. All the 

 difficul ies to be overcome, and work necessary to render the entire route practicable for heavily loaded wagons, lies between 

 Spring creek and the Soda spring, a distance of about sixty-nine miles. More or less grading, bridging, etc., will be necessary 

 upon about fifty miles of this distance. The remaining fourteen is taken up by level plateaus from a half to five miles in length, 

 many of them being fine arable land, with a deep, rich soil. 



The most important obstacles to be overcome are two long ascents. The first is encountered immediately after crossing 

 Sugar Lof creek, twenty-five miles from Shasta, and the other at Potato hill, nine miles further on. Both these can be passed 

 without much difficulty by taking a circuitous course around the hill, and attaining the summit by a succession of easy gra 

 dients, alternating with occasional short benches, made level to relieve the ascent. With the exception of these two hills, and 

 three or four minor ones, the whole road can be made comparatively level. 



It is our opinion that about thirty miles will require heavy excavation. This occurs at various points along the entire distance 

 from Spring creek to the Soda spring. The points we have referred to are where the road is thrown upon those portions of 

 the river bank which are steep. Those places are generally from half a mile to a mile in length, and between them we have 

 level flats or slightly undulating ridges, where but little work would be necessary, except to bridge the creeks which are gen 

 erally met with at those points. 



Fine timber grows near at hand for all the wood work which will be needed, and two saw mills are already constructed, the 

 one at Spring creek, and the other at Squaw creek. Between Pistol and Sugar Loaf creeks more or less blasting will be 

 required upon two miles of the route, none of which, however, is of a serious character. 



Bejond the Soda springs all obstacles vanish. All tb&t will be required is to clear the way through a level, timbered country 

 as far as the huckleberry patch at the head of Shasta valley; from thence into Yreka an excellent wagon road already exists. 

 More work will be necessary to construct a wagon road by this route than was at first anticipated by us; but on the other hand 

 we are satisfied that it is the most direct course, and that when the road is once built, it will be the easiest and most substantial 

 mountain route in California. Following, as it does, the course of a river 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. 



It will probably be expected that we should make some rough estimate of the cost of this route. It is with extreme reluc 

 tance that we enter upon any such calculation, as we are aware, that in making our estimate of the distance, we are liable, in 

 many instances, to be grossly deceived ; for in many places where the trail we were travelling upon passes over the hills, the 

 road would continue level along the bank of the river. 



We are of opinion, however, that our errors in this respect are on the right side, and that the route of the road will prove 

 when marked out arid measured, to be considerably shorter than the distances given by us. We believe that the sum of fifty 

 thousand dollars, or near that amount, will be required to perform the grading and erect the numerous bridges necessary to 

 construct a good, easily travelled, and substantial wagon road, up the Sacramento river, from Shasta to Yreka. A recapitulation 

 of the numerous creeks, the different points to be encountered, and the various distances, we consider unnecessary to be here 

 stated, as those items would render our report too lengthy, and, from our limited means of observation, would not possess a 

 sufficient degree of exactness 



It is our candid opinion that this undertaking cannot be at once accomplished by private contributions. An attempt to 

 do BO would, we fear, result in disappointment, and perhaps a failure of the whole enterprize. We would, therefore, suggest 



