RAILROAD REPORT-ROUTE WEST OF CASCADE RANGE. 
53 
For 3.0 miles between these points, every shaft would necessarily he deeper than this. From 
the southern entrance there would he a descent of 1,268 feet to Klamath river. By the route 
travelled two small ridges were crossed in the descent. The grades given on profile No. 2, 
sheet No. 2, could he obtained by side location near the line of survey; but it is probable that 
the small creek which was struck soon after leaving the summit, might be followed to Cotton¬ 
wood creek, and that to Klamath river. The heavy grades would be thus avoided, and the 
approximate descending grade, from the southern entrance of the tunnel to the river, reduced 
to about eighty leet per mile, for about sixteen miles. 
There is every ju'obability that by further examination a pass much better than this might 
be discovered through the range. In fact, I was informed that one was already known, further 
toward the east, which was much more favorable for a railroad. The loss of the escort rendered 
its examination impossible. 
At Klamath river a bridge about 150 feet in length would be requisite. The banks were 
from ten to twenty feet in height. The current flowed very rapidly, over large rocks. The 
stream was not generally more than two or three feet in depth, but there seemed to be many 
deep holes. 
From Dewitt’s ferry over Klamath river to Yreka, a distance of 17.5 miles, a railroad could 
be located with an average ascending grade of twenty-two feet per mile. Part of the route 
passes over a slightly undulating country, but neither heavy grades, nor deep cutting, would 
be required. 
At Yreka the proposed railroad line diverges from my travelled route. The loss of the escort, 
and of the quartermaster and commissary of the expedition, who was detained at Fort Jones by 
the commanding officer of that post, rendered it necessary to abandon the idea of surveying the 
Sacramento river route to Fort Reading, which promised to be favorable for the construction of 
a railroad, and compelled me to pass over the Trinity trail, which proved, as had been antici¬ 
pated, utterly impracticable for this purpose. 
Before considering the proposed railroad line, the obstacles upon the Trinity trail will be 
briefly described. By reference to profile No. 1, sheet No. 2, it will be seen that three promi¬ 
nent ridges were crossed upon the route, besides some hills near Shasta. The first, Little 
Scott’s mountains, can probably be turned by following down Klamath river to the mouth of 
Scott’s river, and then passing up the valley of that stream. The approximate increase of dis¬ 
tance from Dewitt’s ferry to Fort Jones, over that of the travelled road, would be twenty 
miles. Heavy rock cutting through lateral spurs would undoubtedly be necessary in many 
places, but the construction in Scott’s valley would be easy. The second ridge, Scott’s moun¬ 
tains, could only be passed by a tunnel, about ten miles long, excavated through granitic rock. 
The tunnel would pass about 2,000 feet below the summit. In Trinity valley much heavj r 
stone cutting and numerous bridges would render the construction very expensive. The third 
ridge, Trinity mountains, would require a tunnel through granitic rock about four miles in 
length, passing 2,000 feet below the summit. The hills near Shasta could probably be turned 
by following Clear creek to the Sacramento river ; but the cost of the two tunnels in the mining 
region, where the price of labor is very high, would be too enormous to estimate. 
Another route from Yreka to Fort Reading, which is unquestionably practicable for a rail¬ 
road, is to follow an easterly course until a junction is effected with our line of survey east of 
the Cascade Range, and then to follow that route to the Fort. In 1852, Lieutenant Williamson 
explored the country which the line of connection would traverse, and found it a nearly level 
