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 ; hut 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 he 
necessary, he had no doubt that a railroad could be constructed upon the route at a reasonable 
expense. 
* It lias 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, 
via 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 
difficulies 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 Loaf 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. 
Beyond the Soda springs all obstacles vanish. All that 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 and 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 so would, we fear, result in disappointment, and perhaps a failure of the whole enterprize. We would, therefore, suggest 
