EAILEOAD EEPOET—EOUTE FEOM BENICIA TO FOET EEADING. 
39 
taries, received by the river from the west, until we arrive near the head of the valley. The 
hanks of the river, on that side, are generally bluff and unbroken ; the east side, on the contrary, 
is intersected by numerous streams, coming from the Sierra Nevada ; some, large enough to be 
entitled to the name of rivers ; others, so inconsiderable as to be passed unnoticed by the 
traveller, in summer. These, however, are torrents in winter, and form an important item for 
consideration, in making a road. 
“ The distance from Benicia to Fort Beading, by the western side of the valley, by the ordinary 
road, which is very direct, is 178 miles ; while by the eastern side, it is 200 miles. The former 
portion, however, is only inhabited along the banks of the river, whereas the tributaries from 
the Sierra Nevada, intersecting the latter portion, afford plenty of water, and numerous desirable 
locations for farms. The mining portion of the population is all on this side, and branch roads 
into the mines would be required. In order, therefore, to afford the means of discussing under¬ 
standing^ the relative advantages of these two portions, I determined to proceed to Fort 
Beading by the eastern side of the valley, and note particularly, the size and character of the 
beds of the water-courses that intersect it, that the extra expense of construction due to bridging, 
might be estimated. 
“ We left our camp near Benicia, on the 10th of July, and travelled thirteen miles, camping 
on a small stream known as Suisun creek, which is about thirty feet wide. This is the first place 
where a bridge would be required. From here we travelled on through the Suisun valley, by a 
road nearly level, but occasionally passing through low, rolling hills, until, thirty-two miles from 
Benicia, we came to Putos creek, which is a stream sixty or seventy feet wide. When we crossed 
it, the water in the creek was thirty feet below the top of the banks; but in winter it sometimes 
overflows them. This stream, at the most favorable point, would require a bridge 130 feet long. 
“ The only other stream, before reaching the Sacramento river, is Cache creek, which differs 
from Putos creek in occupying a broad bed with low banks. At the narrowest place I saw, the 
hed was 100 yards wide, with banks thirty feet high, and I am told that in time of freshet these 
are overflowed. Thus, but three bridges would be required between Benicia and the Sacramento 
river, and, if the road followed up the west bank, none other would be required for sixty miles. 
Above that, the river receives a tributary every fifteen or twenty miles. 
“We crossed the Sacramento river at Fremont, a town of half a dozen houses, opposite the 
mouth of Feather river. The Sacramento was low, and 250 yards wide. In time of high water 
when the banks are not overflowed, it is 300 yards wide, but in time of freshet the country is 
overflowed for miles. I came down the river in December, 1852, when the sheet of water cover¬ 
ing the country was fifty miles broad. Vast quantities of stock were destroyed. Sacramento city 
was overflowed, and much damage done to property there. 
“ From the crossing of the Sacramento, we travelled up the eastern side of the valley, all the 
way to Fort Beading, following Feather river for nearly fifty miles. The country- was a level 
plain until within forty miles of the fort, when it assumed an undulatory character, but presented 
no serious obstacle to the construction of a railroad. The average grade from Benicia to the 
fort, is 2.6 feet per mile. 
“ In order to show the amount of bridging required for a road going up on the eastern side of 
the valley-, I have constructed the following table, which gives a concise description of every 
stream crossed. This table includes all those which are dry in summer, but which must be 
bridged to allow a free passage for the water in winter. The height of the banks is given for 
low water.” 
