USA > California > Placer County > History of Placer county, California > Part 65
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283
WAGON ROADS.
FIRST WAGON IN YANKEE JIM'S.
Early in the fall of 1850 Messrs. B. F., G. W., and N. F. Gilbert and Thomas Farthing arrived at Yan- kee Jim's with an ox-team and wagon, emigrants from Missouri, bringing with them their winter's supply of provisions, mining tools, clothing, ete., and this was the first wheeled vehicle that ever came to the place.
EMIGRANT ROADS.
The subject of constructing roadsextending to the eastern slope attracted the attention of enterprising business men at a very early day. Their object usu- ally had the business point in view of inducing prof- itable travel through their section, but the patriotic and generous purpose of inviting immigration to the State and facilitating the passage of the mountains was loudly proclaimed. All coming to the State overland in the early days were called " emigrants." The first of these found their way as best they could, climbing the mountains from the east where some stream or visible depression led to the summit, then following down the western ridges, avoiding the large streams and gaining the plains below after much toil and trouble. The Walker River led the first explorers and Colonel Bartleson's party to the summit; the Carson opened a favorite pass, which led the traveler most direct to Sutter's Fort; the Truckee and Donner Lake made a comparatively easy road to the divide between the Bear and the Yuba, and Peter Lassen, Noble, Fredonyer and Beckwourth guided them to passes in the north.
No emigrant road led through Placer County; El Dorado receiving the greater portion, giving her the largest population of any county in the State, excepting San Francisco. The travel was enormous and most valuable to localities through which it passed. To turn this through Placer County feasible passes must be found and roads constructed. At this day, since the Central Pacific Railroad, bearing all the travel and freight, traverses almost the entire length of the county, it seems that its route would have sug- gested itself to the emigrant and the people who desired them. The old emigrant road crossed near where now crosses the railroad, and entered Bear Valley on the border of Placer, but the easier route out led to the north of Bear River, while the narrow divide between that stream and the North Fork of the American offered no road without such improve- ments as the emigrant was not able to make.
Roads had been made leading from Auburn across the North Fork of the American to Iowa Ilill and Yankee Jim's, and from these points explorations developed a practicable route leading to the Truckee River, Mountain Lake (subsequently named Bigler, now Tahoe), and Washoe Valley, east of the Sierra Nevada.
EMIGRANT ROAD OF 1852.
In 1852 an emigrant road was constructed from Yankee Jim's to Washoe Valley at a cost of over
813,000. This was a bold and generous enterprise on the part of the people of Placer County, but the expenditure was too small to make a very inviting road, however favorable the route. The road was traveled by a limited number, and gradually lapsed into disuse and decay. Had it been supported in after years with the energy equaling the energy of words in its praise and advocacy, it would have redounded greatly to the prosperity of the section. now so isolated, through which it passed. The his- tory of its construction is as follows :-
On the 8th of June, 1852, a mass meeting of the citizens of Placer County was held at Smith's Ranch on the divide to take steps toward the construction of an "Emigrant Road" through the county to con- nect with the old traveled roads east of the mount- ains. At that meeting an executive committee was appointed. consisting of Messrs. Jonathan Roberts. L. B. Ferris, W. D. Smith, and J. A. Avery, who were instructed to take measures for the construction of a road to Carson Valley by the way known as "Scott's Route." In obedience to these instructions the com- mittee built the road at a cost of $13,200. of this amount there was left an indebetedness of 87,000.
Upon this the Placer Herald of September 13, 1852, says :-
"A meeting of the executive committee for the con- struction of the Emigrant Road to Carson Valley was held in Auburn to-day. The object of the com- mittee was to petition the Court to accept the road as a county road, and to assume the payment of the debts outstanding, amounting to about 87,000."
As a free road it was not maintained in good order and soon became impassable to heavily laden wagons.
SURVEYS IN 1855.
The Legislature of California in 1855 made an appropriation to aid in the construction of a wagon road crossing the Sierra, and a Board of Commis. sioners was appointed to select the route upon which the money was to be expended. In September, 1855, this Board reported in favor of the route along the South Fork of the American River, passing Slippery Ford, Johnson's Pass, Lake Bigler, Luther's Pass, Hope Valley, and Carson Canon to Carson Valley. This pleased the people of El Dorado County who expected to-and did-reap great benefits from it, and aroused the people of Placer.
Surveyor-General S. Il. Marlette, who led the Commissioners, was soundly berated for ignoring the route through Placer, and the people declared that if the State would not construct the road that they, the Placer County people, would without State aid. Nothing was done, however, more than to agi- tate the subject, which was continned through the press during the two following years with many strong articles and correspondence descriptive of the route, its feasibility, distances from place to place, comparisons with others and cost of construction.
284
HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
PLACER COUNTY EMIGRANT ROAD.
Congress in 1857 appropriated money for the con- struction of two roads crossing the Territories to California. This awakened the people of the State to extraordinary exertions to open transmountain roads to connect with the National roads, and the entire mountain press, from Mariposa to Siskiyou called upon their people to meet in conventions and organize for the construction of roads through their favorite passes. Several conventions were beld. The people of Placer were not to be outdone by rival counties, and entered upon the subject with a deter- mination that promised the highest success.
In the preceding fall Mr. Thomas A. Young, then County Surveyor, published in the Placer Herald, also in his report to the Surveyor-General, a graphic description of the route, and of the upper country, which is here appended :--
The following is a report of an examination and partial survey of the Placer County Emigrant Road, made in the month of August, 1856, in company with the following named gentlemen: James Her- rick and David Orr, from the town of Yankee Jim's; George Haycock, A. G. McCook, Capt. W. C. Gray and James Gist, of Iowa Hill.
The Forks House we made our starting-point. It is situated at the junction of the Michigan Bluff, Yankee Jim's and lowa Hill roads. From the Forks House to the Secret Spring House (a distance of eight miles) all that is required to make a good wagon road is to remove the loose stones. From Secret Spring House to Robinson's Flat (seven miles), the road leaves Canada Hill one-half mile to the south. After leaving Secret Spring House, the road ascends a hill known as Secret Hill, but with too much grade; and can be improved and made an excellent wagon road. The remainder of the road to Robinson's Flat requires but little improvement.
From Robinson's Flat to the west summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains the distance is seventeen miles (ridge road), passing over one cañon, and is generally good, with the exception of three places, where the road is constructed on the highest part of the ridge, it should be graded around. For the entire last six miles before arriving at the summit there is good grass and water. One mile west of the summit the road passes through a small valley, known as American Valley, having a fine stream of water flowing through it and covered with grass This stream is the head-waters of the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the American River. The ascent to the summit is gradual, the surface smooth, and will require but little side-hill cutting. A good road can be made at an angle of two degrees. From the west summit there is a fine view of Lake Bigler (distance, air-line, seven miles). From the summit the road descends into the upper or north west end of Squaw Valley-distance three miles. This por- tion of the road can be much improved, and make a good one by extending it so far as to strike the lower end of Squaw Valley. Squaw Valley is the most beautiful valley the eye of man ever beheld. It is covered with luxuriant grass, and the soil is of the most productive nature.
The valley is completely surrounded by mountains with the exception of the east end, at which point a most magnificent stream of water, that flows through
the entire length of the valley, empties into Truckee River. There is contained in the valley about 500 aeres of tillable land. From the upper end of Squaw Valley there is nearly level road of two miles to the crossing of the Truckee River. The ford is good. At the time of our crossing, the river was two feet deep and thirty wide, the current rapid, and the bed of the stream solid. At this point the river runs in a northerly direction. From the crossing at Truckee the road extends along the east bank of the river five miles, to the head-waters of the river (Lake Bigler). This five miles of road requires but a small amount of labor to make it a good road, with only sixty feet grade to the mile.
Truckee River at its head, is four feet deep and ninety wide, and running in a northerly direction. Bigler Lake is a noble sheet of water, forty-five miles in length, and at this point fifteen miles wide. [Later surveys show it to be twenty-two miles long, and ten to twelve broad .- ED. ] All along the west- ern shore of this lake, the water does not exceed five feet in depth to the distance of about twenty rods from the shore. It then evidently becomes very deep, as there is a well-defined line of deep blue extending parallel with the shore. The bottom of the lake, so far as I explored it, is composed of soft granite rock, covered over with fine particles of granite or sand and round washed gravel resembling the gravel of the hill diggings in many places in Placer County. The view of the lake and surrounding mountains is most magnificent. The lake is entirely closed in with mountains, and it is impossible to detect the outlet by which Truckee River flows from it, unless you are in the immediate vicinity of the river. At this point we parted company with a party of ladies and gen- tlemen from Forest Hill, in this county, with whom we fell in at the Forks House, and who when we parted with them appeared to be enjoying themselves very much.
From the shore of the lake at the head of Truckee River, the road extends nearly parallel with the west shore of the north end of the lake (a distance of twenty miles), and being a good road, with the exception of two miles which requires some side-hill cutting, the road passes by several pieces of good meadow land. From the north end of the lake the road commences ascending the east summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The ascent is easy, the surface smooth, and will require but a small amount of side-hill cutting to make it a good road; the dis- tance is three miles, and there is an abundance of good grass the entire distance. From the summit to Washoe Valley the distance is five miles, the road for the most part has been worked, and a large amount of side-hill cutting done. Two miles below the sum- mit a slide of loose granite rock and sand has taken place since the road was made, and has covered it for twenty rods. Five men in a week's time would place the road in its original condition. From the summit to Washoe Valley the road can be made a good one.
The entire distance from the Forks House to Washoe Valley is sixty-two miles; from the Forks House to Yankee Jim's. fifteen miles; from the Forks Honse to lowa Hill, twelve miles. From Yankee Jim's to the Forks Honse the road is very good, and is traveled by heavily laden teams.
Washoe Valley is entirely occupied by the Mor-" mons. Orson Hyde, who is Judge of Probate, is building a large flouring-mill, and the Mormons, in the immediate vieinity of the mill, have laid out a city, and commenced building operations. The Mor-
285
WAGON ROADS.
mons are favorably disposed towards the Placer County road, and expressed their willingness to improve that portion of the road lying within their territory. I had a long conversation with Judge Hyde upon the subject, and he expressed himself emphatically in favor of improving the road. Labor to the amount of $8,000 properly expended will cause it to be traveled in preference to any other route crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The road for the most part is a ridge road, requires but little side-hill cutting, and crosses but one stream that exceeds five feet in width-the Truckee River- and that but once. Sixty feet above the present crossing a bridge of sixty feet span will reach from bank to bank above bigh-water mark. My impres- sion is that the Placer County Emigrant Road can be improved and made a good road with less expense than any other route, will be shorter, and is the most eentral road extending from Carson Valley into the State.
A table of distances were given from Sacramento to Carson Valley, through Placer County, as follows :-
MILES.
From Sacramento to Auburn 36
Auburn to Forks House. 35
Forks House to Secret Spring.
8
66 Secret Springs House to Robinson's Flat .. 7
Robinson's Flat to west summit of Sierra Nevada
17
66 West summit to lower end of Squaw Val- ley, near Lake Bigler and at the eross- ing of Truckee River.
5
66 Truckee crossing along east bank of river to its head at the lake 5
Thence north to head of Lake Bigler.
12
North end of Lake Bigler to east summit of Sierra Nevada 3
East summit to Washoe Valley 5
66 Washoe Valley to Carson Valley 8
Total 141
From Sacramento to Auburn the roads are as good as any in the State; from Auburn to the Forks House (on the divide between the North and Middle Forks of the American River), there are two roads, one crossing the North Fork three miles from Auburn, and passing through Yankee Jim's, and near Michigan City-the other by way of Illinois- town, crossing North Fork, eighteen miles above Auburn, and passing through lowa Hill. Over both of these roads stages and heavily laden teams pass daily (stages leaving lowa Hill and Yankee Jim's at daylight reach Sacramento at noon). The com- panies owning the bridges and turnpikes at these two crossings have expended many thousands of dol- lars in making them the best of mountain roads- they are excelled by none in California. From the Forks House to Secret Springs House the road is generally good-it only being necessary to remove some loose stones to make it easy traveling for wagons.
A few miles this side of the west summit the head waters of the American Forks (mere rivulets) are met, and the emigrant to the Sacramento Valley, if he desires, can follow down the ridge north of North Fork of American to Bear Valley, just in the edge of Nevada County, from which flow the head-waters of Bear River and the South Yuba (the divide between these two streams is not over two hundred
feet in width ). From Bear Valley there are favor- able routes down the ridges between the North Fork of American and Bear River, in Placer County, or on the divide between Bear River and South Yuba into Nevada County. This last is the Truekee ronte into Nevada, and is the only good route into that county.
CAPTAIN THOMAS A. YOUNG.
The energetic County Surveyor, whose reports upon the topography and resources of Placer County furnished the first and most authentie information of the region, joined the California Volunteers in 1862. In the following year his company went to Arizona, where they performed efficient service against both Rebels and Apaches. Escaping the dangers of the field, the worthy officer and gentleman met death by disease, dying at Fort Mason, Arizona, December 2, 1864, of dropsy on the brain.
ROAD CONVENTION AT YANKEE JIM'S.
Surveyor Young's very favorable and interesting report helped to keep the matter before the people, and when Congress made an appropriation to build roads, and other counties were holding conventions, he again entered the field and in April, 1857, ealled a convention to meet at Yankee Jim's on the 6th of the following May, to take action in relation to the con- struction of the much-desired emigrant road. In pursuance of this call the convention met at Yankee Jim's, the proceedings of which were published in the Placer Herald, and lowa Hill News of May 9, 1857, as follows :-
Convention met at the M. E. Church on Wednes- day at two o'clock, P. M. A. P. K. Safford called the convention to order, and nominated Capt. Thos. P. Slade, of lowa Hill, for temporary Chairman, who was elected by acelamation.
In taking the chair Captain Slade stated the ob- ject of the convention, and of the importance of the subject to Placer and the central counties of the State, and the stability to every branch of industry within the influence of such an improvement.
LISTS OF DELEGATES.
YANKEE JIM'S-R. G. Allen, Wm. MeClure, A. P. K. Safford, Wm. Wright, John S. Seott, Wm. Myrick, Dr. P. B. Fagan, Thos. Sherman, Perry Howell, A. Wil- kinson, Chas. Lasalle, James Carter, I. F. Welsh, H. C. Subtle, R. A. Harmon.
AUBURN .- Chas. H. Mitchell, L. B. Thurman. H. R. llawkins, A. S. Grant, E. M. flall, Chas. H. Watt, James Anderson.
FORD'S BAR .- Geo. L. Hamlin, Geo. Holcomb.
GOLD HILL .- W. L. Carpenter, John R. Hampton. BEALS' Bar .- S. G. Elliott.
WISCONSIN HILL .- M. M. Robinson, Mark Kim- ball.
IOWA IlILL .- Thos. P. Slade, Il. C. Ladd, Thos. A. Young, T. B. Hotchkiss, E. Warner, J. W. Johnson, Justice Baker, J. Il. Willitts, W. R. Bennett, H. F. Bowley, M. McCall, J. IL. Creamer, J. P. Olmstead. P. Il. Sibley, W. C. Rich, John Neland, Chris Mowray, P. Van Riper.
TODD'S VALLEY .- Herman Krause. N. S. Noleman. YORKVILLE .- Fuller.
286
HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY. CALIFORNIA.
FOREST IHILL .- W. H. Hardy, Alvord DeLand, Phillip Deidesheimer.
SPRINGER'S MILL .- M. B. Tubbs, L. C. Goodspeed. ROACH'S ILIIL .- Wm. Lowe, E. Patton.
The permanent officers chosen were: President- Thos. P. Slade; Viee-Presidents-Col. Wm. McClure, John S. Scott, A. DeLand, S. G. Elliott, II. C. Ladd, Geo. S. Hamlin; Secretaries-Chas. HI. Mitchell. J. P'. Olmstead.
SPEECHES DELIVERED.
James Anderson being called upon made some brief remarks upon the general objects of the meet- ing, urging the Convention to action. He represented the public improvements of a nation as the best evi- dences of their social refinement and advanced state of civilization-said the monuments that evidenced the true greatness of the rulers of Europe were the roads, canals and other peaceful accomplishments left behind them rather than the story of bloody battles and ravaged, conquered provinces; spoke of the great advantages to result to Placer County when travel from the East should be secured to it. the industry of the emigrant and the steady men from the West who settle among us and develop our resources; but said in conclusion that he thought not such positive information as would justify the Con- vention in going forth to ask assistance in the actual construction of the road; thought the distances, grade, latitude and longitude, should be scientifically decided, and a full and accuratereport published; and then if the facts should prove as we believe them, we may safely determine upon our course-if it was the most direct and cheapest communication between the main trunk of the military road, and the valleys below, it would be but a question of time when the road shall be established-people were practical and would adopt the course which interest marked out: -wished to hear some one better informed on the facts of the case-eame to listen not to speak.
The remarks of Mr. Anderson were enthusiastie- ally received.
Thos. A. Young, County Surveyor, followed, giv- ing a minute and interesting description of the country over which the Placer County Emigrant Road passes, its distanees, favorable grades, the advan- tages possessed over other routes, and approximate cost.
Mr. Safford responded to the call of the Con- vention, and in remarks pertinent to the occasion showed the necessity and importance of the work which the Convention proposed to push forward to completion; the centrality of its position, and directness to the rich and populous counties of the State; the benefits that would aecrue to the county ; the incentive to immigration by means of favorable and improved routes from the Mississippi River; the invitations thus held out to citizens of older States to seek a permanent home among us, and the assurance we would have of peopling, in a few years, our mountains and valleys with an intel- ligent, industrious and permanent population. At the conclusion of his speech the Convention mani- fested their approbation by hearty applause.
Mr. Safford moved the appointment of a com- mitte of five to present a plan in furtherance of the object for which the Convention was called. On the adoption of the motion, the Chair appointed Messrs. Safford, MeClure, Young, Anderson and Elliott.
The committee appointed to present a plan of action in regard to the improvement of the road presented the following report :-
WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States, having provided for the construction of a military road from the valley of the Mississippi River to a point at or near Honey Lake, near the eastern line of the State of California; and whereas, the members of this Convention believing that a road can be constructed through Placer County con- necting in the most direet and practical manner the said military road with the valley of the Sac- ramento and its tributaries, and being desirous, as citizens, to expedite that great work for the wel- fare of the State, as well as to secure to said county the benefits of the travel and increase of population; and whereas, believing that when the facts in regard to the practieability of the Placer County route shall be demonstrated our fellow- citizens of the valley counties will acknowledge our right to call upon them for aid in the construction of said road; and whereas, we have every confi- dence that they will render such material aid as we may require for said purpose, it is therefore
Resolved, That a committee of seven be appointed by this Convention as a "Committee of Manage- ment," who shall have complete control and diree- tions in raising funds and making contracts for the purpose of making a survey of the " Placer County Ronte," establishing the grade, distances, cost of bridging and of building said road, to make appoint- ments and fill vacancies for the purpose of main- taining their own existence and facilitating the objects of the Convention, and to do such other and further acts as may be essential in the premises.
Resolved, That a majority of the Committee of Management constitute a quorum for the purpose of business; that said committee keep a record of all contracts entered into, moneys received and from what sources, moneys expended, and that they make a report through some of the county newspapers as often as the public good may require.
Resolved. That this Convention appoint as said "Committee of Management " the following persons: Col. Wm. Mcclure. J. II. Baker, W. R. Longley, Chas. Rice, Theodore B. Hotehkiss, Dr. J. R. Crandall. and Wm. Leet.
Resolved, That the Committee of Management be empowered to call a convention of the people when- ever the exegencies of the business in hand requires it, and that the people of Placer County be requested and earnestly solicited to contribute liberally to the enterprise when called upon.
A. P. K. SAFFORD, Chairman.
Mr. Safford explained that in the appointment of a Committee of Management, whose duty it should be to have a full and accurate survey of the road made-one in every respect reliable, and brought out under the auspices of gentlemen, well and favor- ably known to the citizens of the county-to aseer- tain the precise cost, grades, ete., and to what point the road should be constructed, and the report proving favorable. as our knowledge of the route would warrant in believing. that then the citizens of not only Placer, but adjoining counties could be appealed to successfully for means to connect this work with the national road to terminate near Honey Lake.
James Anderson and J. F. Welch being ealled upon. favored the Convention with interesting remarks upon the subject matter before them, and urged the necessity of prompt, energetic, untiring action on the part of the citizens of the county, in the prosecution of an enterprise so fraught with
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