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Volume 050-2 - April 1996 (16 pages)
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Page: of 16
give. Others could have been possessed by them had they
ever been asked for. To state facts, the right to practice
once in two weeks was granted to each organized fire
company in the contract with the town. It is not my fault if
they have not availed themselves of it, during the past
season.
From the 20th of September to the 28th of October the
water was very scarce in the ditch and I notified the fire
department that if they used the water for practice there
would be none for use in case of fire, occurring immediately afterwards. This is the only instance in which there
has not been a sufficiency of water since the construction
of the works. In regard to the gates, there are no locks or
keys. A pick, shovel and wrench which can be obtained at
a hardware store, is all that is necessary. These gates are of
no use unless injury should happen to the pipe. Some of
them have not been used since they were put in and none
of them had been used for more than a year previous to the
fire.
I have no objection to the fire companies knowing the
location of the gates, and of course they or any citizens can
examine them if they desire to spend the manual labor
necessary to do so. It would be greatly to my advantage if
the Chief Engineer or foremen would occasionally walk up
to the reservoirs and inspect the premises, and if there is
anything wrong to suggest the remedy. Before making out
demands, would it not be better to find out what is wanted
and then see if it can be obtained, than make unreasonable
statements?. . .
In conclusion, it is to my interest to have the fire
companies be far more particular than they have been; and
if I were allowed to make out a list of their duties, they
would know much more about the water works than they
have yet manifested a desire to do.
As a result of consultations between Marsh and the fire
department, a plan was developed to manage water flows and
flush accumulated sediment from the lines on a scheduled
basis. Both sides were mollified, and the residents of the city,
with accustomed optimism, began rebuilding the business
district.
The Sacramento, Placer and Nevada Railroad Company
had persuaded Auburn and Placer County voters to approve a
$150,000 bond issue to bring a railroad to Auburn—and
$25,000 more was available for whoever would construct a
pair of wagon roads to Virginia City. One wagon road was to
go along the ridge separating the middle and north forks of
the American River; the other would follow the old emigrant
trail between Dutch Flat and Donner Lake.
Surveyor S. G. Elliott was employed by the SPNRR to
find a practical wagon road to Virginia City, and Theodore D.
Judah had been hired by the rival Sacramento Valley Railroad
for the same purpose. Although Judah’s instructions were to
locate a road for teams and wagons, he secretly hoped to
discover a practical way to move steam-powered locomotives
over the Sierra Nevada.
14
When Judah came to Nevada City in October 1860, he
brought copies of the latest proceedings of the Congressional
Pacific Railroad Committee. Once again, regional disputes
had kept Congress from agreeing on a particular route for the
proposed transcontinental railroad. The best they could do
was to propose starting at two different points, one in Iowa,
one in Missouri. The two lines were supposed to meet somewhere within 200 miles of the Missouri river before proceeding on a single track along “the nearest and best route to the
bay of San Francisco, or to the navigable waters of the
Sacramento.” After talking with Judah, the editor of the
Nevada Journal published the report and said:
Mr. Judah is on his way over the mountains to inform
himself relative to the practicability of the passes to the
east of us for railroad purposes, preparatory to a visit to
Washington.... The scientific knowledge which Mr.
Judah will obtain from personal observation, and his acquaintance and standing at Washington, may be of immense benefit to us ultimately. Therefore it is that we hail
the trip now being made by Mr. Judah as one of important
bearing on our interest railroadwise.
Charles Marsh’s intimate familiarity with local topography, combined with the expertise he had acquired while
surveying ditch and rail routes, inspired every railroad promoter to consult with him about projects involving Nevada
County. It was no surprise when the Nevada Journal reported
that Judah and Marsh had joined forces in November:
a call from T. D. Judah, Esq., Civil Engineer, on Thursday
evening last, who had just returned from the reconnaissance of the county between Aubum and the summit of the
Sierra Nevada, with reference to its capabilities for a railroad route. Mr. Judah reports having discovered a most
excellent route, the grade nowhere exceeding one hundred
feet to the mile. The course pursued by Mr. Judah, was
from Aubum to Illinoistown, thence to Dutch Flat, and
from thence to the summit. . . .
A few days since Mr. Judah, in company with Charles
Marsh, Esq., proceeded over the Henness route, taking
elevations and measuring distances as they went. The distance from this city to Maple’s Ranch by odometer is a few
rods more than fifty miles. The measurement was made by
the longest route traveled. The observations made on the
trip we shall publish as soon as put in proper shape. . . .
The representations of Mr. Judah are so favorable that
fifty thousand dollars in stock have been already subscribed by citizens of Dutch Flat and this place, and immediate steps will be taken, we understand, to organize a
company.
From the point of view of Nevada City’s businessmen,
Henness Pass was the preferred route, because it would pass
through that city—but after Charles Marsh examined both
crossings, he had to agree with Judah that the Donner pass
was a better choice. Consequently, Judah, Marsh, and Dr.
o~
Railroad Route Discovered.—We had the pleasure of ©