[Letter from Nevada, Sacramento Union, August 22, 1865]

 

LETTER FROM NEVADA.

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[CORRESPONDENCE OF THE UNION.]

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IONE, Nye County, August 14, 1865.

The Wellington Road.

            This road, built last year, connects Wellington's Station, on the west fork of Walker river, with this place, being about 110 miles long. It was projected and built on the supposition that it would command most of the business and travel from California to this region — a result that has not as yet been realized, notwithstanding over $20,000 has been expended upon it. It is in some respects a hard road, and will not very likely be much used for freighting purposes. Horsemen coming east over the Big Tree or Amador road, or starting from Aurora, or other places in that quarter, may choose it as being somewhat shorter than that going around through Carson Valley and by West Gate. But by all others it should be avoided, at least in its present condition, as being next to impassable, because of the scarcity of feed and water, the heavy sand, and the almost entire absence of accommodations along it. Parties crossing it the present Summer have suffered much from the above causes, being a long time in making the journey, and in some instances losing a portion of their stock. The failure of this road to meet public expectation is a severe disappointment to the people of this section, who had hoped to find in it a shorter and better channel than any other for communication with California. I have just passed over this road on horseback, having once before traveled it with a team, and, speaking of it from personal knowledge, would advise parties from California bound to any portion of the Reese River country to take the route down the Carson and thence by Sand Springs and West Gate in preference to coming this way. With more settlements, a better supply of water, and other needed improvements made along it, the Wellington road may yet command a considerable share of travel, but not otherwise ; and it is but just to say the proprietors do not now encourage teams to go upon it, nor exact tolls of such as choose to attempt making the journey,

Water Along It.

            Starting east from Wellington's Station, we pass for ten miles over a nearly level sage barren, when we strike a low range of mountains, on the top of which, twelve miles from the station, we arrive at the first water — a fine, running spring, quarter of a mile south of the main track, and easily reached by a good wagon road. A well sunk about half way across this stage afforded a little water last year, but has no facilities for raising it, if, indeed, there is any in it at present. From this spring it is ten miles to the east fork of Walker river, where there is always an abundance of good water, there being none between. From the east fork it is sixteen miles over a very good, but entirely dry road to the toll-house in the long ravine descending to Walker Lake, where there is another largo spring of excellent water. A mile and a half further down, the road strikes the west shore of the lake, following along which, north, for two miles and a half, there is, of course, plenty of water close at hand, though not of a very good quality, it being insipid and slightly brackish. At the north end or head of the lake, into which the river discharges a considerable volume of pure, fresh water, it is quite palatable, but so deteriorates as we go south, that at the foot of the lake the water is scarcely fit to drink. Between the head of the lake and the bridge across the main Walker, two miles, the road lies over a dry and sandy sage plain. From the bridge, east, we have twenty-four miles without water. Travelers generally reckon it at thirty but in speaking of the distances along this road I adopt the scale of the proprietors, who may in some cases underrate them, no actual measurement having been made. About half way across this stretch a well was sunk, over a hundred feet deep, last year, without obtaining water. Six miles out from the bridge there is a little water close to the road during the wet season ; but there is none there at present. The well at the end of these twenty-four miles is about thirty feet deep, and contains two or three feet of water. From here on is another dry stage of fifteen miles to the Hot Springs, where there is plenty of water, some of it very good. The next stretch from Hot Springs to the Mammoth range of mountains, twenty-two miles, is also a dry one ; the well dug half way across it, and which afforded a little water last year, containing none at present. Through this range, five miles, there is no lack of water, though there is none on the Sinkavata plains, ten miles wide, lying between it and Ione. Here the supply is abundant, with a sufficiency convenient to the wagon road all the way to Austin, the longest dry stage along it being not more than six or seven miles in length.

            The proprietors of this road are of opinion that they can obtain water at many additional points along it, which by deep digging can no doubt be done. Until this is accomplished, however, it would not be advisable for teamsters to attempt crossing ; a number who have done so this Summer having suffered severely, and, in some cases, lost a portion of their stock.

Grass, Wood and Hay.

            In the matter of grass, it is in rather better supply along this road than water, though there are several places where for eight or ten miles there is little or none to be had. So, also, there are a number of much longer stages on which there is no other fuel than sage brush. The first timber reached after leaving Walker Lake is in the Mammoth Mountains, sixty miles distant, where there is an abundance of the scrubby nut pine. Of hay, there has but little been made along the route this season ; though considerable quantities might be cut on the east fork and on the main Walker river, as there will be, no doubt, when there comes to be a demand for it. Between the river and this place, a distance of seventy-eight miles, there is no chance whatever for cutting any hay near the line of this road, what there is being only bunch grass, and a large proportion of the country destitute of even this. Along the West Walker, on and about Wellington's ranch, several hundred tons of hay have been gathered this season ; ample to meet the requirements on the west end of this road as well as the Esmeralda, travel not likely to be great the present year.

Topography of the Country and Condition of the Road.

            From Wellington's Station to the East Walker the road lies most of the way over a hard, gravelly sage plain, one low range of mountains with easy grades intervening. Crossing the East Walker on a good bridge, we have a like hard and nearly level track for thirteen miles to the top of the mountain west of Walker Lake. Before reaching this point there is one hill about half a mile long to ascend, up which a well graded track has been excavated. From the top of this mountain there is a continuous descent of five miles to be made, pretty steep in places, which brings us to the lake. This portion of the road lies along a deep ravine, and has been so badly guttered out in some places and filled in with sand and gravel in others as to be nearly impassable for loaded teams. Four good horses would have hard work to haul an empty stage up it. From the foot of this ravine to the crossing of the main Walker the track is not bad, except that it is a little rough for a couple of miles along the lake shore. From the bridge six miles east there is nothing but sand, so deep, the road being at the same time a little ascending, that wagoners have to double their teams to get across it. This piece of sand must be remedied or avoided or it alone will condemn the road for heavy freights. Coming on, we have occasional patches of sand, but not very deep, and a nearly level track until we reach the Mammoth Mountains, where again there is a continuous ascent of between five and six miles, about half of it quite steep. Up this mountain there was a fine road built last Summer, but like the grade west of the lake, it was badly damaged by the heavy rains that fell with a volume almost like a water spout on both these mountain ranges during the latter part of July. Twenty miles before reaching the Mammoth range, and immediately to the west of the Hot Springs, there is an alkali flat eight miles across, which in wet weather is soft, and at times difficult of passage. The south end of it cannot be crossed with wagons even in the dry season, compelling the road to make a deflexion several miles to the north. From the top of Mammoth Mountains to Austin, seventy miles, is a fine natural road at all seasons of the year, and nearly level, the only mountain to be crossed being the low range at this place. A thousand dollars has never been laid out along this entire distance, nor is there any call for it, so little work requires to be done.

Will Improve and Repair It.

            From the foregoing it will be seen that this Wellington road is, in its present condition, a pretty hard one. This the proprietors admit, but say they are going to dig wells, establish stations, and procure feed to be placed along it, besides making all needed repairs and improvements, the covering of the deep sand with hard material among others. They also talk of a steam ferry on Walker Lake, by which the heavy patch of sand could be avoided. Having already expended $23,000 upon it they express a purpose of laying out a few thousand more, which they think will place it in a condition to draw over it most of the Nye county, with some of the Austin business and travel. Possibly it may, though of this many entertain doubts.

            As stated, horsemen coming this way over the Big Tree and Amador roads, or from the direction of Aurora, may gain a little in time by taking the Wellington route. But all travel crossing the Sierra north of those roads destined for Austin, had better go down the Carson and come in by Sand Spring and West Gate, as, being not only the shorter, by thirty or forty miles, but in every other respect the best route. Starting from Genoa the distance is even less to this place by West Gate than by Wellington's. What travel crosses the mountains by the Donner Lake and Henness Pass routes will, as a matter of course, follow the Sand Spring road, whether destined for Nye or Lander county; and in my judgment all that is required to bring the entire freight and travel passing from California to Central Nevada through these two passes is the construction of a road from the Big Bend of the Truckee to Fort Churchill, a distance of eighteen miles, which could be done at a small expense. Starting from the eastern end of the completed portion of the Central Pacific Railroad, this would afford not only the shortest, but in every other respect the best route between Sacramento and the central portion of this State ; and it will not be long until this becomes the exclusive thoroughfare between tide-water and the great and growing section known as the Reese River country.