The white population has increased 244, the negro decreased 8; the Chinamen decreased 79, and the In dians increased 181. Sewing machines, 723.. Sheep, graded, 22,999. . Shares of capital stocks.. ASSESSMENT ROLL OF EL DORADO COUNTY OF 1880. | Solvent credits after deduction of debts. $ 14,610 34,500 4,125 204,505 65,590 16,820 8,295 9,290 33,615 $1,067,735 1,050 This shows an increase of $702,338 over 1878, and 208,413 of $679,443 over 1879. The total railroad bonded indebtedness of the 218,990 county on November 1st, 1880, represents $211,250. 169,230 Principal $120,000, coupons $91,250. This embraces the entire bonded indebtedness of $1,937,233 the county. 1,067,735 36,220 Personal property is classified as follows. Money on hand or special deposit . . . . . . $87,625 CHAPTER XXIV. INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS, ROADS. 270 The old emigrant road entering the State and 4.435 County by the way of Carson valley; the old Mormon station was considered to be the first trading post this 11,050 61,230 side of the State line; from here the road crossed the 9,820 summits of the mountains, then turning around the 75,765 southern end of Silver Lake, it descended passing be9,785 tween the head waters of the American and Cosumnes 5,035 rivers, following the divide between these rivers 14,135 through Sly Park, Pleasant valley, to Diamond Springs, and from there to the low-lands by the way of Mud 200 and Shingle Springs, Clarksville and White Rock 67,090 Springs into Sacramento county. This old emigrant 10,660 road, or rather the "emigrant route," traced and recom7,905 mended in all the guide books, and by the foot136,530 prints of annual migrations to the State, for eighteen 595 years, passed through El Dorado county from east to 9,945 west, her entire length, branching off from Grizzly 995 Flat south to Brownsville, Indian Diggings and Fiddle13,355 town; from Diamond Springs via Placerville to Col52,580 oma, Kelsey's, Spanish Flat, Georgetown, Greenwood, 51,655 Centreville, Salmon Falls and all points of the north 405 ern part of the county; from Mud Springs to Logtown, 3,070 Saratoga and Drytown; from Clarksville to Folsom. 4,125 Hunt, a Mormon sent out from Salt Lake in the 5,190 Spring of 1849, as an advance agent for the Mormons, 2,275 to explore the Sierra Nevada for a route to be traveled 4,010 with wagons, started out with fifteen or sixteen men 16,310 and several wagons and selected the route, which, 4,670 with slight modifications, was traveled after him by 5,670 thousands and thousands of immigrants; a very large proportion of their number, for the period of eighteen No. 5. The road from Spanish Flat to American No. 7. The road from Greenwood valley to Knick- No. 9. The road from Uniontown bridge to Oregon No. 10. The road from Tunnel hill through Coloma The road from Salmon Falls to the Col- oma road. Older than this emigrant-road, but of nearly equal importance for the immigration-travel in this county, was the old Coloma road from Sacramento via Folsom, Mormon Island, Green valley, Rose Springs to Uniontown and Coloma; one of the most traveled branch roads of this pioneer road forked off at New York ravine, crossing the South fork of the American river at Salmon Falls into the northern part of the county, passing Centreville and running up to Greenwood valley and Georgetown, with connecting roads to all the different river bars and across the Middle fork of the American River to all mining camps in the adjoining part of Placer county,-from Yankee Jim's to Michigan Bluffs and Iowa Hill,-crossing the river at Condemned Bar, Rattlesnake Bar, Murderer's Bar and Spanish Bar. Adding to these some road-lines in the intermediate portion from Coloma to Cen- No. 17. The road from Stony Point through Upper treville, to Georgetown and to Kelsey, and from Placerville to the Spring Garden house. James MonPlacerville to Georgetown by the way of Kelsey and roe, supervisor. Johntown or Kelsey, Spanish Flat and American Flat. Now we have the complete net-work of the main accommodation lines of highways just as business travel in early days necessitated and directed; most of them yet may be found. All the roads of the county as early as 1851 or 1852 were divided into twenty-two road districts commencing east and running west by following the southern boundary, and returning to the eastern starting point. No. 16. The road from Weber creek bridge through Lower Placerville to Stony Point, also from Placerville to where the Gold Hill canal crosses the Coloma road. Wm. Carey, supervisor. No. 18. The road from Spring Garden house eastwardly to the county line. John C. Johnson, supervisor. No. 19. The road from the west end of district 15 through Mud Springs to the Kingsville house. G. F. Bowker, supervisor. No. 20. The road from the Kingsville house to the El Dorado house. Wakefield, supervisor. No. 21. The road from the El Dorado house to the county line. Peter Forsee, supervisor. The following are the twenty-two road districts of the county with their supervisors appointed by the Court of Sessions of El Dorado county at their regu-trict 16. J. M. Goetschius, supervisor. lar terms of session in March, 1854. No. 22. The road from the Bay State house through Gold Hill and Cold Springs, to the west end of dis District No. 1. The road from Coloma by Lutz's ranch to Greenwood valley. A. B. Lutz, supervisor. No. 2. The road from Coloma where it crosses Johntown creek. Giles E. Sill, supervisor. No. 3. The road from Johntown creek to Georgetown on the ridge between Empire canyon and Manhattan creek. Daniel Craig, supervisor. No. 4. The road from Coloma through Louisville to Spanish Flat. Wm. O. Applebee, supervisor. For the benefit of those interested, we give below a brief synopsis of the powers and duties of road supervisors under the law relating to "public roads and highways." The court of sessions of this county has fixed two days' labor for each person for the year liable to road tax, or to pay to the supervisor three dollars for each day, making six dollars for the year, to be appropriated for road purposes. SECTION 3. Provides that all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 50, are liable to perform road duty, for the number of days fixed by the court of sessions. SEC. 9. Provides that any person refusing to accept the appointment of road supervisor, shall be fined in the sum of $20. SEC. 10. Provides that if the supervisor appointed accepts such appointment, he shall, within fifteen days after being served with the notice of his appointment, return to the clerk of the court of sessions a list of all persons residing in his road district, liable to be taxed for road purposes. SEC. II. The supervisor shall keep all public roads in his district clear from obstruction and in good repair-causing banks to be graded and bridges made where necessary, and kept in repair; and to cause posts and guide-boards to be erected, with directions and distances to the most noted places to which said road may lead. SEC. 12. Provides that when any public road shall be obstructed, or bridge or causeway destroyed or out of repair, the supervisor shall call out as many persons as may be necessary to perform such work; but if such persons have performed the number of days work required of them for the year, and he cannot procure persons that have not performed such labor in the district, he shall hire as many persons, etc., as may be necessary, provided the cost of the same shall not exceed $50. If the cost exceeds $50, he shall report the same to the court of sessions. SEC. 13. Provides that the supervisors shall give every person in his district at least three days' notice of the time and place where they are required to work, and of the necessary tools for said work. The supervisor may appoint any person liable to work in his district to notify hands to work on the road. SEC. 15. The supervisor shall prosecute suits in his official capacity, before any justice of the peace, against all persons who shall neglect or refuse to work after being notified; and the supervisor shall be a competent witness in all such suits. SEC. 16. All fines, etc., incurred under the provisions of this act, shall be applied to improving the roads within the limits of the road district wherein such fine and penalties may be incurred. SEC. 18. Any supervisor who shall fail to perform his duties, shall be liable to and forfeit to the county any sum not less than ten, nor more than two hundred dollars; and he shall pay to the county all moneys he may collect which have not been appropriated to the benefit of his district. Returning to the old Carson or emigrant road, which just as well might be called the mother road of El Dorado county, we give in the following a directory of the stations on said road from the year 1854. Reese & Co., old Mormon station, ranch and hotel. F. V. Fain, ranch and trading post half a mile south of old Mormon station. W. P. Cozart, clock and watchmaker, gold and sil. versmith and bath house at the warm and cold springs, two miles south from old Mormon station. Post & Steward, ranch and trading post, with hotel at the mouth of Johnson's Cut-off road, three miles south of old Mormon station, 75 miles east of Placerville. W. Cossen, ranch and trading post, four miles south from old Mormon station. S. Mott & Co., ranch and trading post, good hotel, six miles from the old Mormon station. Lewis & Co., ranch. Daniel Woodford, ranch, trading post and hotel six and a half miles from old Mormon station. Howard & Singleton, two ranches, seven miles from old Mormon station. C. M. King, ranch, trading post and hotel, eight miles from old Mormon station. David Barber, ranch, trading post and blacksmith shop, eight and a half miles from old Mormon station. E. R. Carey & Co., ranch and trading post, twelve miles from old Mormon station. Wm. Williams, ranch and hotel, twelve and a half miles from old Mormon station. Lucky Bill's ranch, fourteen miles from old Mormon station. Lamb & Wade, ranch and trading post, fifteen miles from the old Mormon station. B. Ward, ranch and trading post, the first place in Carson valley, fifteen and a quarter miles from old Mormon station; four miles and three-fourths north of the canyon. Lant & Co., trading post and meals, 20 miles from old Mormon station. Big Canyon toll bridge, 20 miles from old Mormon station. Rates of toll: $1 per wagon, 10 cents a head for all cattle, 25 cents for each mule or horse, 5 cents for calves, and 3 cents for sheep; there are two more bridges in the canyon. Haynes & Warner, Hope Valley hotel, 27 miles from old Mormon station. May & Co., ranch and meals, 31 miles from old Mormon station. Wm. M. Taylor & Co., ranch and meals 321⁄2 miles from old Mormon station. Wilshear & Co., trading post and meals, 35 miles from old Mormon station. Gould & Co., trading post in Lake valley, on the right hand side coming over the mountains. Red Lake house, Red Lake valley, Walgamot & French proprietors, accommodations for all; 40 miles from old Mormon station. Carey & Co., trading post and meals, 50 miles from old Mormon station. Raymond & Co., trading post and meals, 53 miles from old Mormon station. Morris & Co., trading post and meals, 57 miles from old Mormon station. Shipley & Dupont, Tragedy Springs, 59 miles from old Mormon station and one mile from Silver lake. Hoboken, hotel and trading post, 61 miles from old Mormon station. P. Peterson, trading post, 62 miles from old Mormon station. Chas. Scofield, trading post, meals and groceries; 53 miles from Placerville. E. H. Smith, ranch and trading post, groceries and meals at all hours; 55 miles from Placerville. Michael Tagg, trading post, groceries etc., 60 miles from Placerville. G. M. Dunvall, trading post, groceries etc., 62 miles. from Placerville. John Hurlana, trading post, groceries and meals 64 miles east from Placerville. To give the reader an idea of the travel over these roads in early days, we may quote from the register of Leak Springs, trading post, 66 miles from old Mor-immigration, kept by Mr. J. B. Ellis, the aggregate of mon station. wagons and animals that passed over the mountains Peter Peters, trading post, 68 miles from old Mor- into California, by the old Carson route, during the mon station. summer season of 1854, commencing on the first of Camp creek trading post, H. Bichey & Co., propri-July that year, amounted to: 808 wagons, 30,015 head etors, 77 miles from old Mormon station, and 30 miles of cattle, 1,903 horses and mules, 8,550 sheep. from Placerville. The immense proportions to which this immigraCold Spring ranch, meals, 82 miles from old Mor- tion was grown, caused others to find another and mon station. Hick's ranch, groceries and provisions, 82 miles from old Mormon station and 21 miles from Placerville. Strong's ranch, at the junction of the road, hotel, 15 miles from Placerville. possibly easier accessible route to compete with those in existence. And a third claimant for a newly explored mountain route across the Sierra Nevada from Carson valley into California and particularly El Dorado, turned up in the person of a Mr. Dritt, by Blair & Gould, Sportsman's Hall, 11 miles from mountain men of that time generally known as 'Old Placerville. Illinois House, groceries and meals at all hours. Elk Horn, hay and barley station, seven miles from Placerville. Daddy Dritt.' .A petition was presented to the State Legislature in session, in April 1854, for a charter for a wagon road to connect the Carson valley with Placerville. This petition was signed by Messrs. Ogden & Wright, Chapparel, three and a half miles Dritt, Murdock & Co. This new route by which the from Placerville. On the Johnson Cut-off road there were: steepest ascent would be avoided and which therefore presented an eligible road for wagons, was designed to commence at the mouth of Big canyon on the old Carson river route, intersecting the Johnson Cutt-off road on the western summit of the mountains and to B. Yarnel, hay, barley and provisions, 23 miles from cross the South Fork of the American river at BartPlacerville. lett's bridge. Mr. Dritt was an old experienced moun B. Brockless, meals at all hours, 30 miles from taineer, who had crossed the Sierra Nevada frequently, Placerville. and himself as well as other people had great confiPeavine ranch, D. Folsom, meals, 32 miles from dence in this route as the easiest pass that could be Placerville. found. Howard & Young, Halfway house, hotel accommo- The prospect of still more competition to that one dations, 35 miles from Placerville. going on already by the Johnson Cutt-off road, and Clark, Gill & Co., Halfway house, best hotel for im the advantages that were offered to the traveling peomigrants. ple by using these roads, stirred up the settlers of CarSilver creek ranch, Charles Bosworth, store and sa- son valley and further along the Emigrant road, and loon, 37 miles from Placerville. made them afraid to loose the trade; consequently Slippery Ford, trading post, store, saloon and hotel, they were called together in public meeting to take in 45 miles east of Placerville. consideration what steps should be taken to keep the Hiram Denny, trading post, groceries, etc., meals, immigration going that way. The meeting was held 511⁄2 miles from Placerville. at Masonic station, on November 11th, 1854. Thomas Daniel McEnlam, trading post and groceries; 53 Knott being called to the chair, in a few brief remarks miles from Placerville. stated the object of the meeting, when, on motion of |