Howdy, Just received the liberry loan of another 49er book: "Across the Plains in '49" by Reuben Cole SHAW,.ed.Milo Milton QAUIFE, NY: The Citadel Press 1966. If the book pans out:-)), I will post some of the early overland trail background. Just glancing through, I picked up this near trail's end narrative: "About noon on September 3rd[1849], after a climb of over six hours, we arrived at the summit of the pass[Carson] over the highest range of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. On reaching the summit of that vast pile, and being surrounded by the solitude and silence peculiar to high altitudes, we stood gazing down into the beautiful Sacramento Valley, where we hoped to end our journey and our sufferings.... "This pass, which is ten thousand and five hundred feet[WHO shrunk the pass?:-) another diarist and an historian each show Carson Pass at 8,573' - my road map says 8,650'].above sea level, is the highest point ever reached by any wagon road in our country, and, though scaling the mountain with wagons was a difficult task, yet a limited number of them were taken across and, in a worn and battered condition, sent down into the mines, where they were looked by Cape Horners as relics of civilization." Then a couple of days later, SHAW continues with: "Early next morning we discovered a man at work in a ravine at the foot of the hill on which we had spent the night, and learned from him that we were close to WEBBER CREEK mines, and that a short distance away we should find a wagon store, where we could buy some supplies of all kinds. With our coffee- pot and canteens we visited the peddler's wagon, and from stores there purchased we prepared an excellent breakfast. and for the time being our craving for molasses, vinegar, and salt was fully appeased. The next day or two, SHAW adds: "We spent the afternoon viewing WEBBER town and among the miners along the creek. The town at that early date[Sept.1849?] consisted of about a dozen small tents and serveral covered wagons, one of which was known as THE STORE, while quite a large log house was being constructed for a hotel. The rainy season not yet having set in, many of the miners were cooking and eating in the open air, while their only shelter for the night were very rudely constructed brush huts" For clarification, let me quote a little from editor QUAIFE's excellent notes: "SHAW's party crossed the Sierras by way of CARSON Pass, the route taken by FREMONT on his visit to California in the winter of 1843-44. From Carson Pass, Shaw and his companions made their way, by a route difficult to determine with certainity to and down Webber Creek, and so on to Sacremento. U.S. HIghway 50 from Carson City to Sacramento parallels this route, although somewhat farther north in its eastern portion, where it passes the southern end of Lake Tahoe, and along the South Fork of the American River."... A little redundant because of my recent prior post, but the editor also says: "Webber town," commonly called Weberville, was named for Captain Charles M. WEBER, who in 1848, in cooperation with Indian Chief Jose Jesus began mining operations on the site, about two miles south of Placerville. WEBER opened a store, whose goods he exchanged for the gold mined by Jesus and his 25 followers. The red men as yet had slight knowledge of money values, and Weber utilized his profits to found the town of Tuleberg, which he presently renamed Stockton." Another beginning;sorry about the little overlap:-), Bob Norris in Dallas <BNorris166aol.com>