The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-07-16
For the Republic.
MINEsOTA.-NO. q.

Meteorological observations; made at Forts Smell
ling and Atkinson, for many years, indicate high
ly favorable climate At the latter post, the maxi
mum heat, for the months Of May, June, July,
and August, ls46, was 800, $50, $40 SIC, respect
lively; the mean temperature, during the same
months, being, in their order, $50, CSC, 10, GO
and the minimum $50, 40, SO, SO Thunder
showers are frequent in those attitudes, and even
on the higher tributaries of the Mississippi The
amount of free electricity is thought to produce To-
cal currents which mitigate the sultriest days
Thirty-seven inches of rain fell at Fort Atkinson
in lS4S.
BY observations made at Sandy lake in July,
1920, wide Schoolcraft's Mar. Jour. Pub. Elk. p.
26S,) the maximum heat at that high point is
shown to be 900; and the mean temperature be-
tween the 18th and oath Of the month 1870, which
is little higher than the entire monthly average
heat in lS48 at Fort Atkinson, lying some four
hundred miles, unexpectedly, south. Probably
the entire month would sink the northern average
a couple Of degrees, leaving it 10, and showing
remarkable equability Of summer temperature over
a very wide range.
volney appears to have been the FIRST observer to
notice the prevalence Of valley current from the
tropical attitudes up the Mississippi remark in
which he is sustained at later dates by DIR. Drake
and DIR. Hildrcth. II is evident, from the scanty
materials possess that this gulf current does
spend its force until il has wcllnigh reached the
southern terminus Of the Itssca summit II is Ger
tain that the extreme upper Mississippi escapes
those icy winds from Hudsons and Baffn's bays,
which are often felt, during the spring months, in
northern Michigan and northern Wisconsin. The
same attitudes which ross the lake country give a
milder climate in the valley Of the upper Msss-
sippi. One Of the causes Of this phenomenon has
probably been noticed above. Others will doubt
ology.
| Longevity must characterize a country without
fevers congestions. Surgeons, who have been
stationed at the military posts Of Minnesota and the
upper Mississippi generally give very favorable
view of it's diseases and their diagnosis under the
effects Of the climate. Malignant fevers seldom or
never originate, in these longitudes, north Of ati.
tude 40 Ii is also well known that the cholera,
which in a single instance, in 1892, was carried by
steamboat as high latitude AGO, did not spread at
that sanitary point, namely, Michilimackinac, but
was confined south Of the general latitude Of age
TO 40, which is, according to the late Dr. For
rev, very nearly the northern isohermsllrns. Both
Green Bay on the east and Prairie du Chen on the
west OF Wisconsin escaped its rsvsges. SO far,
however, as fsyers and malignant diseases have
been locally compared, there is decided tepden-
cy to pass the lake attitudes in the Mississippi
valley.
Both banks Of the Missippi, within the bounda-
RES of Minnesota, are quite elevated. THIS eevs-
ton is rocky and often precipitous, at the rivers
brink, as high as St. Anthony's falls. Above thai
point, which is, according to Nicollet, in latitude
40 So 40', succession Of elevated plains, with
forests Of the drt stratum come in, and character
i've both banks as far up Sandy lake, and with
intermssions, quite to the falls Of Puckssuma The
consequence Of this elevation is, that ,u waters
which reveal themselves abundantly in pure springs
lakes, and streams. aow into the Mississippi with
-sS,d currents and cascades, which present hume
tT hydraulic works. Al these works
,ho ,;n. e, - -'.Ss9as may be readily con-