Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-12-30


On the Physical Geography ofs Couaty bstesn Missouri
and California ack vew to shor it's adaptation 10 settle
aent andtas construction 81 a Railroad
Delivered at Baltimore Tuesday evening" December s. 1854
Er President Gentlemen of the Lastitute and Ladies
We live in an age when utility and progress the
order Of the day. and when all propositions Of the
man and lawgiyer, well of the philosopher and
chancan brought the touchstoRe Of and
tice and dismissed from the public mind unworthy
attention found unable to stand that test Iprofess
belong that school, and here tonight upon you,
kind invitation to discourse upon subject which will
bear that tesone which has already much engaged the
public mind and which practical views and specu
lative opinions wanted speak of the country be
yond the Missouri and California
its physical geography and its adaptation to settlement
and cultivation, and to the construction Of railroad t.
the Pacific ocean. have paid some attention to this
geography induced by local position and turn fol
geographical inquiry; and, in period Of more thar
thirty years. have collected whatever information to
be obtained from the reading of books the reports
travellers and the conversation of hunters and traders
and all with view to practical application. have
studied tie country with view to results and feel
thorized to believe from all that have learned that this
vast region capable Of sustaining popuous communi
line Of great States which stretch half way
continent in the latitudes Pennsylvania Ohio In
diana, Illinois, Missouri may be matched by equal
number Of States equally great. between Missouri and
California and that the country is perfectly adapted to
the construction Of railroad and all sorts of roads, ira
versatile in all This is my opinion and pro-
coed to verify IT, And first of the five States their da
grams and relative POSITIONS and then their capabilities
The present Territory of Kansas, extending seven hum
hY,n6r in and
containing above one hundred thousand square miles,
would form two States Of above fifty thousand square
miles each section Of the Rocky Mountains embracing
the Three Parks and the headwaters of the South Platte
the Arkansas Del Nore and the eastern branches of the
Great Colorado Of the West would form another State
larger the opinion Of Fremont than all the Swiss cantons
put together and presenting every thing grand and beau
l that is to be found in Switzerland without its draw
back Of avaanches and glaciers The valley of the Upper
Colorado from the western base Of the Rocky Mountains
to the eastern base Of the Wahsatch and Antera ranges
two hundred miles wide by two hundred long, and
part Of Utah. form the fourth and the remainder
of Utah. from the Wahsatch to California would form the
ffth-of which the part this way, covering the Santa
Clara meadows and Wahsatch and Anterra ranges,
would be the brightest part Here them are FIVE dia
grams of territory sufficient in extent, any map will
show to form FIVE States Of the first magnitude That
much is demonstrated. Now for their capabilities to
tain popuous communities and their adaptation to the
construction of railroad.
We begin with the Territory Of Kansas, and find its
length above three times its BREADTH and naturally dy
sibe into two States by north and south line half way
to the mountains. The eastern half is beginning to be
known from the reports of emgrants and explorers but
TO understand it's whole interior the general outline of
the whole Territory must first be racedn the minds eye
or upon map. Maps not convenient in SO large
assembage the minds eye must be put in requisi-
ton, and made to follow the lines indicated, thus:
Beginning the western boundary Of Missouri in the
latitude of 37 and following that parallel west to the
eastern boundary of New Mexico then detection Of
one degree north to the parallel Of &c., and that para
wardy along that summit to the parallel Of 4Oo then
east with that parallel to the Missouri line; and south
with that line to the beginning This is the outline
Now for the interior and for the sake of dstincness
will examine that by sections conformable to the ma
tural divisions of the country.
We commence with the Kansas river the north side
Of the Territory and its four long forkthe Smoky HILL
the Saline, the Soomons and the Republican, of which
the Smoky Hill is the most considerable and in the best
place FOR the advantage Of the Territory All these forks
now in the right direction from west to east and
beautifully parallel to each other, without mountains
ridges between to interrupt their communications and
making, after their junction, nearly two hundred miles
Of steamboat navigation before their united waters reach
the great Missouri river All the lands drained by these
streams constitute the Valley Of Kansasf the term val
ley be applied to region which has but little per-
oepbe depression below the general level Of the
try. We will consider the term applicable to all the ter
rtory drained by all the Kansas forks and all their rbu
taries One general description applies to the whole:
the soil rich like Egypt and tempting Egypt would be
raised above the shiny food waved into gentle undula
tons, variegated with groves and meadows sprinked
with springs coursed by streams, and warmed by
which warns without burning and best with the aerna-
hen Of seasons which give vgor to the mind and body
Egypt thus raised up and changed might stand for Kan
she is the only point Of comparison is in the soil
for this valley is high and clean, diversified with wood
and prairie watered by springs and streams grassy and
1owery; its bosom filed with for building coal
fuel and iron for the home supply Of that first Of metals
This the Kansas Of the northern Kansas river side
where Fremont says-and he has right to know
Gnuous cornfeld two hundred miles in length might be
made rich and level is the country But Of this part
1t Is not necessary to say much the crowds Of emf
grants directing themselves upon it. and vieng with
each other in the glowing descriptions which they give Of
Its beauty, salubrity, and fertility.
turn to the south side Of the Territory Of which little
has been said and much is to be told and all profitable
to be known In the first place. this south side includes
the whole body Of the Arkansas river from the Mis-
souri, line to its headmost spring in the Rocky Noun
tans-a length Of above seven hundred miles straight
line and double that length in the meauders Of the
stream This gives to the Territory second large river
and in the right place. and flowing in the right direction
and parallel to the other if its and
together to be seldom than degree, and
times not half degree, from each other, and noun
tsins or high grounds between them This Of itself is
great advantage to the Territory; for the Arkansas like
a rivers in the prairie country, brings fertile borders
and groves Of wood, and rich grass and makes at
acve line for settlement and travel In the next place.
1t gives succession of tributaries each side each Civ
ing lines Of wood and water the only thing wanted fol
Of good length, and drain wide the Neosho
drawing its expanded headwaters from the Of the
Territory two hundred miles long, and becoming navga
bic before reaches the Arkansas river. The Verdgr
10 but little less than the Neosho and next above it. and
Of the characteristics and both adapted TO culva
ton and pasturage. On the opposite sids coming in
from the SOUTH is the Salt Fork Of the Arkansas the
lower part Of it within the limits Of Kansas, with its sal