The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-02-09
Our Mountain System.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.

NEW YoRK, Fec. a, 1851.
Ihavr read with attention IN article the Hssp OF
the 2sd ul on Geographical Explorations" and let,
,cv In reply, from Washington correspondent
dated January 80, which IL, In fact, . lame spolo
~ for the Bureau OF Topography, aud shallow
criticism on the accuracy 81 tho HWALD's ar.
cle The writer admit. the leaving ont the Sierra Ma
DIRE the typographical map Of 1850, because on the
original map the ~oro did occur though In the
rextard eedng paragraph he quotes largely from
Bumboldps "Ncw Spain" to prove there 10 such word
known to ecographer-a Cordliera OF that nsme-and
that 10 divide OF the Atlantic and Pacific waters. But
the most remarkable thing In this Washington loer M
sssum psion. opinion expressed by g. W. 6s!stn
10 81. Emory, that being mere divide OF waters be-
tween Atlantic and PaoIao, the Sierra hsdre docs
not correspond with soy extended range OF mountains"
and could "only be represented map By line drawn
between the Of the streams flowing 10 the two
ercai oceans" Yet the v,iler but moments alter
wards rays, prorsa mot 'The mountain ranaes do not,
o. general tang, form the divides between the
treat streams which Aow INTO the Atlantic aud Psciho
esesrs.'nus IN TACT mPescains bis o.n Witnesses,
tradIcuops which 10 exist In the letter itself aud
vhich remark merely 70 SHOW how indefinite in certain
quarters are The opinions and oonciusocs usual on this
But ! MAINTAIN -sivipg the wrtcr the full DO.
neas OF p" rsmsn AM De %, nov ,, %sae
OF the Sierra hadre on the government mao
In stating that vss 10 be et for further .exporsaon
because 10 well known and laid down on the old Official
Spanish MAPS which copies have been sen 10 tho To
pcearphica Bureau, and which wiln be found there
not correct 70 say N at there Ia not sufficient infor
NATION, or tbs, 'our knovedses sufficient to form
these mountain ranges into separate systems" they
already have bcsn The usnsverse ranges are knovn
very great estept have been eIaminod And reported
upon BY various explorer admitted 10 fact by the
Washington letter. IN Ne ooscludins paragraph
The latter also staaes that the sierra Florida Us bui
short so sed range, about twenty miles long" aver,
the best auth oriy hss 10 continuous chain Of much
greater 1s Ses"sss Ss , ns,n o Se
the other. The letter again states that the Sierra MIN
bres short range just north OF H." and not $500
niles In krssh when, on the contrary, maintain tina,
hes that lepstb ard the writer Of the latter does
not know ne character, direction possoo, and that
mpip,.n RAJ whsi ,se letter calls the ps q the RIO
del Nore practically no psss 81 ALL and that the rus
test mules scarcely keep thor footing 90 the led, es
Of mountain sides There H. in feet passage IN the
lower rauge Of the sierra Mmbres where road Of ssy
trd made. n there IL, wby has not been point
pue Mouu,siys nor tho wssach Mountsrs are ksown
believed 70 the Sierra Nevada and Sorra hadre
reply ,n ma os ~, s.,,s .ns
are known at the Boresu, IN which they are laid down
dtpcy 90 forming that connection. and also can pro
ron ana character WIZ viz testify 10 the truth OF the
assertions made In tho IERAIDs article. Nov, Mr. Eii
tny such plumbers not only discoversole IN the
eo,s s.cum epts Of our Typographical Buresu bu, gen
tlemen connected With openly defend them and ignore
such vere SET forth IN your columns evdeauy
nom commeudsbie and scientific motives. not umo
thai we should tho OF official maps bY
fu,,hsr erp,oy alons committed 10 different oiass OF men
VIC" ~ SOUTH PASS.
TO 1Hx EDITOR OF THE BmALD.
WASHINGTON, Fsb. q, 1861
npd hat was wrong In my communication Of Jaou
airy go published your paper Of February 2, IN saying
that os none or the original msps published before the
map oomred In the Typographical Buresu, "doss the
word Sierra Nsdre occur" II 10 put down 90 tue mao
complied IN 1919 surveys By Captain T. G. Fremont
az sbraclus the mountains in New kesico Just west 81
the RIO Grsrde del Norts and this copied the map
compiled IN the Typographical Bureau 10 1860 Whyo1
pease msks this correction public NJ