, 1859-01-25
A. River to the Mountains.

The Missouri Democrat has originated
scheme for producing anayigab!e river from st.
Louis to the Mountains, through the newly dis
covered gold fields OF Western Kansas aud Ne
braska. 1t Seems more fanciful than practical;
but here it is:
The proposition We would advance, is to make
q river 10 the mountains and to make it Oh the
direct line Of central travel up to the very gold
fe!ds that are waiting to be rocked End Graded
mud crushed into circulating wealth. The Kansas
[Caw is stream at present navigable to b3ats
ot light drauKht for a short distance once or
twice year. It's sources however reach the
high table land at the base OF the mountains.
and two long arms, tbs Smoky Hill ard Repub-
forks thread their way through IN almost un-
broken descending PLAIN unit. they unite ut Fort
Riley. Those who glance at map of that Sec
tlon OF our country will notice that alnoat pnrat-
lei with the Smoky Hill Fork OF this river, runs
tor several hundred miles the Upper Arkansas,
and that almost parallel with the Republican
fork Of ttis river, runs for q like distance the
South Platte. Let rs treat Of these one at
time, The divide which separates the waters OF
the Atkansas from those OF the Kansas is q
mountain spur, that soon subsidies aud is lost il
the plain. The distance across from one stream
to the oiher-as far down as B:nt's Fort. is not
more than forty 1niles-aud the distance from
the Arkansas to tie point where the drainsge
into the Smoky Hill Fork begins, is not more
than fifteen miles, Again, the "trip Of table
land, that separates the South Pla1te from the
Republican FORK, is not more than thirty miles
wide, and from the former to the point Of di-
vide, is not more in some paces. than eight
miles Now, it il evideus TINT the Upper Ar
kansas turned into the Smoky Hill fork. and the
South Platte turned into the Republican fork,
aud did but pour their mountain Hood down the
Kansas, We should have there river seeond 10
but one on the continent; and narlgah!a far up
each brunch for q larger class of steamers. The
Arkansas is, after fairly issuing forth into the
grea: ptaln stream some four feet in depth and
three hundred yords IN width, with current 60
rapid that man can scarcely stem its force
Tue South Piatte is Of about half Of that eize
aud volume. with au equal rapidity of flow. TIE
discharge Of wafer from each is immense, and
greAser than ordinary rivera OF twice their ap-
parent magnitude. There could be DO difficulty
then on that score. They would make, when
combined IN the valley Of the hsnsas, another
Missouri The question then ls-can 1t be dtnes
Can those divides he perforated Gun those
currents that now hre lost IN their own sands be
welded into new life, and made mother
stream? We believe il to be entirely practic.
able nay, oue of the easiest Of great Under
tsk'nga- a. ne hare said, the divides are 1sr-
row, ola light and easily worked formation.
and IN no part of any great elevation Moreover
the gradual slope OF that whole expause of table
land would render this diversion of extreme
feasibility. Thus the Arkansas At the mouth Of
f1e adef1efno tails at the r2ie OF Etofn1y |tts q
mix, and the South PiRtte, opposite the sources
OF the Republican fork, tAtrty-stco ftts q mix.
Is ls apparent then that a channel preserving
true level aad running diagonally from the Ar
kansas to the Smoky Hill fork, would overcome
almost trenty ftts m{s Of ths divide by the
general elsns OF the plains, and thus although
the cutting might be deep at the start, it would
soon become Insignificant 1t might even be
30 directed as to aYoid alt heayy eating at the
outset BY sddlng lew miles to its length. The
distance to the divide being tweatJ OF even
thirty miles in diagonal line, would overcome
s,1 hundred fat, which We believe u more than
she height in many placer Of the divide nbore
either OF the river levels. Nor need this channel
50 70 spesk, be any elaborate work. small
cutsiuK q few teet deep and sufficient to start d
drdsn from one river to tho other, would be
all sufficient. The wear Of the light soil, mad !
the cutting Of the rapid current, would soon do I
the rest, and one of the greatest work. of the |
modern1 would be accomplished What We
hare said of the Arksosas would applJ. with |
still greater force aud facility to The South |
Platte. where the diversion OF channcl is easy to |
be effected, the distance short, and the divide |
simply line OF low sand bills.
10 that great ustion which has sprung from
q once feeole confederacy, fractional part Of
whose people projected and carried through the
work of connecting The lakea and tho ocean BY \
line Of nsvigabe water, who shall Say that it is ct
this day and in this manner impossible TO male
a rirtT to k.s asouatains! |