The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1865-02-25

oil tie Biackteet, Crows, and other mountain
tribes. Upon investigating the pecuiarities
of the country / learned from the Indians,
and afterwards confirmed by my own explo-
rations, the fact of the existence of an inf
mite number of hot springs at the headwaters
of the Missouri, Columbia, and YelloEstone
rivers, and that hot geysers, similar to those
of California, existed at the head of the Yell
lowstone that this line of hot springs was
traced to the Big Horn, where a coal oil
spring, similar in all respects to those worked
in west Pennsylvania and Ohio, exists, and
where am sangune in believing that the
whole country is underlaid with immense coal
fields. Here, then, was a feature sufficient to
create great notifications of climate not
local in its effect but which even extends for
several hundred miles from Red Buttes, on
the Platte, to the plains of Columbia. The
meteorological statistics collected during
great number ofryears have enabled US to
trace an isochimenal line across the continent
from ST. Joseph's, Missouri, to the Pacific
and the direction taken by this line is won-
derful and worthy the most important atten-
tion in all future legislation that looks to-
wards the travel and settlement Of this coun
try. This line, which leaves ST. Joseph's in
latitude 400, follows the general line of the
Platte TO Fort Laramie. where, from newly
Introduced causes it tends northwestwardly,
between the Wind River chain and the Black
Hills, crossing the summit of the Rocky Mts.
in latitude 470; showing that in the interval
from St. Joseph's it had gained six degrees
of latitude. Tracing it still farther westward
it goss as high as 46o, and develops itself in
fan-like shape in the plains of the Columbia.
From Fort Laramie to the Clark's Fork, call
this an atmospheric river of heat, varying in
width from one to one hundred miles. On its
either side, north and south, are walls of
cold air, and which are so clearly perceptible,
that you always detect when you are upon its
shores.
1t would seem natural that the large vol
ume of air in motion between the Wind River
chain and the Black Hills must receive
certain amount OF heat as it-passes over the
line of hot boiling springs here found, which,
added to the great heat evolved from the large
volumes of water here existing, which is
constantly cumulative, must all tend to
modify its temperature to the extent that the
thermometer detects. The prevalent drec-
ton of the winds, the physical face of the
country, its altitude, and the large volume of
water, all, doubtless, enter to create this
arises, it exists as fact that must for all
time enter as an element worthy of every at
tenton in lines of travel and Communication
| from the eastern plains to the north Pacific.
A comparison of the altitude of the South
Pass, with the country on its every side, with
Mullans Pass, further to the north, may be
useful in this connection. The South Pass
bas an altitude of seven thousand four hum.
J,oJ a. ME fo Oh lof
the sea- The Wind River chain, to its north
rises, till it. attains, at Fremont's Peak, an
elevation of thirteen Thousand five hundred
and seventy feet, while to the north the
mountains increase in altitude till they at
tain at Longs Peak, an elevation of fifteen
thousand feet; while the plains to the east
have an elevation of six thousand feet and
the mountains to the west forming the east
rim of the great basin, have an elevation of
eight thousand and thirty-four feet, and the
country between it and the South Pass an
elevation of six thousand and two hundred
and thirty-four feet above the level of the sea.
The highest point in the road in the summit
line at Mullan's Pass has an elevation of six
thousand feet, which is lower by fourteen
hundred and eighty-nine feet than the South
Pass, and allowing what we find to be here
the case, viz: two hundred and eighty feet
of altitude for each degree of temperature,
we see that Mullan's Pass enjoys six degrees
of milder temperature, due to this difference
of altitude alone. At the South Pass are
many high snow peaks, as Fremont's Peak,
4 Three Tetons, Laramie Peak, Longs Peak,
and other, all of which must tend to modify
the temperature; whereas, to the north we
have no high snow peaks, but the mountains
have general elevation of from FIVE to eight
thousand feet above the level of the sea, and
of most marked uniformity in point of slti-
tude. 81
The high range of the Wind River chain
stands as a. curvilinear wall to defect and
direct the currents of the atmosphere as they
sweep across the continent. (By-the-by
4 whence arises the name of the. Wind River
chain? y All their slopes are well located 10
lrefect back the rays of the heat of the sun
to the valleys that lay at ther bases. These
valleys, already warm by virtue of the hot
springs existing among them, receive this ac-
cumulative heat, which, driven by the new
currents of cold air from the plains, rises and
moves onward in the form of river towards
4 the valleys of the Rocky Mountains, where il
Joins the milder current from the Pacific and
diffuses over the whole region mild, healthy
invigoratng, and useful climate"
The solution of Capt. Mullan is scarcely
satisfactory. That the springs referred tc
may produce a marked influence on the TEN
perature of the country contiguous, is Ger.
tainly plausible. That it exerts an influence