Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-07-27

ed. 1t is more likely to be lower
than higher than Gray's peaks. Dr.
Parry did not succeed in reaching
the summit of Longs Peak, but made
an approximate measurement, which
ne reported at 14,056 feet. But this
last season the first successful ascent
of that notable mountain was made
by Prof. Powell and Mr.. Byers, of
the Rocky Mountain News; and their
measurement, the first reliable one
ever made, gives the figures Of l4,250I
feet. The New York Nation, there
fore, showed more presumption than
knowledge when it undertook to eriti-
else Mr.. Bowles in his Switzerland
of America" for not being more ex-
act in reporting the heights of the
leading mountains of Colorado. The
Nation says "he ought to have known
that Longs Peak was 1896 feet,
which, in fact, nobody did or could
know outside of the Nation office.
There are numerous other peaks
in Colorado of $4,000 feet and up
wards. Among these are Mount Au-
debond, Vielie's Peak, Mount Guyot
and Parry's Peak; while those of ten,
eleven and twelve thousand feet in
height lie everywhere about in the
central portions of the territory. To
the west Of the peaks, constituting the
dividing range of the continent, lies
huge mountain known on the maps as
Sopri's Peak. 1t seems, both from
the SUBMITS of Gray and Lincoln, to
be still higher than those. 1t never
has been measured, and though its
apparent superiority may arise from
the comparative lowness of the peaks
directly around it, the people of the
neighborhood will not yield their pos
sible right to claim for Colorado the
highest mountain peak in the United
States until an actual measurement of
Sopri's Peak shall decide it against
them.
The question, as it now stands
seems, therefore, narrowed down to
Sopri's Peak and Mount Whitney il
California. The peaks of the Rocky
J.. Mountain range, north of Colorado
in Montana and beyond, offer no com
petition to those of the former terri
tory. But when we annex Mexico
that country will bear off the palm il
North America for the highest noun
tain peaks. She has. two, Popocate
petl and Orizaba, whose heights seen
to be definitely settled at II, ,720 fee
and 1880 feet, respectively.
There is nothing in our mountain
ranges in the Atlantic States to a
all compare with any of these figures
: Mounts Clingman and Mitchell il
: North Carolina, 6,940 and 6,732 feet
: respectively, are the highest noun
: tains east Of the Missouri river. Nj
: Washington, in New Hampshire rank
: third, with height of 6,285 feet
r The highest mountains in Switzerlan
e are Mont Blanc and Mont Rosa, 10
775 and $3.50 feet respectively
t South America has several mountai
y peaks, ranging from 10000 to $50
( feet high. But the Himalayas i
It Southern Asia carry off the palm 0
Il the world for high mountains. Ther
J. are several peaks in that range, b
d tween twenty-five and twenty-nin
s. thousand feet in height; Mount Eve
J. EFT reaching the last figure, and, to /
). precise, adding two feet more. Thes
o latter figures almost take ones breat
t. away, even to think of them. 7
r mount the heights which they repr,
It sent, would do it actually, for the al
e at such an elevation is so rare as
s. make human existence there DANCE
le Gus, if not impossible.-Sprimgfe
l. Republican.