The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-05-17

Nebraska. Observation-Disclosures. ............ $4,000
Kansas. $1,000
IeXas. 2SO,OOO
| Territories.
inUan. 10000
Colcfauo ...................... lOo,4Io
Wyoming ana Dacotah. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 122,001
liZ,oVU
The vast dimensions of these States and
Territories will be better understood by COM
parison with the Empire State of New York,
the area of which is within forty eight thousand
square miles. OF the agricultural resources
of Texas, Kansas and Nebraska we need say
nothing; but the last two, in addition TO their
fine SOIL have valuable beds of coal. OF the
above named Territories, Montana we place
first in agricultural resources, and it is hardly
| second in its golden mineral wealth. 1t has q
thousand beautiful and fertile valleys, watered
| by the numerous mountain crystal streams
which make up the great Missouri. In fact, as
Minnesota is without peer in her peculiar
beauties, embracing as she does the table forest
lands, with their countless crystal lakes, which
are the sources of the Mississippi, so is Mon
tana unsurpassed with her countless romantic
mountain streams and lovely valleys which make
the sources of the Missouri. Wyoming, cover
| ing the head streams of the great Yellowstone,
has, with its mines of gold, copper and lead
many of the natural features of Montana, and
the Pacific Railroad goes through the heart Of
the Territory. Colorado, with those grand
and glorious mountain enclosures, North Park,
Middle Park, South Park, &C., and with its
| lofty mountains of Pixies Peak, the Spanish
Peaks and other snow-clad peaks, aud with
| its head streams of the Platte river and the
| Arkansas flowing east, and of the great Colo
RADIO of the Pacific, is called the Switzerland of
America; but it is far more beautiful to the
painter or poet and infinitely richer in its soil,
to say nothing of its gold mines, than Switzer-
land. New Mexico, further south, has a large
extent of arid plains and desolate mountains ;
but from its great ranges numerous rivers, radi-
ating east and west, invite the settler to their
mines of gold, silver and copper, or to the pro-
duction of corn, sheep and cattle. Dacotah is
comparatively poor, as far as it is known, in
minerals and arabic lands; but the navigable
Missouri winds through it for hundreds Of
miles, and this of itself will build up in time
a powerful State.
L
the west side of the Rocky Mountains. The
States and Territories lying west of this great
continental chain and stretching over the still
loftier chain Of the Sierra Nevada to the
Pacific include the States of Oregon, Cali
fornia and Nevada, and the Territories of
Washington, Idaho, Utah, parts of Colorado
and New Mexico, and the whole of Arizona,
the aggregate area being say eight hundred
and fifty thousand square miles, or equal to
eighteen States Of the size of New York.
California, built up from her gold mines, is
destined to prove the richest State in the Union
in her grain and fruits and roots of all
descriptions. Oregon and Washington are
rich in their timber, arabic lands and fish
cries. Idaho has but little to depend upon
beyond her gold mines. Nevada literally
overfows with silver, and has also some of the
finest timber and rock salt in the world. The
Mormons of the watered valleys Of Utah Ga
Territory generally DESERT have made the
most productive farms and gardens this side
of California, and from their great Salt Lake.
at no distant day, millions of tons of salt will
be produced. In Arizona "a gold and silver
region are, on the banks Of the ella river,
some of the finest lands and the ruins Of some
of the most ancient cities on the Continent.
the ancient Aztecs, the same people whose
splendid city OF Mexico Of later date was
the wonder Of Cortez.
All this great western section Of the United
States, from the tier Of States on the west bank
! OF the Mississippi TO the Pacific Ocean, may
properly be placed as part Of the Asiatic Sec
:; ton Of this Continent, while the country from
4 the dividing line indicated 10 the Atlantic may
quite as appropriately be called the European
/, section in its prevailing natural features. Ii
e our Asiatic section, as in Western and Contra
l. Asia, we have grassy plains and deserts ant
rocky mountains with occasional strips alonJ
their sides of timber and numerous streams
including rivers Of considerable length, whicl
D have no outlet to the sea, but are absorbed b.
: the sands, or, emptying into isolated salt lakes
are cvaporated by the sun, and general dry
ness prevails over oil this Asiatic region
From hundred miles west Of the Mississippi
!. TO the towering Sierra Nevada chain, whic
Q follows north the line of the Pacific coast, Tn
= general level of the country is from four ;
4 five thousand feet above the sea, and from II
y altitude and prevailing dryness II is among th
: very hcalthiest regions in the world. Lik
G the Asiatc Caucasian region, II is calculate
II to develop the white man In his physical pei
n lection, the finest race Of men and the loyelic
'e women on the globe.
70 Ours is, indeed, great country. We al
e. great with apopulation inside Of forty millions
but the western section We have been descrit