The New York herald., 1869-12-16


parIson with the large amount that iails "a Inc
South and North and East let US box al me snnnai
ram iaii az tae iolowing dozen lo'nts-siA ~ 'us
" - ''' --''''''e inches.
For Fort Bridger east foot Of Wahsal range l.
Fort Laramie sWYominyi. ........, ,............ Al
Fort ID. A. Russell near Cneyenna. ......;.... ~
Lort sedgwick tn0rtbeast corner pi Coorauo)... ~
Fort MCPHERSON tNebr2ska) ....r............... ~
mobile o.
Cnarle5ton .,'......'..' -
norfolk ............... ~
IDlaacipha '..''.''''''.''' ~
New fofk .................-. ...t.....,...... fz
The amonn. oi snow A. Al, II aiitnies less tnan len
thousand eet above the sea is prpporionate TO the
amount Of rain. AS we have sem the average an
nual fan OF snow on tho Laramie plains Az an ait
tude or over seven thousand iea ID u fraction over
twenty-five Inches. ON the eastern slope OF the
mountains Y s less Thus orer the summit OF
east OF Laramie, the iai OF snow last
Se. year was less tnan fifteen inches: At Fort
Sedgwick, $50 miles further east, 1t was
not over o foot. In Maine the snow fall Is seven
feet In Vermont and New Hampshire IL IS siA feet.
In MASSACHUSETTS ana Central New York IL u five
teet And coming westward irdecreases gradually
until In illinois and Iowa II Is nom TWO TO three feet.
the METEOROLOGICAL results for Inc west that have
given above have been established by observations
during several years at tho military posts upon the
plains. Aside from Ihcse Wa have the additional
evidence OF the light fan OF snoW on the plans ana IN
the valleys IN the IacG that herds OF bunao antelope,
elk black-taed deer and mountain sheep nave lived
winter aiter winter. beyond even Indian memory,
Oh uncovered 1TtisneS Oh Vusl ucSttIu
try i apprehend that this ia an entirely different
state OF from the popuiaridea OF the winters In
the West. Tne line OF perpetual snow among the
Rocky Mountains differs 50 greatly nom That n the
the same parallels OF latitude taat wnile on
tae White Mountains and Aeghanies, on the
parallels OF latitude forty 10 l0rty-three, ,tne
line oil perpetual snow would be about 1000 feet,
here among the Rocky Mountains, on the same
parallels Of latitude, IL would Do from 1900 10 over
13 900 feet. Therefore IL Will be that any rail-
road that would run through any OF the Rocky
Mountain passes 1t an altitude OF 0Oo or 5000 feet
would not be so near the eternal snow line as some
OF the railroads which pass through mountain passes
In the Eastern States. Nor Is tue question or The
extent OF the snowfall In the West confined to the
practcapty OF uninterrupted railway transit over
the continental line; 1T IL equally important as
applied TO the development OF Inc natural resources
OF the country-the grazing OF cattle ana the WORK
ing OF the mines.
lhe climate OF the West, touching the tempera-
rure Of the atmosphere equally unlike that OF the
eastern portion OF the country, 80 far as uniformity
ls concerned II is more ike the central portions OF
Europe In inns respect. The summers are compara-
lively cool, the winters remarkably mud. In boti
cases, with the variations incident to the seasons,
the days are warm aud the nignts are cool the
Gull stream washes tne western coast OF Europe,
aud the trade winds from the west blowing over
those thermal waters towards the interior, render
tho climate of Central Europe agreeapy uniform ana
mild. And so IL Is here. The western coast OF
America Is washed by body OF heated water, mucn
larger than the Gulf stream As the prevailing
winds the whole year round come fon the west,
tempered by the heat OF the Pacac, the tenperat ure
OF this Trans Missouri counLiY ~ materially nodi-
Gea by them. Tue influence OF these warm Winds
upon the atmosphere rs illustrated oy the aiIu5ion
have made 10 The difference oi altitude in tho cast
and the west OF the perpetual snow. line. In tbs
ACantlc coast range OF mountains te limit OF Veseta
tion but little above 1900 ieet, Whie among the
Rocky Mountains vegetation does not ian To aonfsn
al altitude OF 10000 ieet III The mountain regions
of Colorado splendid crops of small grain and OF
vegetables, whose layor IS unsurpassed, have been
raised al points nearly Two niles above the leyel or
tue sea- III passing over the highest point the
Pacific Railroad reaches you can see mOst inau-
rant growth oi grass, 1T an atilude Oh over 5000
feet. And higher yet grain has rpened tins year on
the ioitiest points OF tie black Hls. THESE facts
demonstrate the powerful lnluence ia modifying
The climate which these warm western wnds have
here blowing at tneg DO over tDat wonderful river
IL the sea,i which brings perpetual power or lie
direct from the equatorial regions.
In Illustrating tne temperature ot different potltS
their attitude mast be considered. TIE central por-
ton OF tbis country ford siud OF great continental
laoIeand, having an elevation varying tron ,0J0 10
5000 feet Let us compare the mean temperature o
tho seasons and OF all tAc year at few IAats IN tho
west win the same AZ corresponding number of
places OH the Atlantic seaooara, wuose parallels OF
latitude are nearly possible the same. but whose
attitudes are widely different. Al fcrt SedgwcA,
parallel OF latitude ii deg 1T All altitude Of
| 5000 feet The mean tem1eratare OF spring Is 4oS
| degrees Fahreuhes; saniner, 1853; autumn. 800;
| wntor S2.4 giving . mean annual temperature
! OF 5z.i. At New haven IN iagituae Al deg.
I Is min., at an altitude Of hity feet the mean
temperature OF spring - 4e.7; summer, 20; autumn
5I.S winter, 2S4, giving mean annual TEN peratule
OF 40. AT SAT- Lake Guy latitude 40 deg. 10 min.,
altitude 1851 ieet; spring 5l;sunaier 7i4; autumn,
SIS; winter, 30.S; Annual OF at New YORK city,
latitude 40 deg. 43 mlu. tony three miles different
from the line Of salt Lake Ctty; altitude 2j feet;
4o.t l@.I
ol.4 annual, 5l1. al Fort Laramie attitude AZ deg.
IL nIln., altitude .5lJ leet; spring, 1885, summer.
lid; autumn, bJ.S; " inter- Sll; annual, SOL. AT
Bostoa latitude ~ deg. 81 lln, altitude 80 feet;
spring, 46.3 summer J9.l; autumn. OILS; winter
23.9 annual. Asa. These ew ngares wili serve to
tnat Notwithstanding Its lauch greater altitude
the central portion OF the Continent mas ptgher
mean annual temperature than tae t.aseeru States
Now let US look ut santa Fe New Mexico situate on
latitude 50 deg. II mu dt an altitude Of 6.si6 Get.
1he mean temperature OF sprng IS 1917: summer,
7o.4; autumn, 50.t winter, al.o; annual 60.6-Just
| the same as autumn.
IL would be interesting TO compare some points on
the Atlantic seaboard wlLn others among the ROCK
Mountains OF the same latitude aad aItltude but
believe no meteorological observations nave been
taken Mt great attitudes on tue Atlantic coast, 1t IS
Impossible for me 10 iuase the comparison in
1gIres. The highest point ol the Alegnany Noun :
tains near the head OF the Potomac river, would be,
think, IN about tue same latitude and altitude as
| santa Fe. But wnie. on the one nand Santa Fe
has mild and salu0ri0us climate, and tho sur
rounding region produces tropical lruits IN great
variety ana abundance, 0n the Other hand the Ale
| ghanys nave winter shveriUg above the line OF
| vegetation on tner snowy sanuilts. We can, how
ever, make comparison between TWO points having
little practical differences OF latitude alLltude-one
the Atlantic and the otaer oa the paciBc coast.
| Quebec, IN Canada, Hes IL latitude 40 dcg.
~ mln., ~ q distance o. 400 feet above the level
| 81 the Atlantic ocean The average temperature
| OF spring Ii 3J.5; summer, GI.2; autumn, ~.
winter ij ana OF the year Al.6. Astoria, Ia oregoa
lies 10 latitude ~ deg. II mln aud il oDy fifty
| above the level oi The Pacific ocean. The mean
| temperature OF spring Is al,i summer, GIG;
autumn 5&1; winter, Al and OF the year 81 The
average temperature OF these TWO points SO far dis
tant from eacg oiher, yes so near IN latitude anI
height, VIII apuy illustrate the genial influence OF tue
great warm stream tnlt towJ IN tue Paollc. And
canuot but perceive that II the interior rlains
I were only down 20 the eVe ot the sea q tropical
Climate would be theirs; imperial palm trees, OF
which petflned remains are frequently discovered,
might stand WIN stately presence here again, IN
unknown periods OF Tue past and spread their leaves
| before a perpetual summers sun; delicious iruits
could ripen everywhere, nOV OF delicate charac-
Ter and Infinite variety could always DC IN doom
Dris of paradise might reappear. BIRDS of sweeteg
song need never cease 10 sing eternal serenity and
brightness might be unfuiled or undlunea by storm
OF gouIu.
PHLkBstpHik nSEa
Miserable Dcntb of "a Wealthy old Lady.