The New York herald., 1871-12-03
TIE GREAT AMERICAN CEYSERs.

Opening Lecture Of the Cooper Union SAT ur-
duy Night Free COursc-Intercstins Descrip-
tion oi Western Phenomena.
The Cooper Union Course OF Saturday night free
lectures was happily commenced Lass evening by the
lecture OF Dr. X. w. Raymond United States Mining
Commissioner, on the great Geysers OF the Yellow
stone region. A large audience attended and great
interest seemed to be manifested In the lecture.
MIR. Abram 5. Hewitt, who presided, in intro
ducing the lecturer explained that the course Of
lectures now opening was intended to instruct the
public on scientific subjects such language as
may easily be understood by persons without
preparatory education IN science. First class men
would be brought before the audiences. and
substance rather than show would be the object OF
the course. 1t was proposed the first month TO DIS
cuss Terrestrial Phenomenal; the second month
DR.. W Wfard Parker was to discourse on "Man;' the
third the structure OF Society," was to be consid-
eISd; ne lourtn, tne Applcanon OF science ana
DR.. Raymond then began his lecture by showing
Snowlcase Of The iSI world within M tew ' hundred IN
years. Within lew centuries this bOundless con-
nent % nad become zee known and M II was most interest
mad come to reailze how vast was America.
Within his own recollection Buffalo was away out
West. and Cincinnati was far west; then the Rocky
Mountains became almost boundary and so On un.
til we had gone out now 80 far that even all the
country we had recently fought and bed preserve
in the Union would he but mere strip OF land upon
the great Western regions.
The lecturer then went on to speak about the Oca-
ton OF the geysers and the stages OF travel by which
the traveller could reach them. lie gave an anus
ing description OF some incidents winch occurred
during his own journey, In company with the pho
toy apher. Thrasher, and the guide, Santell.
The geysers are situated in the northwest corner
Of wyoming. As you approach them yOn meet
constantly with small hot springs which at first
greatly attract your attention, but as you advance
se these sRfss .ne larger Eli ny
River you come to the great gcysers them
selves. In appearance the geysers are knobs,
white IN color, OF greater or less size, gradua y
slopng from the mouth or summit anu formed by
the incrustation OF the not water. The
Giant Geyser, as 1t is called, sends forth q
volume Of water 10 the height Of 14O feet,
with diameter at the mouth or five leet. The gey
ser continues It's eruptOns for three hours at q
hours. lhe geyser known the Faithful, twenty
inches In diameter at the mouth sends forth every
hour column OF water 80 feet nigh. Several
others might be named, each with Its pecularitics
or time and occurrence. The land all round Is
covered with mounds containing mineral sub
stances In solution.
The lecturer then explained the theory by which
which In brief was that there must be basins OF
boiling water beneath the eartn and these wren
at a certain heat rush upward and thus appear IN
due course al great distance above the mouth OF
the lncrustatlOn formed around The boiling water
being all gone, there must be a wait until the cool
waters, coming from the mountains, have had time
to boil, and these then continue to rush upward.
ton or the Great Yellowstone River and the cahOns
connected with 1t, which stretch along tor fifty miles
and are OF excessive grandeur In appearance espe-
c1aly at the points nearest the river.