Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-10-10
Hayden's Rocky Mountain Geological
ExDedition


by common pen.
Hayden's Rocky Mountain Geological
Expedition.
The following extracts are from letter by
DR.. F. V. Hayden, in charge of the western
exploring expedition, from one branch of which |
correspondent of the Evening Post is writ
ing:
"The following is a brief summary Of what
the survey under my charge has accomplished
up to the present time, and what it proposes to
do before the end of the season.
1.-TWO large and well equipped parties have
been in the field at work since about the list of
July. The largest party made Ogden the point
of departure 1t was under the direction of Mr..
James Stevenson, my principal assistant. There
is attached to this party geoogist, topographer,
astronomer and meteorologlSt with the neceS-
sary assistants for each. There is also botan-
ist, who has already collected over twelve hun
bred species of plants through that new and
interesting region, the Snake river valley. DR..
Josiah Curtis acted as surgeon and microscopic.
The party surveyed a route from Ogden to Fort
Hall, Idaho, where full preparations were made
fer pack train with supplies for given time.
The party passed up the west side of the Snake
river valley, forced their way across the noun
tains made careful survey of the Teton range,
then passed up the valley of Henry's Fork, en-
tered the Madison valley through the Targee
Pass, and reached the Geyser Basin of the Madi-
son August 18th.
"rhe party under my charge travelled by
stage TO Fort Ellis,a there spent about three
weeks preparing the outfit; then started up the
Yellowstone valley, over about the same route
as last year. The party consisted of about thir-
ty persons. among them a chief topographer,
astronomer, meteorologist, mineralogist, with
their assistants, and a number of others, who
acted as collectors. A careful examination of
the Yellowstone valley was made, and map in
contour lines of one hundred feet each con-
structed.
"Both parties met in Geyser Basin on the
same day, within few hours of each other
The two parties numbered about seventy per-
sons. The results of the exploration up to that
time proved, on examination, to be most salts
factory, and less important to science than
of practical value to the country. The opening
of the great Snake river valley will prove one
the most important events in American eXplor-
atoms for the year 1879. The barometrical
elevations show most feasible routes for rail
roads. 1t opens up to settlement vast territory
of the finest land in the west A railroad up
the Snake river valley from Utah, which is now
in contemplation, will bring into market
$500 square miles Of pine timber, and an unlim-
tied quantity Of arabic and pastoral land. The
ascent of the Great Teton will be recorded as
one Of the events Of the season. Mr.. James
Stevenson and Hon. N. P. Langford are I'M
its summit. Mr.. Stevenson planted the
American flag on its summit, and measured its
height with an aneroid barometer. 1t was also
measured by triangulatioh from below. The
height was ascertaned to be about 10, 400 feet.
The next important discovery made by this
party was the four remarkable passes at the
head of Henry's Fork. These passes correspond
to the four points of the compass, and are all
within a few miles of each other. Henry's lake
is located in the centre. The Targee or East
pass is about $500 feet elevation, and forms one
of the great gateways to the Madison valley,
and the sources Of the Madison and Yellowstone.
Henry's or South pass is about 5000 feet, and
opens into the Snake river valley Red Rock or
West pass $500 feet, connects the great valley
OF the Jefferson branch, while the Madison or
south pass opens into the lower Madison. All
these passes are so smooth and low that one
may ride over them in a carriage at full speed.
There is probably not more interesting geo.
graphical point on the Americon continent,
where there are, within an area of few miles,
four such remarkable passes, linking the Pacific
with the Atlantic slopes. There is not the
slightest obstruction to railroad over either of
these passes. Emigrants are already following
our track of exploration, and within two years
the country will be filled with settlers. The
railroad company that secures the right of way
through this country soon will hold the key to
the development Of a state.
observations for latitude and longitude have
been made by both parties every night when
possible. AS nearly all the nights have been
clear aud the weather fine, these observations
have been very numerous, and their value in
the location of important points, as wellIas cor
recung the old maps, has been great. The Te-
tons were thirty miles out of place.. They were
found to be within the boundary of Wyoming
territory, and not in Idaho. All these observa-
tons will be continued until the LIST Of Novem-
Der, without interruption. Each party is sup
piled with three of Green's best cstern barome-
md harry nT1aF nj nd Ea-
pecial regard is paid to the climate and to ele-
vations for railroad routes. Particular attention
is paid 10 all results OF practical character, on
the principle that the money that enables us to
make these explorations comes from the people,
and should return as far as possible to them in
a shape which will be available to them,
"TEe party under Mr.. Stevenson is now on its
way down the east side of the Snake river val
lev; having carefully surveyed the sources of
that river, every branch will he carefully located
The party will reach Fort Hall about the 14th
of October. 1t will then survey a parallel belt
TO Salt Lake city, thus connecting all our work
in the northwest with the Paaitc railroad. The
party under my charge will complete the survey
OF the Madison river and its branches, then the
Gallatin to its sources, then pass over the
mountains into the valley of the Yellowstone,
down to the snowy range, to the mouth of
Shields river, then to the three forks of the Mis-
souri,, and then down that river to Helena,
where our labors will probably close about the
LIST of November. The latitude and longitude
of Fort Ellis has been quite carefully fixed by
an extended series Of observations by Mr.. Gan
nett with a transit, and similar observations
will be made at Virginia City and Helena
Besides the two large parties mentioned
above, there have been number of smaller
ones operating in various parts of the west, un-
der the auspices of this survey. Professor Cyrus
Thomas has spent the season in the northwest
collecting agricultural statistics, and all other
information of practical character. He has
been ordered to visit Dakota and Minnesota and
to push his way as far northward into the Red
river country as possible The public may look
for a continuation of his agricultural reports, as
well as papers on insects, and other subjects.
professor E. ID. Cope, Que of our most dis.
tinguished scientists, fitted out quite an extern
siye party al Fort Bridger at the expense of the
survey. He will remain three months in the
field. In the first two weeks of his examina-
tons be reported the discovery of over fifty new
species of extinct yertebrates. He will close his
seasons work by an examination of the cele-
DRAFTED Kansas bone deposits. The results OF his
labors will be OF great Importance to geology,
paleontology, and natural history generally.
Professor Joseph Leldy, the eminent com
paratiye anatomist Of Philadelphia, is also ex-
ploring the west for fossil vertebrates. He is
also making a study of the minute forms of life
under the microscope, and will present report
on the minute fauna and fora Of the districts
he visits
MI f. Do hltthi ny IL. NJ. Dan
mister of the Smithsonian institution, has spent
abont two months along the Pacific railroad for
the purpose of making a critical examination
of disputed or obscure points in the geology of
that interesting region. Their success has been
most satisfactory, and valuable report may be
expected.
Professor Leo. LesquereuX, our great author.
ity on the coal formations and the fossil plants
found with them, has spent most of the summer,
assisted by his son, in the west. He first went
TO Denver, stopping for time along the Kansas
Pacific railroad, thence along the base of the
mountains TO Santa Fe, N. NJ. He then ex-
plored the coal beds around Denver, and pro-
ceeded to Cheyenne, and made a critical investi-
CATION OF the coal formations from Cheyenne TO
Ogden, along the Union Pacific railroad. Large
numbers of fossil plants, new TO science, were
discovered, all Of which will be described in the
forthcoming annual report next winter.
These special examinations had for their
prime object the determining, by the most over