River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-09-02
THE GREAT WATER DIVIDE.

The sources of Three of the Largest
Rivers IL America iOuiitafns
Twelve gboUsand Feet Abeye the
Level of the sea-=Grand and Beaitis
full scenery
Ii is stated in the sixth annual
report Of the United States Geological
Survey Of the Territories, by +. V.
Hayden, United States Geologist, and
there is perhaps no more unknown or
more interesting geographical region
in America than the different branches
OF the Snake river and the Madison
the great water divide OF the continent
The maps now in process of constrric-
.tion will almost entirely change this
geography OF this wonderful region.
Within radius of ten miles may be
found the sources of three of the largest
rivers in America. The general elevs-
ton is from 1900 to 1000 feet above
the level of the sea, while the noun
tains, whose eternal SHOWS form the
sources of these great rivers, rise to a
height of 10000 to $4,000 feet. Flow
ing northward are the various branches
Of the Missouri, Yellowstone, aud
Wind rivers, which all eventually Units
into one mighty stream, the Missouri
To the south are the branches 81
Green river, which unites with the Coll
orado, and empties into the Gulf OF
California while south and west flow
the branches of the Snake river, which,
uniting with The Columbia, pour their
vast volume of water into the Pacific.
The exploration of this remarkable
water divide proves that the Madison
frrly haa %. lolr nnk
hitherto nrced on any MAP, and that
the so.ealltd Madison Lake belongs
entirely on the Pacific slope. This lat
ter lake was found to be about twelve
miles long and eight miles wide. From
this. body of water flows stream near
ly 100 feet wide, which, after dis
lance of about five miles, empties into a
second lake, which IS four miles long
and one and half miles wide. The
former of these lakes was named She-
shone, and the latter Lake Lewis, III
honor OF the great pioneer explorer OF
the Northwest. At the upper end OF
Lake Shoshone new geyser basin was
discovered, with from rs to 100 springs.
many of them geysers of considerable
power. The ornamentation about these
springs was regarded as more interest
ing and elaborate than those in Five
Hole Basin. The divide between the
Yellowstone lake and Lake Lewis was
found to be about fifty feet above the
former, and 200 feet above the latter.
This low ridge in the great water
divide of the continent has doubtless
given rise to the story of the Two
Ocean river, and such q stream has
found its way to most of our printed
maps.
From the summit of the mountain
the scope of vision embraced a radius
of one hundred and fifty miles, within
which four hundred and seventy
mountain peaks worthy of name could
be distinctly observed. The area that
could be swept by the eye from this
point could not have been less than
fifty thousand square miles, embracing
every variety of grand and beautiful
scenery of mountain and valley, prob
ably without a parallel ON the con-
tinent. Ten large lakes and several
smaller ones were embraced in the
view, and the entire Yellowstone Park
was spread out under the eye. To the
east the Wind River and Big Horn
ranges, with the snow clad SUBMITS of
Fremont s, Union and Cloud Peaks
bounded the view. On the north
the Yellowstone range with EN-.
igrant Peak, and many of
the Hottest mountains of Montana
were clearly seen. To the west the
numerous ranges comprised in what
are called the Salmon river mountains
of Idaho form the horizon of vision in
that direction, while the mountains
near Fort Hall and the Wahsatch
range completed the mighty ampbi.
theatre. This remarkable view EN-.
braced a large portion of Wyoming,
Montana, Idaho, and Utah Territories.
About forty smallstreams, which unite
and form the upper portion of Snake
river, were carefully examined.
The party then proceeded down the
valley of Snake river, through it's re.
markable cannons, examining Jack
sons Lake and the numerous streams
that empty into the main river on both
sides.
The report contains sl4 printed oc-
tayo pages.