Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-08-28
THE GREAT WATER DIVIDE.

Rivers in Alncrica--0lountai q nj
Twelve 'rhousa nd Feet Abevo ans
Level OF the Sca-Gra nd aud Bca uti-
ful scenery.
1t is stated in the sixth annual
report of the United States Geological
Survey Of the Territories, by F. v.
Hayden, United States Geoloeist. and
there is perhaps no more unknown OF
more interesting geographical region
in America than the different branches
OF the Snake river and the Madison
the great water divide of the continent
Ihe maps now in process of construc.
tlon will almost entirely change the
geography of this wonderful repion,
Within a radius of ten miles may be
found the. sources of three of the larges,
rivers in America. The general eleva.
tion Is from 1000 TO 5000 feet above
the level Of the sea, while the noun.
talns, whose eternal SHOWS form the
sources OF these great rivers, rise to 6
height of 10, 600 to IL, 900 feet. Flow
ing northward are the various branches
OF the Missouri, Yellowstone, and
Wind rivers, which all eventually unite
into one mighty stream, the Missouri.
10 the south are the branches o1
Green river, which unites with the Col.
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 theii
vast volume of water into the Pacific.
The exploration of this remarkable
water divide proves that the Madison
Fork has its source in small lake moi
hitherto noted on any map, and that
the so.called 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 a stream near.
~ 100 feet wide, which, after dis.
tance of about five miles, empties into q
second lake, which Is four miles long
and one and half miles wide. The
former of these lakes was named Sho.
shone, and the latter Lake Lewis, in
honor OF the great pioneer explorer OF
the Northwest. At the upper end of
Lake Shoshone q new geyser basin was
discovered, with from Is 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 parallel on Che con-
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
SsSe'' VAAo VAAu 4SAV0I 8uO DIX uO1u
ranges, with the snow clad submits of
Fremont 8, Union and Cloud Peaks
the view. On the north
the Yellowstone range with EN-.
igrant Peak, and many of
the loftiest mountains of Montana
were clearly seen. To the west the
numerous ranges comprised in what
are called tho 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 amphi-
theatre. This remarkable view EN-.
braced 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 its re.
cannons, examining jack
sons Lake and the numerous streams
that empty into the main river on both
sides.
The report contains 844 printed oc-
Eovo 7,onoo