The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-09-04
The Great Water Divide.

The Sources OF Three OF the Largest
Rivers In America Mountains
Twelve Thousand Feet Above the
Level of the sea-Grand and Beauti-
tut Scenery.
It is stated in the sixth annual report
of the United States Geological Survey
of the territories, by F. V. Hayden,
United States Geologist, that there is
perhaps no more unknown or more in
teresting geographical region in Amer
lea than the different branches of the
Snake river and the Madison-the great
water divide of the continent. The
maps now in process of construction
will almost entirely change the geog-
raphy of this wonderful region. Within
a radius of ten miles may be found the
sources of three of the largest rivers in
America. The general elevation is from
1000 to 5000 feet above the sea, while
the mountains, whose eternal SHOWS
form the sources Of these great rivers,
rise to n height of 1000 to $4,000 feet.
Flowing northward are the various
branches of the Missouri, Yellowstone,
and Wind rivers, which all unite event
ually into one mighty stream, the Mis-
souri. To the south are the branches
of Green river, which unites with the
Colorado, and empties into the Gulf of
California; while South and west flow
the branches of 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
| Fork has its source in q small lake not
hitherto noted on any map, and that
the so-called Madison lake belongs en-
tirely on the Pacific slope. This latter
lake was found to be about twelve
miles long and eight miles wide. From
this body of water flows a stream nearly
100 feet wide, which, after a distance of
about five miles, empties into a second
lake, which is four miles long and one
and a half miles wide. The former of
these lakes was named Shoshone, and
the latter Lake Lewis, in honor of the
great pioneer explorer of the north
west. At the upper end of Lake Sho-
shone 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 interesting 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 tc
the story of the Two Ocean river, and
such stream has found its way to most
of our printed maps.
From the summit of the mountain the
scope or vision embraced radius ot
one hundred and fifty miles, within
which four hundred and seventy noun
distinctly observed. The area thai
point could not have been less than fifty
thousand square miles, embracing every
variety of grand and beautiful scenery
of mountain and valley, probably with
out parallel on the continent. Ten large
braced in the view, and the entire
Yellowstone Park was spread out unde1
the eye. To the east. the Wind rivel
and Big Horn ranges, with the snow
clad SUBMITS of Fremont's, Union ant
Cloud Peaks bounded the view. Or
the north the Yellowstone range, will
Emlgrant Peak, and many OF the lo1tles
mountains of Montana were clearl,
seen. To the west the numerous ranges
comprised in what are called the Salmon
river mountains of Idaho form the hor
izon of vision in that direction, Will,
the mountains near Fort Hall and tn,
Wahsatch range completed the might.
amphitheatre. This remarkable viey
embraced large portion of Wyoming
Montana, Idaho, and Utah Territories
About forty small streams, which unit
and form the upper portion of Snak
river, were carefully examined.
The party then proceeded down tn
valley of Snake river, through its re
markable canyons, examining Jackson
Lake and the numerous streams tina
empty into the main river on eithe
side.