The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-25
HAYDEN'S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Row the Work Progresscs-Ascent OF
the Highest Peak I'm Colorado.

INC work Pr0grcsscs-Ascent Of
the Highest Peak I'm Colorado.
fhe following Is an extract from private letter
dated August O. giving some interesting details Of
the operations Of the United States Geological Sur
vey under Dr. Hayden, Tor which the last Congress
appropriated the sum OF 100000 The writer
says
we have visited the highest peaks In Colorado.
thn nountaln OF the Holy Cross Is the highest OF
IL vel OF the sea. This mountain is 80 called rom
ifs> w0 immense ravines crossing at right angles
and 'ued with perpetual snow, presenting TO the
eve Gh> appearance oil white cross which can be
seen tor, many miles.
on the I'll OF July Professor Gardner's division
encannad a. out she timber line on the north side
of Red Gonut,in. On the following morning the
Professor encOA utereI single handed, very large
grizzly bear butat the crack OF his rifle Brun beat
an unceremonIst,a retr> Vat down the precipitous
ellis OF the mOunxafh. The following day, the party
having reached tncsummlt on the peak, they here
encountered another grzzs with ner . cur put
of their going. The Professor formally named
the peak 'Grizzly Peak In h.sn ,, OF our new
many places y so narrow that 1t Is
difficult to walk upon 1t, and at no point
to the main camp we found me bear which Profess
sor Gardner had shOtat, safely boating ca cake OF
Ice over lake, and on reaching the opposite'slore
he spread himself upon snow bank, free from iur-
ther molestatOn. Professor Gardner, In Charge OF
the Typographical division is In high spirits at the
great success which has attended the operations
or the survey this season.
Professor Jackson, in charge of the Photographic
zeal division Of the survey has Just completed
he has made many other fine pictures Of the noun
tains canyons and lakes OF Coarador and Is as en-
ShuSlastic as ever III his work.
Professor Coulter, IN charge OF the botanical d.
vision, has made large and interesting collection
OF strange plants, ana Professor Cope paleontOlO-
gist. has secured u fine collection OF fossils, both
large and small, and many OF them OF entirely new
species In fact insects, fossils and mineral speci-
mems have been collected in large guam tcies.
DIR. Hayden is now making general geological
survey OF the entire field over which his different
divisions have been working, and, aided by Cap
tain James Stevenson, his principal assistant, he
hopes 60 complete his operations in the field
10y the 1st OF October and be ready by that
time 10 return to Washington, where his scientific
corps will work mp their field notes in time for the
Doctor to make his report to Congress early in
January.
Official Dispatches About the Surveying
Party-Vhe Range OF the Three TctOus.
WAsHINaTOss, August "a, 1873
It is- stated in Official dispatches concerning
Haydeus geological survey Of the Territories that
the surveying party, starting from Ogden, Utah.
surveyed a route to Port Hail. ana there made the
necessary preparations for a pack train up the I'M
known region Of the Upper Snake Valley. The
range OF the Three Tetous was carefully :.
mapped. Immense masses OF snow and ;
lakes Of ice were found on Its sides and abundant
signs of modern glacial action. At certain
seasons Of the year, usually in August and Sep
TENDER, the air Is filed to great height with grass
hoppers flying in every direction. They sometimes
rise to the height OF several Thousand Feet AS
they passed over this Teton range they became
chilled, and dropped in the snow and ice In vast
numbers, and gradually melted the snow, SO that
myriads OF little holes which they had formed gave
to the surface peculiar rOughness It due to |
this fact that Messrs. stevenson and onglord were
able to cling to the almost vertical Icy sides |
of the peak and complete the ascent. They |
found the elevation to be 1853 feet above the sea-
thus emitting IL TO rank among the monarch peaks
OF the continent. Yet ut the summit OF this peak |
there were indications that human beings had |
made the ascent at some period In the past. On
the tops OF the Grand Teton and for 800 feet below
great quantities OF granite blOcks'or slabs OF
different sizes. These blocks had been placed on
end, forming breastwork OF about three feet |
high, enclosing a circular space six seven |
feet in diameter, and while on the surrounding |
rocks there is not particle OF dust or sand, yet
the bottom OF this enclosure Is covered with bed
of minute particles OF granite not larger than the
grains Of common sand which must nave been
worn or by the elements from the vertical blocks
until 1t Is nearly foot in depth. There was every
appearance that these granite slabs had been
placed In their present position by the Indians as
. protection from the wind many centuries ago.