New-York tribune., 1874-12-24
EXPLORATIONS IN THE WEST.
ADDRESS OF LIEUT.. GEO. n. WHEELER BEFORE THE
GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.


ing new members among Others were added to the roll
J. A. Striker, Archibald d. Russell, Charles g. Brown,
Henry +. Esieston, Walter Stanton, LYMAN Rhodes,
John Benjamin, Edward King. David King Lieut. W. H.
Brownsou, U. g. N, Rooert Jaffriy, Charles SHARPE
LewIs King. j. g. Dudley, Major Ii. Z. Dane, Arthur r.
Bowers.
Tho main feature Of the evenings work was the
address Of Lieut.. George NJ. Wheeler OF tho United
States Engineer Corps Tie interest OF the address was
greatly heightened by series OF Photographic ilustra'
tOns, displayed at intervals with the all OF sere-
opron The first portion Of tho lecture was review
of Western exp ration from the tmo or tia LEWIS ana
Clk xpcditiOn to the present period Nearly ai the
exploring parties since tho time OF Lewis AMI clark
w"re described The interest OF the paper. however,
hinged upon the account OF the expedition under the
command Of Mr. Wheeler himself and from that portion
tho following extracts are taken:
Inow come TO description Of our trip during the past
ro DIVISIONS Of Utah, Nebraska. Colorado, New,
Mexico, and Arizona Tao number or p1rtics in tue III
ayr been nine tho number of officers ana ssi.Iants 49,
fewer tnan the usual our routes lay III re-
Gios not infested by hoStils Ildan ana hence no
the sever geographical a. is OF inquiry Including the
cugnate branches OF scientific Research gen,gy paioon
sisied of ufoers OF the different corps OF the army adel
too by professional persons drawn from clv nIe snoo
a like an classes Of interior works Carried on by ihe
War Department. has been partly military, partly
CIVIL working always In harmony, as u hts NOT Doea
sd co one oi.ss Of persons TIE polut Of departure
was Pueblo at inc emu oi nS s ss "a "s
Rocky Mountains. south from Denver, ana to whion
point persons, animals ana supplies could DO easily or
wsrded Tue defaed operations OF tle survey, how
ever to be to the soinward Of tnc spanish foaKs
maIked points noted 6y ai cary pro- @ ts
greater plrt In NowMexicO wne tho Dasils or dran-
Mora Pecos Rio Grandc Its eastern upper aud western
branches, aud tue San Juan Rivers, all possessing
I M local pyca frs as large
rs Of our mininum States, the entrc ares 0elng
icai n.crssty were those IRON which OF
lines measured from points whose ASTRONOMICAL CO
sa located IN Vicinity Of Hughes Colorado Springs
Llhrau, and Trinidad. Colorado Cn rron Fort Uhion,
bases measured and developed to CHECK tho main TRAN
gulation extending THROUGHOUT the mountain ranges
lshnient OF interior astronomical points and the
cuton of the main lrangul itin. and Others IN filling IN
from main Typographical stations by Otncr trigOnOme
rcal means, aud collecting tue Typographical details
necessary for the obanance OF all the horizontal and
vertical lines requisite for the map.
We started from Pueblo and crossed the sangre de
Chrsto pass, until wo entered the Valley of the RIO
jrande and the famous San Luis PARK. Reaching tae
little post OF Fort Garland ylmg upon strip Of land be-
Christie aud We creeks we came to the
directly the Wide Valley OF tho Rlo Grande, we
reached number or Mexican settlements on the west
thence further westward to the little settlement or
Conejos. Without guides and without escorts. we
changing our route TO the northward and clOng
rSn the ns ySy ro which sOe e oa Cn % IN
pared TO that of entering paradise.
Prospect Peak from which, looking east ward and north
Is seen tue great San Llis PAN. and To tho west tho lit
lie valleys OF the Conej,s AMI Its minor tributaries
clothed with grass presenting most beautiful OscItion
Of:cOors to the eye while iIrlher III the h0iz lay
long mesaines heavily clothed with pines and decldu-
ous foliage all lending repo SO 10 tho lsndscape
Continuing westward, We followed with considerable
d,fi,uIty stream. which proved 10 NC the eastern
branch o! the San Juan, to its Junction wi tho maiu
upper fork to the famous hot springs ut PLgosa
Returning from Pogosa, win u specially organized
patty the main head OF the San Juan was reached;
thence through mud, snow, ami forest We Reached
the westerly OF the Rio Grande which ncstcs its
head within the southern line of tho Uucompaglaec
Mountaus, grazing must mlrvelousy the heads OF tho
san Juan, about which occur series OF complicated
folds ior distance OF 80 miles. TIcnce flowing TO the
SOUTH comes 10 an area covered witn qlarterndry de-
p0slts IN this portion OF the Rio Grande BASIN.
Ole little experience gathoroi while making this trip
although not very pleasant To prisons nenGigoi may
near he su II MT OF OF the many ridges sSrtIng the
tributaries Of the Upper san Juan ut an attitude OF
supper with wet bed, witnouG forage Tor the mules
numb fingers and dread Of thc nIhtwe were made
phenomena which II had not been my fortune 10 witness
before Just at the sm" hours OF the oov morning ~
and aspen. could bs seen Gnses OF wayy clouds anu
comes trom COLI water dripping down ones back
although carefully ensc'Gnced IN MS blankets;
Of of tho heavens a snow storm OF con;ldefa-
bie visor was actively going on, Was proludrd.
in the morning we had this. During this interval the
grumbling aud the vivid. clear fIsncs Of lightn lg
OF tho heavens all creating OF power
vivid than all powers Of descripon O,e by
by the violence OF the wind 1t Is matter worthy OF
scientific note. this peculiar relation between Clouds
wnch believe has hardly ever been observed before
Marching steadily on IN tins portion Of our seasons
Grande thence to its junction WITH the main stream
ern sida again OF this great San L. lis Valley Here
another division Of one small part Of the expedition
took place. portion witnirawinG by stage commnica-
lead a le /
recton travelled to Puebo-a trip ful OF vare Incl
mountain portion OF OF the twelve extended trips
taken by self in the mountains or the West since the
Summer OF 1868. While fragment or the main party
were returning under my direction, the remainder.
under Lieut. Whpple OF the army, prosecuted their
inquiries westward toward the mouth OF the San Juan
another. under Lieut. Marshall, wero IN tho upper and
nOrthery parts OF the San Juan BASIN among tue mines
lately discovered there and Succeeded In completing The
trianguation begun ig 1873, stretching wel-condonet
belts VI tr!angles soutLward, us connt: ;n
have accomplished their seasons work. also
Others and returned to the Oce In Washington for the
would Ike to call the attention Of the Society to the
di,rputon Of forest areas rs discovered and by
parties or tno survey. II will he rccoecod that upon
the maps made at tho close OF the Ives expedition OF
1878 there placed the OF Block Fran
forest It's extent IN either direction WIS not laid
down. However surveys go TO show that this great
forest probably tue largest south OF the 4Oth parallel
1t extends FROM about tn lon to the nah meridian
Greenwich Of irregular width, varying from
80 TO, say 100 miles 1t has been frequently noted
3 to IN tho afternoon, collection Of ut first
neecy and tnen cumulus and afterward nimbus
clouds concentrating towards mountain peaks oc-
ours, aud precipitation at tho cres;s is noticea-
BILE while at Liver levels. say II the noun
taips are 10000 to 1900 feet above the aea,
al altitude between 5000 aud 1000 feet there
is usually no rainfall at ell The @ connection be-
rents OF the ears crust and the hygr0mtrc relations
Of atmosphere in sucn instances unqucsonablY
intimate although present not fully explained The
gathered relation to water supply above and
low tue surface many and afford satisfactory eyi
regarding points at which artesian wells may be
successfully SUNK aud localities where by directing the
total aqueous precipitation IN proper channels OF rrga
ton ard fields may made arabic. Tue data
IN relation thereto Will be augmented from year 10 year