The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-05
THE FATHER OF WATERS.

THE WATERSHED OF THE GREAT RIVER AND
ITS neutrality-suspicious. OF THE RAPID
AND IMPORTANT CHANGES IN ITS BID
THEORY OF THE FORMATION toF THE MIssIs-
sIPPI BAsIN-IHE DEVASTATING POWER OF
THE STREAM AND THE POSSIBILITY OF
MITIGATING IT CONSIDERED.
The great river mas been puzzle TO man 81 nee
FIRST It's mighty waters rolled by him IN solemn
majesty toward the sea. IL Is immense, I'M
measurable and overwhelming in Its might that
IT seems almost absurd that the feeble hand OF
man should strive against and endeavor TO guide
The tameless tide into pathway or his CHOICE
Now and then she great river rises up, and with
p roar Ike angry laughter, It sweeps away in q
moment the work Of years, and Duries forever In
Inc silent depths OF Its muddy bosom the weak
BARRIERS that are erected 10 curb It's power. me
mighty force represented by the Mississippi
River scarcely be realized or appreciated
unless by actual observation OF Its influences
pn It's surroundings, and few, except
those who have enGeayored TO investigate the
phenomena OF It's origin. development and char
IcLer, can form anything ike an accurate opinion
Or It's nature. Stretching Its tributary arms
away to the east and to the west and penetrating
Tar into the northern ATTITUDES, the Mississippi
gathers to itself the waters Of the Continent and
delivers them up TO the ssa. The faded branches
wrenched BY the passing storm from the OAKS that
shadow the state line or Southern New York aud
the pune tops and limbs trimmed OF by tae lum-
hermanis axe IN northern Minnesota meet the
cottonwood and sage busn from Wyoming Ter
titory and the cactus nom New Mexico IN their
ws,ery journey 70 the Gulf OF Mexico-represeD-
tativss from nearly every State and Territory be-
tween ne Aneghanie5 and me Rocky Noun talns TO
the great meeting OF muddy deors ana drIitwood
NJ the delta Oi the MISSISSIPPI.
TUE WATERSHED.
Ths basin, or watershed, or the Mississippi en-
braces fully two-nfths OF tue area OF the United
states and extends across tue Continent rom the
5s;n TO the lI4th merldlans--a distance measured
On tue 40th parallel or LATITUDE or over 1890
miles, anu rom the national boundary on me
north to the CUR OF Mexico, over 1900 miles
measured on the 92d meridlan-and represents
an area OF about 100000 square miles. TINS
waite shed may be subdlvided into i've parts
which drained by as many distinct systems or
tributary rivers. they lonows:--
EYrst-Tne northern SUBDIVISION, or section
drained by the Upper Mississippi and by It's trOu-
tHres and their Dranches-the ILLINOIS, Rock, Wis
consin BlacE, Chlppewa ana 81. CrOlx rivers on
the eastern side vi the main ttver, and DY the
Minnesota aud Des MOiues rivers the western
SIDE. These branch from the Upper Mississippi at
almost regular ntervals along lis course north
ward from the Junction with the Missouri at 81.
LOUIS.
the tennessee, Cumberland, Green. NaOast aud
MhIte rivers. which, win the ONO as the main
river, hOw into the Mississippi az CAIRO.
7ntrd-lhe n0rtHw cstern section, ana oy lar the
ard IT'S triputarIes--tne Usage, Kansas, Pate
NlObraran, White Eafth, Cheyenne, Little MIS-.
sour Ychowstone, MIX, Martna,s, Waite Earth
N.j. A Jsaue and Sioux rysrs-ths WhoIs iorn-