Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-09-22
An Uninyiting Country.

1t appears from the Toledo Blade that
there Is ut least one portion of our cOun-
try which does not present any great home
for settlers. The Hayden surveying Par
ty had. when last heard from, reached the
South Pass of Colorado. at Puncha Pass.
Correspondents from the Expedition rep
resent this portion Of country as one of
the most sterile and uninviting that can
possibly be imagined In a march of two
days the party found not a single blade
of grass. except very near the river bank.
the face of the country being arid extreme
ly sandy, and wholly unproductive in
fact. Il desert like that Of Sahara. The
soil is SO strongly impregnated with aka
IL. that it is believed to be wholly incapa.
bic of improvement by cultivation, even
were irrigation possible. Geologists be-
llcve that the entire tract is the bottom of
what was once great salt lake Its south
ern extremity is nearly level, but north
ward Il jagged, broken range of noun
tainS. bare of vegetation. except a few
Scrubby pines, rise in sharp points and
rugged promontorics, adding to Ike gener-
al destitution by their barrenness
On the banks of the Platte River, which
lntcrsects the South Park. lands are some
what more productive. though not sutfi-
ciently so to offer any inducements to ar-
rlculturlsts OF graZcrs-cattle find some
herbage during the summer, but they can
not subsiSt during the winter Yet, strange
to relate. quite Il rage exists in these bar
ren localities for lands, and many people
are purchasing them with the view of per
manent occupation. All except Il small
portion of the South Park has already been
taken up. and what people will do with it
g, -
for pasturage in most favorable localities
during the summer months. Farming is
entirely out the question. even were irri~a-
ton practicable, rs the land is naturally
sterile. Game Is very scarce Buffalo
have formerly abounded throughout the
locality. but Lave all been DESTROYED bv
The Indians Now and then farms are
found, producing. as may be expected
very small and inferior crops
Nevertheless lands in this desert are
held ut ten dollars per acre. where the
least improvements have been made. Not
Il spear of grass or vegetation can be pro-
duced without irrigation. and hence ali the
lands near streams have been taken up,
and many quarrels have arisen among the
settlers regarding water supply. Numer-
Gus persons have lost their lives in conse-
quence. and others have been warned to
leave the vicinity by sort of water VIC
lance committee, wlO believe in the doc
trine that possession is even more than the
orthodox nine points of the law, which
allows them to forciblv prevent any inter-
ference whatever with their supposed
right of squ;,tter sovereignty
As in the barren regions of California;
so here there has been quite rush of i'm
migration, which must rebound to the
misfortunes of the settlers. Hopes are
cherished that irrigation will produce the
same favorable results us in Utah, and
though this may be the ease in some
places, it is believed IN impossibilitv upon
the heavy alkaline lands which predomi-
nate over those susceptible of cultivation.
Added to this drawback, is the greater one
Of IN upropitious climate. During the day
the thermometer rises to ninety. and at
n ght water left in the cooking vessels of
the Surveying Party is frozen to quarter
of an inch in thickness Winds are con-
slant. and blow the sand in every direc-
tlon, to the injury of the eyes and general
discomfort of the explorers. Altogether
4 more inhospitable region scarce exists,
not even excepting the great African des-
crt.