The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-30
THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.
ADDRESS BY GENERAL Z. L. yIELE ON TH
STATE OF NEW YORK.

ADDRESS BY GENERAL Z. L. yTLE ON TH
STATE OF NEW YORK.
At the meeting or the Geographical Society At
Association Han last evening General Il. L. Viele
read an address on the physical geography, noun
tain and river sys ems and Typographical features
OF the state OF New York. The lecture was admi.
rablv illustrated by stereopticon views OF Adj
Iondack regions. No other one OF the United
States said The lecturer. possesses such marked
individuality as the State OF New York. whether
we regard the magnitude and extent or its river
and lakes the grandeur and beauty OF Its scenery,
It's broad and productive valleys, It's lofty noun.
tain chains, its successful plans or internal i'm
proyement, It's teeming population and busy indus
try, we ind an "tnpertune In fnperton-without
an equal and without rival. The mountain sys
tenn or the State is the extension and IN part the
termination OF the great Appalachian chain which
forms the eastery range OF the influential system
OF mountains As II enters the state OF New YORK
from the south this mountain range becomes mar
rowed and depressed, and whlle portion OF ls
SINKS beneath the later sedimeutary formations
which overe the greater part OF the state another
portion, passing TO the east or the Hudson River
and across the State OF Massachusetts, forms In its
continuation the Green Mountains OF Nermont
and the White Mountains OF New Hampshire. Az
West Point, on the Hudson. where This formation
Is developed IN all It's grandeur the mountain
deep cnannel would noat the navles OF
the world, passes on maIestically TO the
the Highlands OF the Hudson at this point This il
the only spot where the thousand miles OF rocky
barrier Is broken, giving 70 the state OF New York
treasure house OF the West and brought from
thence the willing tribute or Us abundance 20 this
great city OF the sea. When we find similar
suit produced by the remarkable evas. on OF the
valley OF tue Mohawk, thus extending tue facilities
OF commerce TO the great lakes, we no longer
wonder at the events which one century mas
brought about. Eighty years ago there were
more people living In MASSACHUSETTS than In New
York, also in Pennsylvania and even in North
Carolina and Virginia had double the populate
of TINS state; whie to-day New FORK has 1000 0Ou
more inhabitants tnan the whole country mad az
LINES OF TRANSFORMATION
TO understand more luly the Influence OF these
Typographical lines OF lowest level we have only TO
compare the gradients OF the railways which ex-
tend from the Atantlc 10 the West. All the rail-
ways south of this line extending from the sea
coast to tue lakes and Mississippi Valley pass
Erie road elevation OF 800 feet. win grades
OF 90 feet per mile; the Pennsylvania road at an
elevation OF 1900 teer, with grades OF l2b feet TO
the mile; the Baltimore and ONO at an elevation
OF 1900 ieer, with grades for 10 continuous miles
OF l6 Ieet. ana the Chesapeake ROAD In Virginia &C
1000 ieet with corresponding grades wniie rom
the Hudson at or near CatsKIll to the Mohawk,
distance OF So miles, the entire ascent Is but go
leet. winch can be overcom- by grades not exceed
Ing 80 feet TO tue MILE and the nlgLest summit
thence TO Lake Erie of 1913 feet Is overcome az
grades not exceeding 20 feet to the mile, wnle
the remainder OF the line Is characterized by
generally level grade. Now, as the cost OF
draught on a railway IS nearly az the power en-
ployed so that 1t costs twice as much TO carry
load with an ascending grade OF "a feeG a. 10
carry IL on Il level route and as TINS element VI
railway construction increases In importance TSth
the increase OF traiic. tue value to the state OF
its low level line of transportation is apparent.
the speaker noted the wonderful river system
OF the State admirable for drainage and for
transportation. he said, ut may be said
that every drop or water that falls upon the
sur Is conserved Tor useful purpose.
Wherever q stream ceases TO be navisaDle it
becomes mill power. and the great value OF
those Inequalities, which at first glance gives
u rugged aspect To the surface becomes appar-
ent. the estimated number OF interior lakes 10
GAS and the area OF lake surface 400, $50 acres.
The average height OF these natural reser-
voirs above the leve of the sea is 1000 leet-one
Of the fine lakes IN the Adirondack region IS 1900
feet above the sea-and in that region tue aver
are height IL over 500 leet, while the rivers and
streams that emanate from them fall with great
rapldlty oil descent toward the sea level. Tho
amount or water power which 10 thus developed
il simply enormous. II all the motive power or
Tins Kind existing in the state were properly
utilized IL would be greater than that OF all tue
rest OF the United States excluding the State OF
Naine.r
Tue address closed with just tribute TO the
bene1cence OF tine canals OF the state.