Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-11-29

Some of the Results of tho TopographIca al
ana Geological Survey of 1879.
New York Times

Some of tho Results of tho Typographical
and Geological Survey of 1875.
New York Times.
In the Spring of 1875 the Govern
ment sent an exploring expedition to
the Black Hills for the purpose of thor
oughly surveying them and reporting
on their topography, geological forma-
ton, and mineral wealth. This expedi-
ton was under the charge of Prof.
Walter ?. Jenny, Of Massachusetts, and
its labors occupied the whole summer.
The results of these labors are to be
embodied in a report, which will be laid
before the present Congress, and much
OF the final work is now in progress at
the School of Mines, Columbia College.
There may be seen the only map of
this Black Hills region ever made, and
although this is as yet in an unfinished
condition, the outlines are all executed,
and much valuable information may be
obtained from it.
The Typographical portion Of the ex-
petition was under the charge of DR..
M. T. McGillycuddy and Mr.. Emil
Mahlo, late of the United States North
ern Boundary Survey. Mr.. Mahlo is
now emplyed On the map, which is a
model of beautiful execution. Up to
this time the chart as blank space
marked UNEMPLOYED" Hereafter,
thanks to this party, there will be no
difficulty in making a way through this
wonderful country.
Capt. futile, United States Navy,
had charge of the astronomical branch
of the survey, and by his observations
the Black Hills lie between 43 deg. Is
min. and as deg. north latitude, and
between 103 deg. and 1O4 deg. % lon
gitude west from Greenwich. Their
general outline is like that OF human
ear, and, singularly enough, this outline
is distinctly traced by a most remark
able geological formation. All around
the wild, mountainous upland runs a
valley, which, from it's color, is called
Red Valley. This singular depression
marks the outline as unerringly as if
dug out for the purpose by some van
ished race. 1t varies in width from q
quarter of a mile to two miles; the
ends, which slope gently, are clothed
with green, but the bottom is every
where of red clay, and has given the
valley its name. On the north and
south the Black Hills have also another
natural boundary, as they lie between
the north and the south forks of the
Cheyenne. The northermost of these
rivers is called by the old settlers "Belle
Fourche," or Beautiful Fork, because
of the beauty of the pellucid stream,
which winds its way through overhang-
ing cliffs and post soft prairies. Geo
graphically the Black Hill lie across
the boundaries between Wyoming and
Dakota Territories, that is, the 1O4th
degree of longitude, which divides
them about the middle. Beyond the
Red Valley the Black Hills rise in a
series of abrupt activities, which are
cut by deep gulches in many places,
resembling in their formation the out
spread fingers of a hand. In the
streams which run through these
gulches the gold is found, and here is
another singular fact about this remark
able region, and that is, that these
wild mountain torrents, which come
tearing down from the heights above,
swollen at times to great streams,
make their way ever downward and
out across the red valleys, and then, in
the prairies beyond, utterly vanish,
being all drunk up by the thirsty soil,
except in the spring, when swollen by
the melting SHOWS, they flow quite
across to the fork of the Cheyenne.
Journeying still inward, the land
rises always higher aid higher, until it
towers up into mountain peaks. The
highest of these is Harney's Peak,
which rises to an altitude Of 7,4O3 feet
above the level of the sea. The next
is Crooke's Tower, very singular gran
ite rock, which shoots up 1928 feet.
Another imposing mountain is Terry
Peak, 253 feet high, which rises in
precipitous heights from the slopes be-
low. Still another lofty eminence,
Clusters Peak, has an altitude of 6,967
feet. Of course, all these names were
given by the expedition, who thus hon
ored the brave officers who risked their
lives in this wild country. On the
western side Of the hills is lofty point
called Ingan Kara, an old landmark
known for many years to all the set
tiers of this region, and which bears
still the name bestowed upon it in the
days of the Indians. All the sides and
slopes of the hill are clothed with pine
trees, and these, looking back at dis
lance, have given them their name
the Black Hills. They abound in
mountain antelope and bears, which
render the territory valuable to the In
dams. 1t is a rich hunting ground to
them; hence they are reluctant to part
with it,
The geological portion Of the expedi-
ton was under the charge of Mr.. Har-
vey Newton, who has prepared careful
surveys for illustration. The formation
was found everywhere to be granite In
its highest points; underlying this was
limestone, in some places curiously cut
by the action Of water; below this
again sandstone, while lowest of all
was the red clay, which appears primer
pally in the wonderful valley above
mentioned.
A large number Of photographs were
also taken and these will copiously IL
| I,7stro 70 4h % rooion which nm To this