The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-01-07
WYOMING.
Her Varied Interests and Attractions.

GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES CON
TINUED.
From Gov. Hoyts report.
Returning now to the western base
of the Laramie range, and tracing a
course westward and north Of the forty
second parallel, after crossing the Lar
annie plains, nearly 100 milesin breadth
an east and west range of mountains is
found, which, constituting the south
ern wall of the Sweetwater valley, de-
serves to be called the Sweetwater
mountains, but which, in fact, bears
several names, to wit, Sweetwater,
Seminole, and Ferris. They are not
more than 3 to Is miles in breadth from
north to south, including the elevated
p~lateaus between their scattered spurs;
but in length they stretch across three
degrees of longitude. Beyond their
western extremity is an open and some
what broken country, 60 to 70 miles
across, being the valley of Green river.
West of this, and bounding it, are the
Wasatch mountains, part of an extern
sive north and south range, belonging
mainly to Ihaho, but tapping upon
the western border of Wyoming per-
haps 40 miles, for a distance north and
south of over 100 miles.
Returning again to the eastern boun-
Diary, and sweeping across the remain
ing portion of the territory, even to the
northern boundary, we find, first, the
Black Hills, about one-third Of which
lie on the Wyoming side Of the Dakota
line, and together with the Little Mis-
souri, and the Wolf mountains, both of
which are north and south ranges of
high hills, occupy much of the north
eastern corner of the territory. Pass
ing westward over the beautiful val
leys, watered by the Powder and its
tributaries, occupying a breadth of so
to 100 miles, we come to that magnif-
cent range, the Big Horn mountains, a
range 30 to so miles in breadth, and
having a length of nearly $50 miles in
Wyoming. Beyond flows the Big Horn
river, having a course nearly due north
in general term, and, with its tributa-
ries from the west, occupying anorth
and south basin so to 100 miles in
width. Beyond and southwest of this
belt are found the Owl Creek, Rattle.
snake, and Wind River mountains; the
last named being the most extensive,
and having a direction southeast and
northwest, corresponding to that of the
Rocky mountains in general, of whose
main chain it forms a part, and extend.
ing from near the western end of the
Sweetwater range a distance of some
200 miles into the Yellowstone nation.
al park. West of this lie the upper
basins of the Green and Snake rivers:
the two being separated by short east.
and-west spur, known as the Wyoming
mountains, connecting the Wind River
range with the Wasatch, already re.
ferred to as constituting for about loo
miles the western wall of the territory.
1t will appear from this general DIES.
cription of the position, course, and ex.
tent of mountain ranges, that they are
widely distributed over the territory,
leaving large areas of valley and plain.
As the plains themselves have ar
average elevation Of about 6,O0(
feet above s~ea-level, it may be inferred
that many of the higher peaks have a
great elevation. But few accurate
measurements have been made, but il
is known that Laramie peak in the
Laramie range, Snow range in the
Medicine Bow mountains, Emmons'
peak in the Uintas, Fremont's peak in
the Wind River range, and Cloud peak
in the big Horn chain, have an alti-
tude of Il, 900 to IA, 900 feet.
The territory is thus, in general
terms, a vast expanse Of undulating
plains, rising abruptly and irregularly
at many places into mountain ranges,
with elevated spines and lofty peaks;
the intervening lower levels broadly
grooyed or deeply furrowed in every
possible direction by a dozen or more
Important rivers with their numberless
branches.
Our Tenure of Life