The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-11-14
Mountains.

It Is everywhere the mountains which
control the features of the landscape.
Wherever a wave in the earth's crust
has been arrested after its upheaval, it
is the height and structure of the noun
tain range thus established which de-
termine the lines where running water
shall channel its way to the sea, hollow
ing out valley systems, wearing away,
building up and moulding the surface of
the land into all its variety and COM
plexity of contour. The same noun
tain barrier directs the air currents,
orders the rainfall and brings back the
clouds from the sea to replenish the
fountains of the streams which flow for
ever from its tianks. 1t is the degraded
rock. of the highlands, too, which fur
nishes soil to cover the earth's naked
ness and clothe it with verdure. In a
true sense, therefore, all natural seem
cry, even to its minor details, displays
the dominating force of mountain
masses, although they may be thou
sand miles away. But it is in the noun
tains themselves where the handiwork
of Natures elemental forces is visibly
and COMPREHENSIVE manifested. Here
where flood and fire and frost have been
working their will throughout all
geologic time to rear and ruin is found
the most complete embodiment at once
of infinite might and absolute repose.
Vast and silent and strong. the great
mountains are the chosen home of the
Sublime in Nature. Along the axial
ridges of the continents the great rock
masses which furnish the grandest and
most impressive scenery are naturally
looked for. Our own Rocky Mountain
region, with its domes and pinnacles
and buttressed walls, its gorges and
chasms and cascades, furnishes stu
pendous examples of the awful and
m4iestic. ALI that is wild and extrava-
giant can be seen in the wonderlands of
Monument and Yellowstone Parks.
Every aspect of nature, from the savage
and appalling to the green pastures and
still waters which soothe and ''restore the
soul,n can be found somewhere among
the heights and depths of the Great Di-
vide. The entire region is full of inter-
est, and vet the world knows compare
lively little of it. There are whole
mountain systems of which no adequate
geological or geographical survey has
yet been made, and important ranges
which are yet practically unknown.
Near the northern boundary of the
United States is the true apex OF the
Continent, where the water from melt
ing SHOWS flows to Hudson's Bay
through the Saskatchewan, and to the
Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific by way
of the Missouri and the Columbia.
From this interesting point score OF
glittering peaks can be seen which are
all 10000 feet in height, and yet this
region and the parallel ranges south
ward for hundred miles seem TO have
been avoided almost entirely by tourist
and student. There has been no twist
ing or crumpling of the sheets of rock
north of the Dearborn River, at which
point the folded strata indicate volcanic
disturbance Just where the Belt Range
begins. But the level or regularly in.
clined rock layers of different degrees
of hardness have weathered away, leav.
ing sharp edges, while glaciers and tor.
rents have excavated vast amphithea-
tres, giving to the whole mass a start.
ling resemblance to architectural ruins,
Genuine glaciers were recently discov-
cred here by an exploring party of the
Northern Transcoutinental Survey
which are the only known examples o.
this kind in the Continental Divide
with the exception of those reported il
the Wind River Mountains some year.
ago by DR.. d. Hayden.-M. Y. Tribune