The sun., 1883-12-30
THE xDrRoNDACHs.


Come Ifh0 &remt Rtvers o. NeW Nors'
T'noy. Dec. N-On the Atlantic slope Of
the continent two great mountain systems lie
contiguous-tho Appalachian to the soatheast
and the Canadian IaurcDtian to the northwest
Tho Laurentan system stretches up along
the northern shore OF tho st. Lawrence River
from Labrador to the region Of the upper iakos
and fills up the vast inlsospitabe region OF She
Saguenay. the Upper Uttnwa. and the Lower
Saskatchewan to the soathern shore OF HUI
sons Bay with its rugged mountain masses NJ
hard crystalline rocks.
At ono place only do the I,aurcntidos cross
tho St Lawrence Rivor. That place is at the
Thousand Islands. There q spur OF these
mountains CROSSES into northern New York.
carrying with them all tho grim aud rugged
characteristics OF their Wild Canadian home
into tho great Adirondack wilderness.
The great Appalachian system. divided into
numbcrless ranges. extcnds along about II
hundred and fifty miles inland parallel with
the Atlantic coast line from the Gulf OF St.
Lawrence, on tho north. a distance OF nearly
1000 miles, to the Gulf OF Mexico. on the south.
Throughout their whole extent these 1000
miles OF high Appalachian ranges form an al
most i'm pa ssabie barrier between tho valley OF
the Mississippi and the Atlantic senboard. or
| n truth. this long Appalachian mountain bar
rier is scarcely broken. save Mt ono place. That
placs is the deep gorge of tho Hudson River.
The Hudson River. In Its passage from its head
springs among the Laurontan Adirondack to
| tho sea. repds the Appalachian mountain sys-
| tern In twain from top to bottom.
| This valley Of the Hudson is ono OF tho most
| remarkable mountain passes in tho world.
| Extended northward. it becomes the valley of
| Lake Champiain. This deep downward fold In
| tho mountain ranges thus extends from tho
! city OF New York. on tho Atlantic coast due
north almost as straight as tho crow flios. to
Montreal on the st. Lawrence. distance of
| nearly 400 miles. From tho centre OF this long
| northern valley another deep valley Quito as
rcmarkable-the valley of tho Mohawk-extends
| westward to the basin Of the lower lakcs
These long northern and wostorn valleys. in
the old wars. were always OF the utmost
strugetic Importance. In times of peace they
have been among the greatest continental
| thoroughfarcs Of tho worlds commerce and
travel Through thom flows u constant stream
| of traffic and travel over an almost level grade
| from tho Atlantic seaboard into tho great West.
Out Of this has grown thu vast wealth Of the
city aud State OF Now York. The great natural
water courses and the vast system of canals
| which everywhere eXtcnd through these noun
tain passes between the east and the wOst arc
fed almost entirely by the living streams which
flow into them from off tho eastern and south
crn stones OF the Laurentian mountains of tho
Adirondack Wilderness Yot this important
water supply is in danger of being materially
damaged. II not practically destroyed. by tho
cutting down OF the Adirondack forests. Every
inhabtant OF tho Atlantic seaboard. every indi-
vidual of tho great West. is profoundly interest
ed in this matter.
1t has been seen that n spur Of the Canadian
| Laurcntides crosses the river st. Lawrence
and spreads out over the Adirondack wilder
ness region. 1t has also been seen that this
region is OF largo extent. covering an area
Of about ton thousand square miles. and COM
prsing greater or lesser parts OF twelve coun-
ties OF the State; that it may be divided into
three great natural divisions belts. each
strongly marked by its individual characterls-
tics namely. tho Mountain Belt. the Lake Belt.
and the Level Belt and that tho rocky ground
work OF this whole region is composed entirely
, OF the hard crystalline rocks OF tho old Lauren
tan geologic system. This gives tho region its
characteristic aspect OF grim untamableness
The mountain belt of the wilderness present.
on every side lnndsc4pe remarkable for it'
at "oysses sS@sFiM reag sranto bocfs ] swsepns tor
% forests. and green meadows. In this ' noun %
tain belt nre No n, less than five separate noun.
apart. and run quite uniformly parallel with
each other isngthwise ~, Of the whole cx,en. Q
s"uthwost. SOU Tho most no castsrly Of these ny,
i ranges Of tho mountain bolt is known as th'
or on ka
$ ming up along both sides OF Lake George. form
0 th. beautiful highlands which SURROUND tina
= lakc. From tn. northern ond of Lake (ieorc
this range continues southcrly, to the Huls9,
kGsr = R%nt to II" westward Of lens Fa
it,terminaies IN tho, rocky forest crowned hill
which bound tho village Of Saratoga Springs Oh
Mount Denaa.o ?f historic fame still keep
as IN thS Sd tine oyTr Enr the Tn, OF For
| this Iace was Chc-On- de- 70 ga Sound inl
). Waters ;s".1oub.llcss sussN,ted Is, tho chiminl
1Sarh ns "%Gi tS So "%ss
has S o aE the M s S,G al s na
$ Hudson, Mount alacGregor rises to tho hcigh
S5 's9 ss q G'ays Gs "SDs@ ;a fSs f." M
>. foot hills Of this range reach into Judge Iii
" tons WoDdlawn Park nj Saratoga.
d tho Lazsrns Mounfiins r , whose highest PIak i
!: .The,noxt range west Of the palmertown is th'
nnr r"pST pSn, begins in the
and runs % DOWN thr"us 9m u Warren eomny in
Sara,sEa county T., Ih's ranse is plainly see
Is ern horizon With is % os h Chain &c" Of forest for I crown own
ed submits These rS mountains derive thel
s spcaoas s0 e"trS o. % ThS STREAMS s 9F Whch S fee
l. SniratoGa Lake all ake their rise in this noun
r. G Tho third range EFS,, to the westward is tn
l. tory Of Split Rock on Lake Champain. II
l. EsSox county. and from thence runs through
- Essex and Warren counties across tho south
II east corner OF Hamilton county. and term nate
10 in the rounded hills that rise from the valley O
;; the Mohawk River in the eastern pnrt OF Ful
, ton county
l. Schroon Lake lies at the foot Of this range
1t and Schroon River. n branch Of the Hudson
/. winds through tho deep valley at Its base. Tn
;" fourth chain Of the mountain belt IL the Bou
luot range. II derives its namo from tn
IS river that warers, it, basc in Essox county. j
is begins In tho igh bluffs that border on Pero
| Bay. on Lake Champlhin. and extends through
n the .cen,ro Of Essex. past the northwest corno
r Of Warren into Hamilton, and from there int
IN tho west end OF Fulton. and terminates in tn
~ ~ rocky bluffs thut border tho Fast Canada Crecl
.. above where IL enters tho Mohawk. The high
r est mountain in this range is Dix Peak in rs
m SEX county which rises 9l6 feet above tn
- level of tho sea.
s Tho NTH range in tho mountain belt Of th
p great Wilderness is the Adirondack range prop
Id rrMdas Sr wsh ms gwen us name 10 the whole VII
10 shnn 1S,f!ns IN The rnggcd masses and heotn
-. Lnkn Ghnnlplnin AZ pnini rrnmLl.nu mar pnI