Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-05-13
LIE MISSOURTS HEAD.

source of the River Traced to the Crest
OF the Rockies.
The researches of Mr.. J. V Brow
or of minnesota at the headwaters
of the Mississippi resulted several
years agOin the final determination
of the extreme sources of that river
During the summers of 1895 and
1896 Mr.. Brewer was engaged in
similar explorations of the hoadwa-
terS of the Missouri, and the com
plcto results of his labors, together
with an excellent chart of the re-
giOn on II scale of one inch to the
mile, are made public in the bulle-
tin of the American Geographical so
Clrty. Two government survey par
ties III lNS2 approached within a
few miles east and west of the ulti-
mate sources, but, Mr.. Brewer says
they did not explore Culver's can
yon, through which the parent
stream flows, and that stream has
not heretofore appeared on any map.
1t might be thought that, after
reaching the district, it would be
an easy matter to locate the foun-
tain head of the river. 1t was, in
fact, the work Of weeks. To identi-
fly the hcadwater branch of the Mis-
souri, it was necessary first to deter
mine the relative importance of all
the larger upper branches. This ex-
plOratlon was in progress for 20
days i'll 1865 before Mr. Brewer was
assured that the stream flowing
through Culvcr's canyon into Red
Rock creek, which, farther down,
becomes known rs Beaver Head riv-
er, Jefferson fork and the Missouri,
was the ultimate source of the great
river. He proved this to be true by
making his way with much difficult
ty up the canyon, impeded at every
step by lodges, deClivities and fall
en- timber, and he returned to mako
tho careful survey Of the whole dis.
trlct that has enabled him to produce
this map of the towering mountains
that hem in the infant Missouri and
of the tributary streams that feed it.
Among the excellent pictures
which illustrate his narrative is one
of the place where the Rocky noun
tains are about 5000 feet above sea
level This crest forms the bound
AIRY between Idaho and Montana,
and the river takes its rise lust
within the southern border of the
latter state. The rivulct is only two
feet wide and two inches deep,
drawing its waters from the snowy
upllftS that rise little above it.
These waters, starting for the gulf
OF Mexico, are i, 22l miles from it.
They are 2,945 miles from the
mouth of the Missouri, which ex-
cceds the distance of the head
sources of the Mississippi from the
gulf by 392 miles. There is every
reason to believe that the stream
starting from that mountain crest
Is the longest unbroken current of
running water i'll the world.
The position of the fountain head
of the river is in "A degrees 80 min
utes north latitude and Ill degrees
80 minutes west longitude Mr..
Brewer and his party are entitled
to much credit for this excellent
piece of geographical investigation.
which involved the ascent of num-
Der of the mountains under arctic
conditions. The entire district was
carefully explored, the boundary
line between Idaho and Montana
was traced along the crest of the
mountains. and stone monuments
were reared on the state line mt va
rlous points. The highest SUBMITS
of the mountains inclosing the can
yon through which the river flows
are from 5000 to II, 800 feet above
sea level. The chart gives a graphic
idea of the photography and orog-
raphy of the region and is one of
the best specimens of map work
that any geographical society in
this country has produced. New
York Sun.