Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-04-03
THE MISSOuRrS FOUNTAIN HEAD
source of the River Traced to the
Crest of the Rockies.

source Oh tne NlNeT lrHce ~ Wv
Crest of the Rockies.
The researches of MIR. j. V. Brewer,
of Minnesota, at the headwaters of the
Mississippi resulted, several years ago,
in the final determination of the ex-
treme sources of that river. During the
Of 1895 and 1896 Mr.. Brewer
IA engaged in similar explorations of
the headwaters of the Missouri, and the
complete results of his labors, together
with the excellent chart of the region
on a scale of one inch to the mile, are
first made public in the bulletin of the
American Geographical society, just
issued. Two government survey parties
in 1872 approached within a few miles,
east and west, of the ultimate sources,
but, Mr.. Brewer says, they did not eX.
p.ore Culver's canyon, through which
the parent stream flows; and that
stream has not heretofore appeared on
any map.
1t might be thought that, after reach.
ing the district, it would be IN easy mat
ter to locate the fountain head Of the
river. 1t was, in fact, the work of weeks
To identify the headwater branch of the
Missouri it vas necessary, first, to de-
termine the relative Importance of all
the larger upper branches. This ex-
ploration was in progress for % days in
1895 before Mr.. Brewer was assured that
the stream flowed through Culver's
canyon into Red Rock creek, which
further down, becomes known as Beaver
Head river. Jefferson Fork and tho
Missouri, was the ultimate source of tho
great river. He proved this to be tru'
by making his way with much difficulty
up the canyon, impeded at every steI
by lodges, declivities, and fallen timber
and last summer he returned to max,
the careful survey of the whole distric
that has enabled him to produce thi!
map of the towering mountains tina
hem in the infant Missouri, and of tn,
tributary streams that feed it.
Among the excellent pictures whicl
illustrate his narratives is one of tn,
place where the Rocky mountains ar
abouts 900 feet above sea level. This ores
forms the boundary between Idaho ant
Montana, and the river takes its ris
J just within the southern border of tn
latter state. The rivulet is only tw,
; feet wide and two inches deep, DRAWN,
its waters from the snowy uplifts tina
I rise a little above it. These waters
starting for the Gulf of Mexico, ar
i,22l miles from it. They are EOS
miles from the mouth of the Missouri
: Which exceeds the distance of the hea
: sources of the Mississippi from the gul
l by 1872 miles. There is every reason t
y believe that the stream, starting froI
that mountain crest, is the longest III
broken current of running water in tn
world.
> The position of the fountain head
, the river is in A degrees 35 minute
rorth latitude, and Ill degrees IS mil
utes west longitude. Mr.. Brewer an
his party are entitled to much cred
d for this excellent piece Of Biographies
Investigation, which involved the a
h cent of a number of the mountains III
der arctic conditions, for the snow WI
deep there in June last. The entire di
trict was carefully explored, the boul
o Gary line between Idaho and Montar
was traced along the crest of the moul
tains, and stone monuments were reart
on the state line at various points. I'll
n highest SUBMITS of the mountains i
D. closing the canyon through which Il
Il river flows are from 5000 to 1 1880 fe
above sea level. The chart gives a crap
a ic idea of the photography and CT
Il graphy Of the region, and is one Of II
h best specimens of map work that al
geographical society in this count
has produced.-N. Y. Sun.