The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-07-22

an authority. will very soon become
| generally acknowledged. This person
maintains that there are no such
mountains as we have known as the
Rockies. that those rugged peaks ex-
tending in an unbrOken chain from
Mexico to Puget Sound are really moth
ing more than geographical myth.
Besides upsetting the general belief
In this famous long range of high
mountains we are further informed
that 1t is not possible to irrigate the
vast extent of country west of he Mis-
slssippi, and hence for farming pur-
poses the platoaus and valleys OF the
Rockies are not advantageous homes
for the immigrants who are filling up
the land.
Mr.. Cope Whltehouse of New York
City, whose explorations in the Libyan
Desert, to the west Of Middle Egypt,
have completely changed its appear
ance on our maps. now denounces as
pernlclous error the popular represen-
tatlons of the vast plateau between the
watershed of the Mississippi and the
Pacific Ocean. In Egypt he showed
the feasibility of converting millions
of unproductive acres into fertile land,
and proved that several hundred square
miles, which had been depicted as far
above the level of the Nile We're in fact
far below the level of the Mediterra-
mean. 1t is not as an iconoclast. nor
solely in the interest OF scientific truth.
that he has directed attention to his
subject by preparing a map for certain
members of Congress to aid especially
the Committee on Irrigation OF Arid
Lands.
\ study OF United States maps. espe-
cially those prepared in foreign coun-
tries, will show at Il glance that the
idea of this western mountain range
has from year to year undergone re-
markable changes.
At first the Rockies We're represented
by series of high mountain chains,
extending in unbroken lines from north
to south, and from the Pacific coast TO
the valley of the Mississippi. Appar-
emily these mountains We're Il continu-
alton of the Andes in South America.
Later the smaller chains were pictured
separated by valleys and plateaus. but
still forming line from Southern Cal
ifOrnia to Washington. One of the
newest and most truthful maps of the
West. according to Mr.. Whitehouse.
ornaments the front window of Il rail
road Office in Fifth avenue. In it the
Rocky Mountains are shown In fairly
correct extension and relation. as small
and separated ranges with high peaks
here and there.
Among the documents presented TO
the Committee on Arid Lands is a map
prepared by Mr.. Whitehouse, which is
intended to show the objections to any
fostered immigration in the plateau
west of the one hundred and first de-
gree of longitude. The map. which is
colored by Mr. Whltehouse, is the one
published by the United States Geo
logical Survey, 1902. ard is most cred
liable TO the workers unde: Major
Powell and Mr.. Walcott.
Mr.. Whitehouse has enGeavored to
explain by his map why settlers should
not be encouraged to make their
homes or unfruitful soil, while at the
same time he points out the neglected
areas of the Appalachian range. which
are both profitable and easy of access.
1T is obvious" says Mr.. Whitehouse,
speaking of this subject, which inter
ests him so thoroughly, that with all
the work done by the Bureau OF lmmi-
grafton in New York and the Depart.
ment of Agriculture and Bureau OF sta.
tistics in Washington. there Is no really
adequate machinery for the wise utlli-
Zation of the stranger landing in our
ports. He may be passed through Ellis
Island and saved from financial ruin
for the first few days after his landing,
but there ought to be an examination
of his habitat. as 1t might be called. IL
he We're frankly looked at rs the par
ent or grandparent of a future genera
ton.
"The immigrants possess n certain
power of resistance TO adverse intlu-
ence," continued Mr.. Whitehouse,
(which does not apply 10 the second
and third generations. 1t would be
my idea to furnish each one OF these
immigrants with n certificate and n
map. as an insurance company would
do II 1t had n policy on his or her life.
There should be. according to my
scheme, a map showing the area in
which the Government invited the i'm
migrant TO live. 1t Is even within the
limits Of the same compulsion which
imposes vaccination to require hin TO
continue to live in the district assigned
TO him until at least he was capable of
passing another examination and was
declared immune. The result of giving
a Norwegian, n Syrian and an Italian
n map Of the favorable. or necessary,
climatic conditions would Immediately
disabuse the minds of the men who
are charged with Its preparation OF
that wonderful fgment OF the disor-
dered imagination OF the map makers.
that there was. roughly speaking. one
third of the United States which was
MS available for settlers as the hills OF
Pennsylvania or the plains OF Iowa and
Kansas
The most striking feature OF this
scheme Is. however. negative one.
and Is best expressed by the reference
to the passing of the Rockies An In
spection Of the map shows that line
drawn at an elevation OF 5000 feet Is
due north and south. When II Is con-
sldered that the plains OF Illinois are
under COO feet. and that European
countries. except the semi-arid parts