Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/779

 WYOMING 751 by a party of surveyors from Helena, Montana, in 1869. In 1870 an expedition under the di- rection of the surveyor general of that terri- tory visited the region, and in 1871 Prof. Hay- den at the head of a scientific corps made a careful exploration of its most remarkahle features. His report induced congress to pass an act, approved March 1, 1872, by which the district, now known as the Yellowstone na- tional park, was " reserved and withdrawn from settlement, occupancy, or sale under the laws of the United States, and dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people," and was placed tinder the exclusive control of the secretary of the interior. The park lies mostly between lat. 44 and 45 and Ion. 110 and 111, extending on the west into Mon- tana. It is 65 m. N. and S. by 55 m. E. and "W., comprising 3,575 sq. m., and is all more than 6,000 ft. high. Yellowstone lake (22 by 15 m. in extent) has an altitude of 7,788 ft. The mountain ranges that hem in the valleys on every side rise to the height of 10,000 and 12,000 ft., and are covered with perpetual snow. Du- ring June, July, and August the atmosphere js pure and very invigorating, with scarcely any rain, and storms of any kind are rare ; but the thermometer frequently falls as low as 25, and there is frost every month of the year. The entire region was at a comparatively modern geological period the scene of remarkable vol- canic activity. The most striking features of the park are its geysers, hot springs, water- falls, and cafions. In the number and magni- tude of its hot springs and geysers it surpasses all the rest of the world. There are probably 50 geysers that throw a column of water to a height of from 50 to 200 ft., and from 5,000 to 10,000 springs, chiefly of two kinds, those de- positing lime and those depositing silica. There is every variety of beautiful color, and the de- posits form around their borders the most elaborate ornamentation. The temperature of the calcareous springs is from 160 to 170; that of the others rises to 200 or more. The principal collections are the upper and lower geyser basins of the Madison river and the calcareous springs on Gardiner's river. (See GEYSERS.) The grand canon of the Yellowstone, Great falls, 350 ft. or more in height, Tower falls, &c., are very remarkable. The park is also one of the most interesting geographical localities in North America, hav- ing within its limits or in its vicinity the sources of vast rivers flowing in various direc- tions. On the N. side are the sources of the Yellowstone ; on the W. those of the principal forks of the Missouri; on the S. W. and S. those of Snake river, flowing into the Colum- bia and through it into the Pacific ocean, and those of Green river, a branch of the great Colorado, which empties into the gulf of Cali- fornia; while on the S. E. side are the nu- merous head waters of Wind river. The geo- logical formations of Wyoming are varied, 844 VOL. xvi. i8 though not minutely known, including the ter- tiary, cretaceous, eozoic, Cambrian and Silu- rian, triassic and Jurassic, and volcanic. Iu mineral resources have been but slightly de- veloped. An abundance of iron ore is known to exist, and considerable quantities of pure red hematite have been shipped from Rawlins to Utah, to be used as a flux in the smelting of argentiferous lead ores. The manufacture of iron or steel has hitherto been prevented by the lack of a suitable metallurgical fuel. The ex- tensive coal beds of the territory furnish a fine lignite (probably tertiary in age), which has not yet been successfully coked. It is used as domestic fuel, and for the manufacture of gas and the generation of steam. The principal localities where it is mined are Carbon, Rock Springs, and Evanston. The chief companies are controlled and most of the product is con- sumed by the Union and Central Pacific rail- roads. Mining commenced in the latter part of 1868, and down to the end of 1874 the ag- gregate product was about 1,000,000 tons (of 2,000 Ibs.). In 1875 it was about 300,000 tons. The Sweetwater district, in Sweetwater co., about 12 m. N. of the South pass on the old California overland route, contains gold dig- gings (in gulches) of limited extent, and a con- siderable number of auriferous quartz veins, a few of which have been successfully worked for short periods. The mountains W. of La- ramie City have been the scene of numerous discoveries and some activity in mining. But the product of gold has not been large, prob- ably not over $100,000 per annum since 1869, when operations may be said to have com- menced. Recently important developments in gold-quartz mining have been reported from the neighborhood of Laramie City. Veins of copper, gold, and silver have been found in the hills 20 m. N. W. of Cheyenne. Lead, plum- bago, and petroleum also occur. About 65 m. from Rawlins are two lakes containing great quantities of soda, the larger covering about 200 acres and the smaller about 3 acres. The climate varies with the altitude, being severe on the higher mountains and compara- tively mild in the sheltered valleys. The air is pure and bracing. But little rain falls. The mean temperature at Cheyenne (lat. 41 12', Ion. 104 42', altitude 6,058 ft.) from Oct. 1, 1871, to Sept. 30, 1872, was 44'2; total rain- fall, 14-155 inches. The mean temperature of August, the warmest month, was 65'1; of January, the coldest, 26-6. From July 1, 1874, to June 30, 1875, the mean temperature at the same place was 43-6; total rainfall, 8 inches. The mean temperature of July, the warmest month, was 71 '8; of January, the coldest, 12-5; maximum observed, 98 (in July) ; mini- mum, 38 (in January). The soil in the val- leys of the streams and along the bases of many of the mountain ranges is fertile, and where irrigation is practicable wheat, oats, rye, barley, and various vegetables yield well. The uplands produce nutritious grasses, upon