Geological Survey
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DEPAETMENT OP THE INTEBIOE BULLETIN OP THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ]STo. 5 WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PKINTING- .OFFICE 1884 UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY J. W. POWELL DIRECTOR A. DICTIONARY OF ALTITUDES THE UNITED STATES COMPILED BY HENRY GANNETT CHIEF GEOGRAPHER WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTPNG OFFICE 1884 LETTER OF TBANSMITAL. DEPARTMENT'OF THE INTERIOR, UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, Washington, D. 0., November 1,1883, SIR : I have the honor to transmit herewith the manuscript of a Dic tionary of Altitudes. The work of making a compilation of measure ments of altitude was commenced by me under the auspices of the Geological Survey of the Territories, by which organization three differ ent editions of the results were published, under the title of " Lists of Elevations," in the years 1873, 1875, and ,1877, respectively. These earlier editions related principally to that portion of the country west of the Mississippi River. The present work embraces within its scope the whole country. The elevations are tabulated by States and Terri tories, alphabetic arrangement being observed throughout. Yery respectfully, yours, HENRY GANNETT, Chief Geographer. Hon. J. W. POWELL, Director United States Geological Survey. (129) CONTENTS Page. Letter of transmittal...................................................... 5 Table of contents.......................................................... 7 Discussion of authorities......................... .$........................ 9 Abbreviations of names of railroads........................................ 17 Tables: Alabama'......................&....................................... 25 Alaska..........................................-.... ..........-- 29 Arizona .........................- ' . " 30 Arkansas.... .......................................................... 35 California ............................................................ 37 Colorado.............................................................. 55 Connecticut .......................................................... 71 Dakota .....................................................1......... 73 Delaware............................................................. 76 District of Columbia .................................................. 77 Florida ...........;................................................... 78 Georgia............................................................... 79 Idaho .................................................................. 84 Illinois ............................................................... 87 Indiana............................................................... 95 Indian Territory ...................................................... 104 Iowa ................................................................. 105 Kansas ................................................................ 113 Kentucky............................................................. 120 Louisiana ............................................................ 125 Maine ............................................................... 126 Maryland............................................................. 129 Massachusetts......................................................... 133 Michigan ............................................................. 138 Minnesota ............................................................ 147 Mississippi ............................................................ 155 Missouri .............................................................. 157 Montana.............................................................. 165 Nebraska ............................................................. 169 Nevada ............................................................... 173 New Hampshire....................................................... 182 New Jersey ........................................................... 187 New Mexico .......................................................... 192 New York............................................................. 203 North Carolina........................................................ 223 Ohio.................................................................. 227 Oregon ............................................................... 241 Pennsylvania .......................................................... 245 Rhode Island ......................................................... 275 South Carolina........................................................ 276 (1.31) . 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Tables Continued. ' Paga. Tennessee...........................................................'... 279 Texas................................................................. 283 Utah ................................................................. 290 Vermont.........................................................I..... 301 Virginia .............................................................. - 304 Washington .......................................................... 312 West Virginia......................................................... 314 Wisconsin .........*...............................:.................... 317 Wyoming................................................. .... 321 (132) DISCUSSION OF AUTHOKITIES. ADIRONDACK SURVEY (ADIR. SURVEY), OF NEW YORK. Most of these determinations are barometric. Some, however, have been determined by trigonometric methods and some by level. APPALACHIAN CLUB (APPAL. CLUB). Most of the determinations credited to this source are barometric, or at least depend upon barometric bases. CITY ENGINEER, These figures are the results of levelings courteously furnished me by the city engineers of the principal railway centers of the country. DALL, WM. H., ASST. U. S. C. AND G. S. Heights derived from this source were determined by angles meas.- ured with the sextant, from a base line measured by means of sextant latitudes and chronometric longitudes, from observations taken on board ship. ( Vide Coast Survey Eeport for 1875.) DE LACY, W. W. All heights were measured by aneroid. EASTMAN. These results are from barometric work and from observations upon> the boiling point of water. EMORY, W. H. Barometric determinations abstracted from a " Eeport of Explora tions from Fort Leavenworth to San Diego," 1846. [30th Congress, 1st session, Senate Document.] FOSTER AND WHITNEY. Barometric determinations from the report on Lake Superior mining: region. FREMONT, CAPT. JV C. Barometric determinations from reports of various expeditions in the West. Owing to the want of a barometric base, they are, in general, of poor quality. GARDINER, J. T. The heights credited to this authority were deduced from railroad levels, and were published in the report of the United States Geologi cal Survey of the Territories for the year 1873. (133) 10 ALTITUDES IN THE UNITED STATES. [BULL. 5. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF MAINE. Most of these results are barometric. GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. Elevations of towns credited to this source are, in the main, from lev els; those of mountain summits are from barometric work. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW YORK. Elevations were determined barometrically. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF VERMONT. All elevations under this authority are from barometric determina tions. GODDARD. Determinations by level from preliminary railroad surveys made by the Central Pacific B. E. Co., of California. Like all preliminary work, these figures are not in the highest degree reliable. GUYOT, PROF. ARNOLD. Nearly all the elevations given under this authority are in the Appa lachian region, and nearly all were determined by barometer. They are of the highest character of this class of work. Most of the figures are copied from Professor Guyotfs articles in the "American Journal of Sci ence and Arts." HAYDEN, DR. F. V. Under this authority is given all work done by the United States Oeological Survey of the Territories. All determinations are barome tric, or trigonometric resting on barometric bases. In most of this work effective measures were taken to avoid the well-known periodic errors incident to barometric work. The base-stations were placed, as nearly as possible, at the average height of the country to be surveyed. The high peaks were connected by a system of trigonometric leveling, by means of which, barometric observations, taken on different summits, were reduced to a common point. The mean results thus obtained were referred to base-stations located upon high mountain peaks. HIND, PROF. H. Y. Assinaboine and Saskatchewan Exploring Expedition, 1858. Heights were measured by barometer. IVES. Eeport of Colorado Exploring Expedition [Thirty-sixth Congress, first session, Senate Document]. All determinations are barometric. (134) OANKETT.] ^ DISCUSSION OF AUTHORITIES. 11 '-'- "> </. ) JENNEY, PHOF. WILLIAM P. 'v^' Heights were abstracted from the map of the Black Hills* All determinations are barometric. \ JONES, OAPT. W. A. Report of Expedition to Northwestern Wyoming and the Yellowstone Park, 1873. All determinations are barometric. KING, CLARENCE. This reference is mainly to the work of the Geological Exploration of the 40th Parallel. All determinations are barometric, or depend upon barometric bases. LANDER, Heights are taken from " Report on a Railroad Route from Puget Sound to South Pass," 1854. [House Document 129.] Elevations were determined barometrically. LAND-OFFICE REPORTS. (L. O. REPORTS.) Most of the heights given in these reports are the merest approxi mations. LA PEROUSE. " Voyage to the Northwestern Coast of America,"