Haydon.] A '79 [(3ct. 2. 



the same range in which the rich mines of Colorado are located. 



Not only in the more lofty ranges, but also in the lower moun- 

 tains, are large forests of pine timber which will eventually be- 

 come of great value to this countr}-. Vast quantities of this 

 pine in the form of rail road ties is floated down the various 

 streams to the Union Pacific Eail Road. One gentleman alone, 

 has a contract for 550,000 ties, all of Avhich he floats down from 

 the mountains along the southern side of the Laramie Plains. 

 The Big and Little Laramie, Rock Creek, and Medicine Bow 

 River, with their branches are literally filled with ties at this 

 time, and I was informed that in time of high water they can be 

 taken down to the railroad from the mountains after being cut 

 and placed in the water, at the rate of from one to three cents 

 each. These are important facts, inasmuch as they show the 

 ease with which these vast bodies of timber may be brought 

 down into the plains below and converted into lumber, should 

 the future settlement of the country demand it. I am inclined 

 to believe that a peculiar class of people, like the lumbermen of 

 Maine and Michigan, will some day fill these mountain regions. 



There are several species of pine wood and one spruce or 

 balsam of fir, Abies Douglassi. The latter is a beautiful and 

 symmetrical tree, rising to the height of 100 to 150 feet and as 

 straight as an arrow. The ties that are made from this spruce 

 are of the best qualitj^ 



On the morning of August 25^/i, I left Fort Sanders on a third 

 side trip to the North Park, in company with a hunting party 

 composed of Gen'l F. P. Blair, Col. Dodge, U. S. A., and Capt. 

 Proctor, U. S. A. Messrs. Smith and Carson, assistants, accom- 

 panied me. The examination of the North Park forming a 

 part of my plan of operations, I regarded this as the most 

 favorable opportunity that was likely to present itself, aff'ording 

 adequate protection. I was the more desirous of visiting that 

 interesting locality from the fact that the geological character is 

 entirely unknown. 



Our course from Fort Sanders was nearly south-east up the 

 Big Laramie River towards its source in the mountains. The 

 geology of the plain country through which the Big Laramie 

 flows is very similar to that of the Little Laramie — about 

 fifteen miles to the westward. There are comparatively few 

 exposures of the basis rocks on account of the superficial drift 

 which covers all this country. Still we find along the banks of 

 the river, near the Stage Station, the same black plastic clay of 



