552 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 
Timber, such as-pine and fir, of excellent quality, may be found in the 
mountains along the southern border, and a vast quantity is annually 
eut and floated down the Little Laramie and other streams, for lumber, 
railroad-ties, &c. Some of the streams, especially along the southwest 
border, are margined by groves of cottonwood, which will furnish fuel - 
and fencing for that locality. 
THE SWEETWATER REGION. 
This section of the Territory includes the valley and bordering plains 
through which the Sweetwater River passes, from the vicinity of South 
Pass to its junction with the North Platte. This stream rises a little 
northwest of the pass, and flows almost directly east about one hundred and 
thirty miles, connecting with the North Platte near the point where the 
latter leaves the Laramie Plains. For twenty-five or thirty miles east 
of the pass it flows throngh a rugged mountainous region, presenting 
no considerable areas that can be rendered cultivable. A short distance 
_west of St. Mary’s station it emerges from the narrow gorges, and enters 
a valley that extends, with occasional short interruptions, along the en- 
tire course of the river. 
Beginning at the summit of South Pass, with an elevation of 7,490 
feet, the descent is quite rapid to the point where the stream issues 
from the gorge, 6,650 feet above the level of the sea. This point, the 
highest of this section that can be counted arable, is 513 feet lower than 
Fort Saunders, and 473 feet below Laramie City, which would indicate, 
other things being equal, a milder climate. 
At the three crossings the elevation is 6,135 feet, showing a fall be- 
tween this point and the head of the valley of 515 feet, or about 12 
feet to the mile. At Independence the elevation is just 6,000 feet, indi- 
cating a fall between this and the last-mentioned point of not more than 
5 feet to the mile. Thence to the junction with the Platte the descent 
is probably 5 to 6 feet to the mile. The average elevation of the valley 
may therefore be estimated at 6,300 feet above the level of the sea. 
For ten to twelve miles below the point where the stream leaves the 
mountains, there is a very pretty fertile valley, averaging about one 
mile in width, bordered on the right, and part of its length on the left, 
with high blutis. The greater portien of this valley is covered with a 
luxuriant growth of grass, from which a supply is usually drawn for 
Fort Stambaugh, Atlantic City, and South Pass City. 
Near the lower end of this opening, the left bank is flanked by a 
second level, or table, which might be reached by an irrigating ditch 
three or four miles long, and which, if watered, would furnish an amount 
of farming land equal to the entire bottom of the valley. Immediately 
below this point the hills close in upon the valley for a few miles, and 
then separate, leaving a triangular area containing thirty to forty square 
miles of quite level and tolerably fertile land, which can be easily irri- 
gated. : 
From the nerth and northeast the hills slope down so gradually that 
a considerable area along their lower margins could be reached with 
water from the river, if the supply is sufficient for this and the bottoms. 
The stream here, on an average, is probably 30 feet wide and one foot 
deep, flowing quite ‘rapidly, the fall being 10 to 12 feet to the mile. 
Here, as well as in the vicinity of St. Mary’s station, small eolonies 
would find very good locations, and, by combining and digging large 
primary ditches, their land could be irrigated at moderate expense. 
The only difficulty aside from exposure to Indian depredations would 
be the scarcity of timber. Near St. Mary’s this difficulty would be ex- 
