26 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



ing this ice, Dinwoodie Glacier sends down enough water to raise 

 the level of the Wind River sufficiently to prevent the driving of 

 railroad ties, for which purpose this stream is used at that season. 



Another interesting set of facts was observed by us this summer 

 along the western boundary of Wyoming. This boundary is a mathe- 

 matical line and consequently does not conform either to the topog- 

 raphy or to the distribution of tillable soil, as it cuts across foothills, 

 mountains or fertile valleys indiscriminately. The Teton. Salt River. 

 and intervening ranges form a huge mountain wall, uninhabited and 

 not easy to cross, at varying distances to the east of this mathematical 

 line. Wherever the line cuts into the foothills of these ranges no one 

 asks for a change, but where a segment of habitable land is left on 

 one side or the other, agitation has recently arisen for a change in the 

 boundary. Thus, in the Teton Basin a small sector su])porting several 

 dozen ]^eo])le extends into a tillable embayment about the mouth of 

 Teton Canyon — an area, incidentally, that shipped lOO carloads of 

 table-peas this fall. This small group of people must do all of their 

 l)uying and selling and receive their mail in Idaho. Their trade is of 

 no value to other Wyoming citizens and consequently their communit\ 

 needs for roads and other civic improvements are apt to be neglected. 

 Consequently this group wants the state line curved east sufficiently 

 to include them with the remainder of the Teton Basin in Idaho. On 

 the other hand, south of the Snake River, Star Valley along the Salt 

 River lies mainly in Wyoming with only the western fringe in Idaho. 

 Here the smaller group wants the line curved westward to include 

 them in Wyoming where they buy and sell commodities, and receive 

 their mail. This situation clearly illustrates the geographic problems 

 involved in the establishment of boundaries. 



