The Topof/raphf^ and Altitude of Minnesota — Uphaut. •■)7 

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THK TOPOGRAPHY AND AT.TITUDK OF MIN^XKSOTA. - WV/ZT^/i UpJiaiU. 



[ AliSTHACT. I 



The topograjihic features of Miniiej^ota may be briefly 

 summed up for its wei>tern tliree-quarters, being a moderately 

 undulating, sometimes nearly flat, but occasionally hilly expanse, 

 gradually descendiug from the Coteau des Prairies and the leaf 

 hills, respectively about 2,000 and 1,700 feet above the sea to half 

 that height, or from 1,000 to 800 feet, in the long flat basin of the 

 Red river valley, and to the same height along the valley of the 

 Mississippi from St. Cloud to Minneapolis. 



The only exceptions to tliis moderately undulating or rolling 

 and rarely hilly contour, are the southeast part of the state where 

 the Mississi])pi river and its tributaries are enclosed by bluffs from 

 200 to 000 feet high ; and the northwest shore of Lake Superior, and 

 the part of the state lying north of this lake and east of Vermillion 

 lake. A very bold rocky highland rises 400 to 800 feet above lake 

 Superior, within from one to five miles Ijack from its shore-line, 

 ^11 along the distance of 150 miles from Duluth to Pigeon point, 

 the most eastern extremity of Minnesota; while farther north are 

 many hill-ranges, 200 to 500 feet higher, mostly trending from 

 northeast to southwest or from east to west. The most jagged of 

 these lines of rugged peaks and ridges of rock, near the shore of 

 lake Superior from Temfierance river to Grand Marais, is called the 

 Sawteeth mountains; and a second range of hills, rising from the 

 more elevated region half-way between the lake and the north 

 boundary, is called the Mesabi range. The height of lake Superior 

 is 602 feet above the sea: and of the higher of the Sawteeth moun- 

 tains \M){) to 1,000, Carlton's peak being 1,529 feet above the sea, 

 or 927 above lake Supenor, about one and a half miles distant. 

 The Mesabi range, south of Vermilli(tn lake and eastward, is found 

 by Prof. Winchell to be from 1,800 to 2.200 feet above the sea, 

 l>eing the highest land in Minnesota. 



A few more altitudes in various parts of the state are as fol- 

 lows: Low water of the Mississi[)pi river at the southeast corner 

 of Minnesota, ()20 feet above the sea-level: same of Lake Pepin, 

 m2: same at St. Paul, 088; top of the falls of St. Anthony, 800; 

 Mississippi river at St. Cloud railroad bridge, VKiO; at Brainerd, 

 1,152; head of Pokegama falls, 1,266; lake Winnibigoshish. 1,290; 

 Leech lake, 1,292; Cass lake, 1.800: Itasca lake, about 1.500; hiirh- 



