232 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TEERITOEIES. 



■ward through the Wahsatch Mountains, about one hundred and fifty 

 inileS) extending even into the southern limits of Idaho, suddenly bends 

 its course completely round, and flowing southward, pours its waters 

 into Bear Eiver Bay. As aifording a supply of water for irrigating 

 large areas of land in Cache and Malade Valleys, it assumes an import- 

 ance of no little moment; but throughout its entire course, from its 

 head to where it enters Cache Valley, (with the exception of a few miles 

 where the railroad traverses it, and where the coal-mines are opened,) 

 it exerts but little influence in the development of the country. Its vol- 

 ume of water is too small to admit of navigation; its course is too tortu- 

 ous to be followed any great distance by any one line of travel; and its 

 valley is too narrow and too closely hemmed in by rugged mountains to 

 be of any great value as an agricultural section, yet not wholly without 

 interest in this respect. As a means of conveying timber down from 

 the mountains to the raikoad and other accessible points, it may become 

 a valuable accessory. 



Weber Eiver, though small, is remarkable as affording a gateway 

 directly through the Wahsatch Eange, Echo and Weber Canons pre- 

 senting, as is well known to all who have traveled on the Union Pacific 

 Eailroad, some of the grandest scenery in the West. 



The Jordan forms an outlet for the fresh water of Utah Lake, and, run- 

 ning north some forty or fifty miles, empties into Salt Lake at its south- 

 east angle. Insignificant in size, too small to be navigated, yet unlike 

 the Oriental Jordan, from which it derived its name, it is of other value 

 than simply a watering-place for thirsty man and beast. It and its 

 tributaries afford water for irrigation, as shown in my last report, to an 

 area capable, if properly and thoroughly cultivated, of supporting a 

 population greater than the entire x)opulation of the Territory at this 

 time. 



The Provo, (or Timpanogas,) rising back in one of those mountain 

 centers found in the mountain regions, rushes down through a narrow 

 canon, which cleaves the range at this point, and pours its waters into 

 Utah Lake. In i)assing I Avould call attention to this mountain nucleus, 

 situated about latitude 40o.30, longitude 111°, and culminating in 

 Eeed's Peak. This is doubtless formed by the junction of the Uintah 

 Mountains with the Wahsatch Eange. Here, within a small area, all the 

 leading rivers of Salt Lake Basin proper take their rise, viz, Bear, 

 Weber, and Provo ; also the Uintah and White Eivers, which flow to the 

 east and enter into Green Eiver. The volume of water in the Provo is 

 probably equal to any other belonging to the Salt Lake water system, 

 except Bear Eiver; and as its descent is very rapid it affords the means 

 of irrigating all the table-lands lying in the vicinity of its exit from the 

 mountains. It will afford excellent water-power for driving mills and 

 machinery, and, being on the margin of the lake, must become of great 

 value in this respect. 



Sevier Eiver rises in the southwest part of the Territory and runs a 

 little east of north between two ranges of the Wahsatch Mountains 

 for one hundred and fifty miles or more, when it breaks through the 

 western rim of its narrow basin, and, turning southwest, flows into 

 Sevier Lake. But as I have not visited this river I cannot speak very 

 confidently in regard to its imi)ortance and the bearing it is likely to 

 have upon the development of the country. Very little appears to be 

 known in regard to the lake into which its waters flow. Mr. Smith, one 

 of the members of the topographical corps of the present expedition, 

 passed around its southern margin a few years since. Although he did 

 not stop to make an examination, he saw clearly that it was a lake, and 



