236 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



are fertile and well grassed, as a general thing, and which can easily be 

 irrigated. As there is a tolerably good supply of water during the grow- 

 ing season, it is probable a portion of the uplands, where level, can be 

 irrigated, thus iucreasing the tillable area. The higher plateau between 

 this stream and Henry's Fork is beyond the reach of irrigation, but 

 between this and the streams around it runs a lower level, varying in 

 breadth from a few rods to ten or twelve miles, and generally about 

 fifteen or twenty feet above the immediate creek bottoms. This level, 

 which is mostly covered with a thick growth of artemisia, can be irri- 

 gated as far as the supply of water will go. The broad expanse around 

 Church Butte can be reached by a canal some eight or ten miles in 

 length, but the supply of water in Black's Fork is hardly sufficient 

 to justify the expense. A canal might probably be cut from Green 

 River, commencing some eighteen or twenty miles above the railroad, 

 which would not only irrigate the broad level portions of the plains 

 lying west of the river and south of Ham's Fork, but if a suitable place 

 for crossing Black's Fork Valley with an aqueduct can be found, might 

 also supply the first level south of the latter stream. 



Around Fort Bridger, on the head-waters of Black's Fork and its 

 tributaries, Smith's Fork and Cottonwood Creek, are some fine farming 

 lands, and on Smith's Fork a number of farms are already in cultivation, 

 producing fine crops of wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, &c. The tillable 

 area in this neighborhood amounts to several thousand acres. 



A proposition has been made to run a branch railroad from some 

 point on the Union Pacific Railroad near Carter Station, up Smith's 

 Fork, to the Uintah Mountains, in order to reach the abundant supply 

 of pine timber to be found there. 



The altitude of Fort Bridger is about seven thousand feet above the 

 sea level. 



Concerning the country east of Smith's Fork I quote from the journal 

 of Dr. Turnbull, as during the passage of the expedition over this sec- 

 tion I was absent examining the lands of Utah : 



" From Fort Bridger to Henry's Fork, with the exception of the valley 

 of Smith's Fork, the country has a sterile appearance and is without 

 means of irrigation, being generally covered with a scattering and 

 stunted growth of artemisia. 



" Henry's Fork traverses a beautiful valley, something like thirty miles 

 long and from two to five miles wide, can be easily irrigated, and will 

 produce heavy crops of cereals and the hardy roots and vegetables. 

 At present it is covered with a luxuriant growth of grass, from which 

 not only a supply for the military post is obtained, but also for shipment 

 to other points. During the time of our passage through this region, 

 some twenty-five hundred head of Texas cattle were resting and feeding 

 at Brown's Hole. 



" The valley of Green River, between Black's Fork and Bear River, is 

 generally narrow, varying in width from a few rods to three or four 

 miles, but as we approach the mouth of Vermillion Creek it widens out 

 into a broad, bay-like valley about twelve miles long and seven or eight 

 in width, which is one broad meadow. On the east side of the river, 

 between Currant and Red Creeks, there is a broad sage plain of moder- 

 ate elevation, which could be watered from the river by means of canals 

 a few miles long, and, although having a barren look, would doubtless 

 produce good crops. 



" From Bitter Creek east, until we reach Muddy or Washakie Creek, 

 a tributary to Bear River, the country is desolate and uninviting, and 

 the water generally bad, being impregnated with alkaline matter. At 



