TOPOGRAPHICAL REPORT OF MIDDLE PARK DIVISION, 1873. 



By S. B. Ladd, M. E. 



Introductory letter to Dr. F. F, Rayden. 



Washington, D. C. 

 Sir : In accordance with your instructions, I herewith present a 

 report on the topographical work of the Middle Park division of the 

 United States Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories 

 for the year of 1873. 



As Mr. A. E. Mar vine, in his report as a director as well as geologist 

 of this division, has necessarily given all the statistical facts and gen- 

 eral description of the surface of the country which go to make up a 

 topographical report, I have thought best, rather than duplicate that 

 portion of it, to refer you to the first part of his report, and to give here 

 a general account of the extent of timber, grazing, and agricultural 

 lands, and the means of travel and communication ; also, some notes on 

 the rain and snow fall of the country and the present population, for 

 which I am greatly indebted to Mr. William 1^. Byers, of Denver, who 

 l)revious to the establishment of the signal-service station there kept a 

 meteorological record for the Smithsonian Institute. 1 would also like 

 to express my thanks to Dr. 0. 0. Parry for information afforded me. 

 Very respectfallv, yours, 



S. B. LADD. 

 . F. Y. Hatden, 



United States Geologist m Charge. 



EEPOET. 



The territory surveyed by the Middle Park division during the season 

 of 1873, is embraced between the parallels of north latitude 39° 30' and 

 40° 20', and between longitude 104P 45' and the Park range, which 

 forms the western boundary of the Middle Park ; this has a northeast 

 and southwest trend, and the meridian 106° 30' would be on average 

 western limit. 



The total area covered, about 5,400 square miles, was not as large as 

 was intended at the outset ; this was due to the nature of the country 

 on the eastern slope of the mountains, which rendered a large number 

 of stations necessary, and as it is quite thickly settled it was thought 

 desirable to procure as much detail as possible. 



The topographical features of a country being but the expression of 

 its geological structure, a thorough discussion of the latter must neces- 

 sarily involve a description of the former, in order to make the geologi- 

 cal report intelligible to the reader who is not familiar with the country. 

 Therefore, rather than repeat a general description of the topograx)hical 



