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Show 74 FORT FRED STEELE, WYOMING, ( 1872.) Longitude, 106° 56' 48". 80; latitude, 41° 46' 40". 24 ± 07/. 05. The point selected for the station at Fort Fred Steele was just in the rear of the sutler's store, on the west side of the railroad- track. Being across a ravine which lay between it and the railroad, it was entirely-free from the jar of passing trains; and being at the same time to the windward, there was no interference from smoke. Fort Fred Steele is a military post pure and simple, is situated on the left batik of the North Platte, where the Union Pacific Railroad crosses it, and has no citizen - population whatever, if the few railroad employes and the proprietors of one or two iusignificant ranches in the immediate vicinity be excepted. The location is on a bluff of the river, which presents here limited and rather barren valleys, while the surrounding country has been much disturbed by volcanic action, and, subsequently, further cut up by erosion. The general view is very limited; the top of Elk Mountain can be seen at the southeast and directly north on the east side of the river, and but two or three miles distant a rocky ridge, around which the river works its way to the west. Southward the view is up the valley of the river, the barrenness of which is somewhat relieved by a few straggling cotton- wood trees. Taken altogether, its surroundings are not inviting, and, if we except the country about Green River, no region which the Union Pacific Railroad traverses is more destitute of animal and vegetable life. Meteorological.- The most unfavorable condition possible as to weather prevailed duriug the occupation of this station, which was in the month of November. In this time there was scarcely a week altogether that could be made available for astronomical work in connection with Salt Lake. It was entirely too cold to make anything like satisfactory observations, the thermometer showing frequently a range of temperature from 30° to 40° below freezing, and once it actually touched 60°, when it was no longer possible to remain in the tent or keep the ink and battery from freezing, despite the use of a stove- a very objectionable feature to an observatory under any circumstances. It was not only cold, but an almost uninterrupted series of drifting snow and dust storms succeeded each other. Observatory and instruments.- The observatory and instruments were the same as those used at Cheyenne, Wyo., and the transit was mounted in the same way. The assistants, ( J. H. Clark being the principal.) were also the same. The telegraphic work was done over the Atlantic and Pacific line, and the operators were Messrs. Brown, McCoy, Murphy, and three others. These were not all present at the same time, but came as reliefs during the occupancy of this station. Connections.- Connection was made with Salt Lake observatory. On the 1st, 4th, 5th, 7th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22d, 25th, and 26th of November, observations were made with the view of interchanging signals for longitude, and chronometer- signals were sent and received on six nights. For eleven nights, work was prosecuted on the latitude. On mauy of them only a pair or two of stars here and there between the passiug storm- clouds could be observed. Instrumental values.- The instrumental values are given in the report on Cheyenne station already published. Circumstances of telegraphic connection.- The length of the circuit is about four hundred miles. The observatory was connected by a loop with the railroad telegraph- office, and all the signals were received and |
