Wyoming

wi-o'ming, a state of the American Union. It lies in the Rocky Mountain region between the 41st and 45th parallels and between the lines of 104 deg. 3' and 111 deg.3' west longitude. Wyoming and Colorado are the only states thus bounded in the Union. Area, 97,800 square miles. The Laramie plains in the southeast, the Platte and Cheyenne in the east, and the Red Desert in the southwest occupy perhaps a third of the state; otherwise Wyoming is mountainous. The general elevation exceeds 5,000 feet. Extensive regions lie above 7,000 feet. The snow-covered summits of the higher peaks are from 12,000 to 14,000 feet above sea level. There are glaciers in the Wind River Mountains. The scenic portion of the state is included in Yellowstone Park. The streams of Wyoming find their way into three great river systems,--eastward, through the Big Horn and the Yellowstone to the Missouri, southward through the Green into the Colorado, and westward through the Snake into the Colorado.

MINERALS. As is to be expected in a Rocky Mountain State, there is mineral wealth. There are profitable mines of gold and silver. Building stone is abundant. Petroleum wells have been located. The greatest source of mineral wealth is coal. The output is valued at $7,000,000 a year.

FORESTS, ETC. About one-eighth of the state is wooded. Yellow pine is the most valuable for lumber. The black bear, the grizzly, the wolf, fox, coyote, prairie dog, porcupine, antelope, big horn, elk, sagegrouse, eagle, and ousel are among the characteristic wild animals.

CLIMATE, ETC. The climate is rather extreme. The air is dry and healthful, but subject to a change of from a hundred to one hundred fifty degrees between summer and winter. The rate of annual rainfall is light and rain fails usually after the first of June. Wild grass, that cures on the stalk, affords abundant pasturage the year around. Northern Wyoming is noted for cattle and sheep. The state ranks close to Montana in the size of the wool clip. In 1907 the total output was 33,637,000 pounds. There were nearly 5,000,000 sheep. Settlements in Wyoming are confined chiefly to the valleys and plains.

AGRICULTURE. A considerable area of land along the streams is fit for farming. Enormous tracts are naturally fertile, save that they lack water. About 3,000,000 acres have been irrigated by canals and ditches leading from the mountain streams. The United States geological survey estimates that there is water enough to reach 15,000,000 acres. The irrigated acreage is increasing rapidly. Timothy, alfalfa, grain, and potatoes are the chief crops. The altitude is so great that the summer is too short and the nights are too cool for corn.

TRANSPORTATION. The Union Pacific runs through the southern tier of counties; the North-Western and the Burlington systems enter from the east, and the Northern Pacific sends down a spur to Cinnabar at the entrance to the National Park, but there are sections in the interior without railways. The stage coach with its treasure box, its leaders, and picturesque driver holds its own in Wyoming as in no other state.

HISTORICAL. The first white people to take any interest in the Yellowstone region were white trappers in search of fur. The first permanent settlement was made at Fort Laramie in 1834. This became an important trading post under the management of the American Fur Company. Fremont passed through in 1842. The territory of Wyoming was carved out of Utah, Idaho, and Dakota by act of Congress, July 25, 1868. The name was borrowed from the Valley of Wyoming in Pennsylvania. Wyoming was admitted to the Union July 10, 1890. There are thirteen counties. State officers are elected for a term of four years. The treasurer is not eligible for reelection. Women have enjoyed equal rights from the first. Though the population is sparse, every effort is made to provide schools and teachers. Wages are high and schools are established even for a single family of children. The State University is located at Laramie. The population in 1900 was 92,531. In 1908 it had increased to 125,000. Cheyenne, the capital, with a population of about 14,000, and Laramie, with a population of about 7,500, are the larger cities.

STATISTICS. The following statistics are the latest to be had from trustworthy sources: