Professional Paper No. 31 . { B, Descriptive Geology, 40 

Senes C, Systematic Geology and Paleontology, 67 

DEPART}IEKT OF THE lNTEHIOH 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CHARLES ll. WALCOTT, DIRECTOP. 

PRELilVIINARY REPORT 

OX THE 

GEOLOG1'" OF THE ARBUCKLE .AND vVICHITA NIOUNTAINS 

IK INDIAN TERRITORY A.ND OKLAHO~IA 

BY 

JOSEPI-I A. TAFF 

\YITH 

AN APPENDIX ON REPORTED ORE DEPOSITS OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS 

BY 

H. FOS'I'ER BA"':"N 

"\V ASHINGTO.K 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1904 

, 

CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Letter of transmittal _______________ ..... _ . _____ .. ____ ... _ .. ___ . ______ ••••••••••••••••••••• 9 

GEoLoGY . oF THE ARBUCKLE MouNTAINS. 

Introductory remarks. ________ ~ _. _________ .. . _. _. ________ .. ___ .. ____ . _____ ..... _. ____ .•••. 11 

Physiography _______ . . ...... ___ ... __ .. _ ...... _______ ... ____ . ________ . __ _ : _________ . ___ . _. _ 13 

General topographic features •. _______ ____ . ____ . ___________ . _______ .. ___ ~ _________ .• _.. 13 

History of the physiographic features __ . . ______ . ___ . __ . __ .... ___ .. ____________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 14 

Development of the Arbuckle Plateau .. __ ._. ___ . ____ _ . ____ . __ . __ ..... -... - 15 

Peneplain of probable Tertiary age·------------~--------------------····:- 16 

Recent peneplanation in the broad valleys • ___ . _. ____ . _ . .- _______ ..... - . --. 17 

Stratigraphy __ .... . . ....... .. _ .......... ......... _____ . __ . ____ ... _. _____ • __ . __ . __ . __ .. _ _ _ _ 17 

Igneous rocks (pre-Cam brian) __ ... __ ...... _ .... _ . __ " .. __ .. _ . ____________ • _ .. __ ...... - 17 

Granite and associated igneous rocks . __ .. __ . _ . ___ . _ . _ ~. ___ ... ____ .... _ . __ .. __ . __ . _ 18 

Granite ______ .. _. __ .. ______ .. ________ . ____ ... _ " .... _ .. _ ... _. ____ .. _ ... _.. 19 

Quartz-monzonite .. ___ . __ . ... ____ .. __ . .;. .. _ ... __ ._. __ .. __ ._ ... ____ ._._ ..... _ 19 

~<\. pl i te .. __ . ___ .. ______ ... _ .. _ . _ . ____ .. _ . _____________ . . ________ .... _ ...... ~ 19 

Granite-porphyry_. _________ . ___ ._. ________ .. ____ ._....................... 19 

Diabase dikes .. _ ....... __ ..... _. __ ..... __ ............ _. __ .. _ .... _ .... _..... 20 

Porphyry and associated basic dikes _ ....... _ .. _ .. _ ...... _ .. ______ ...... _ . . . ~.. ... 20 

Sedimentary rocks ..... _ ...... _ .. _ ..... _ ... __ .. _:;. ..... ____ ._. __ . __ . ____ . ___ ._. __ ._._.__ 21 

Cam brian __ .. _ . __ . _________________ .. _____ ... _ . ____ .. _ . _ .... __ . ___________ .. _ _ _ _ _ 21 

. Reagan sandstone ___________ . ____ . ___ . ____ . ______ . ____ . __ . _________ . ___ __ . 21 

Cambro-Ordovician _ .. __ . ___ ... __ . _______ .. __ ... __ ... _ .......... __ . __ ... _ ... _ . _ . _ _ 22 

Arbuckle limestone_ ... _. _______ ._ .. ____ . ________ ._.·._ .. __ .. _____ ._....... 22 

Ordovician _ .... _ ... ___ ...... ______ ... _____ . __ . _ . ____ ~ __ .... __ ......... ·_ .. _ .... _ _ _ 23 

Simpson formation._._ ... ___________ . _____ ~ ___ . ____ .. _ ... _._. ____ .·._______ 23 

Viola limestone. _______ . _______ . ___________________ ._. _________ . __ ._._____ 25 

Silurian ___ .. _ .. _ . _ •.•.... . __ .... ____ . ______________ . __ .. _ .. ____ . _ : __ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 28 

Sylvan shale .. ____ ._ ... _ .. __ . _____ ._ .. __ ~ ____ . ____ . ____ . ___ ._.____________ 28 

Siluro-Devonian ____ ... __ _ . ... _. __ .. __ . ____ . _________ . ___ . _____ . ___ .. ___ . _ .. _. _ _ _ _ 29 

Hunton limestone ____ . _. _ .. ________ . _________________ . ____ _ : _ .. _ . ... _ _ _ _ _ 29 

Devonian __ ..... ___ .. " .. ___ . ______________ . ______ . _ .. ________ . __ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 31 

Woodford chert ______ . ____ . _________ . _. _____ . _________ .. __ . __ . _. ___ . _ _ _ _ _ 31 

Carboniferous. ___ ...... _ .. _ .... _______________ . ___ .. _. __________ __ . ______ .. __ . _ _ _ _ _ 33 

Mississippian sediments_ .... ____ . . _____ . ___ . ______ . __ . _____ .. ____ . ____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 33 

Sycamore limestone. ___ . ___ ._._.. . . _ .. _ .. " ... _ ...... _ .. __ ... _ ... __ . . _ _ _ _ _ 33 

Caney shale . ___ .. _ . _ . __ . ... ____ . ___ . . . __ . _ .... __ ......... ____ . ___ .. _ _ _ _ _ 33 

3 
4 CONTENTS. 

Stratigraphy-Continued. 

· Sedimentary rocks-Continued. 

Page. 

Carboniferous-Continued. 

Pennsy 1 van ian sediments ... ________ . _______ .... ___ ... _ . _ . __ •.. __ .•..•......... 

Franks conglomerate .. __ .... ____ ... -.... _ ...... __ . _ ....... _ ............... . 

Wapanucka limestone. __ . ___ . __ ... _________________ .. _ ........ __ ._ .. _ .... . 

Sandstone, shale, and coal ... __ . ____ ... _______ . ____ ... ___ .... _. : __ .. _ .... _. 

Permian .. _ .. ____ _ ._ ... _. _______ .. ____ ... ___ . ___ . _____ . __ ._. __ ...... _._. _____ _ 

'' Red Beds '' .... _ . ____ . _ . _ ..... _ . _ . _ . ___ . __ . __ . ___ ........ _ ............. . 

Cretaceous._ ... ____ . ... __ . ___ . ___ . _______ ~ __ . ________ . __ . __ ____ _ : _______________ . __ 

Structure _ .. _ . _ .. _____ . ____ ......... ____________ . _ . _ .. :: ______ . ______________ .. _______ . ___ . 

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Character of folding and faulting .......... _ ... _ ... _· .... --................... _ .... _ . 

Hunton anticline ...... _. _·_ ............. _ . .. .................... _. _. ~ _ .. _ 

Wapanucka syncline .. __ . __ ._ .. ___ . ............................ _._ ... ____ . 

Belton anticline ........ _ .. . .... ...... _ .......... ~ ........... ............ . 

Mill Creek syncline_ ........ _ .... _. _ ....... _ ............ _ ...... _ .. _ ...... . 

Tishomingo anticline ..... __ . _ . _ . ....... ..... _ .. _ ........................ _. ''r as hi ta syncline ................. : ................. -..... - -... -.. -- -. - ---

Arbuckle anticline ....... _ ......... _ ..................................... . 

Notes on occurrence of ore deposits or precious metals .•...... __ ....... __ .,_ .. _. __ ... _ ..... . 

Notes on the geology of the Criner Hills.' ._._. ___ ..... _ ... _ ....... __ .. _ .. __ ........ _ ..... . 

Stratigraphy .. ....... ___ ........ . ___ ... _ .. _ ... .. __ . _ .. __ .. ............ __ .. ___ ... __ 

.Topography __ ... _ . ____ . ___ . . _____________ .... ___ . ___ . _____ ..... _ . _ . _ . _ ..... __ . __ . 

Structure ........ .... ...... . __ . _ . __ ... __ ...... _ ....... . __ . . _ .. _ ........ _ ....... __ _ 

Ard1nore basin . __ . . __ .. _ .... _ .. _ .. _ . __ _______ .. __ . _ .. __ . __ ... _ .......... ___ . __ . __ 

GEOLOGY oF THE WICHITA MouK_TAINS. 

Prefatory reinarks .. ....... .. ........... _____ .. __ .... __________ . _ ............ .. ...... . _. _ _ 51 

Previous work .......... . ..... ·_ ......... ...... ... . . _ .......................... _ ... __ .. 51 

Work of the United States Geological Survey·············-··········'····-··-------·· 53 

Physiography ........................ _ .......... _ ...... " ... _ ..... _ ........ _ ...... ___ .... _. 54 

Wichita Mountain group .......... --------··· · --·······.···· · ···········-----·----·---- 54 

Quana Mountain group ............ __ . ___ ........ _ ................... . ... _. __ . __ ... _.. 55 

Carlton Mountain group ..... . ............ _ .. ·........... .... .......................... 55 

Raggedy Mountains .................... ~ ..................... _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 

Devils Canyon group ........................... __ ............ _ .. _. _................... 57 

Headquarters Mountain group .. _ ..... __ .. _ .... .. ... _ .. ___ ... __ ..... ___ ........ __ ._ .. _. 58 

Limestone hills .. ..... _ .. _ . _ .. _ ... _ .... ___ .... _ . .. _. _. _ . _. _____ . __ .. ___ . _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 

Stratigraphy ............ _ .. . ............ ·_ .. . . ___ ............ ~ ......................... _. _ _ 59 

Igneous rocks ...... _ .... .............. . ....... ____ ... __ ... _. _ .... . ........ _. :. _ ... _ _ _ 59 

Gabbro and related anorthosite_ .......... . . __ ...... _____ .. _. _____ . _ ......... ___ .. 60 

Granite and associated aplite .............. __ . ___ ...... ___ . _ .. _ . _ ... _ .. _ ... _...... 61 

Granite-porphyry and associated aporhyolite....................................... 63 

- Diabase ..................................... -....... -... -. --- . --- -.-. -... ---.---- 64 

Quartz-monzonite................................................................. 65 

Quartz veins or dikes.................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 

Grorudtte .................. ~ ... _ ............ . ............ _ ...................... _. 66 
--

CONTENTS. 5 

Stratigraphy-'--Continued. Page. 

Sedimentary rocks ... _. __ . __ .... __ .... ________ . ____ . ______ .. __ .. _. __ ... _ .. · .. ______ .. _. 67 

Cambrian .. __ . ________ .. _______ .. _______ . _____ . _____ . _. ____________ . __ . __ ........ 68 

Reagan sandstone_~ __________ .. _ . ________ .. __ .... _ .. _ .. __ .. _ . ___ .... ___ . _ . 68 

Cambro-Ordovician .. _ ... _ .... ______ .. ____ . ____ . ______ .. _. ___ .. __ .. _ . __ .... _ . . . . . . 69 

Arbuckle limestone_ ...... _ ........ _ ... _ .. _ .. __ . ______________ ..... ____ .. _ 69 

Ordovician . ___ ..................... _ .. _ ... __ . ___ . _ .. __ ...... ___ .... _ ........... -,. 70 

Viola limestone. ___ .... _ .. _ .. __ . _ . ___ . ___ . __ .. _ . _ . _ .. __ ... _______ .. ___ . __ . 71 

Carboniferous _ ........................ . .......... _ . _. _______ ~ .... _ . _ . _ ....... _ . . . . 72 

Pertnian ____ .. __ . ___ . ______ .. __ : __ .... _ ..... ___ ..... _________ . ___ ... _ .. __ . _ _ _ 72 

" Red Beds " . __ . _ . _ . _ . _ . ___ .. _ .. ___ ... _ .. __ ... ___ . _ ...... _ .. _____ . _ .... _ _ 72 

Quaternary_ ......................................... _ ... _____ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 

.Pleistocene (?) gravels ... . . __ ._ .. _. ___ .. __________ .. __ .. ___ .. __ . __ ._ .. __ .. 76 

Structure __ ........... -. ---. -. - - - - . --. ---. -. -.. : . .. -.. -... - - .. -...................... - . . . . 77 

Evidence of disturbances in the igneous rocks __ . ___ . ____ .. __ .... _ ... _ ... . ____ . _ . _ _ 77 

Folding and faultfng of the stratified rocks. __ . ____ ... ______ . ________ . ____ . _ . _ . ___ . 78 

Blue Creek faults ____ . ___ .. _ .. _ ... ________ .. __ . _ .. ___ · .. _ . ____________ . _ _ _ _ 79 

Age of the Wichita Mountain nplift. __ . _. ________ .. _. : .. __ . _ .... _. _. _ c ______ • _ _ _ _ _ 80 

Notes on the occurrence of ore deposits ... ____ ........ -.· ...... _ .. _. ______ .. ___ .___________ 80 

REPORTED ORE DEPOSITS OF THE WICHITA MouNTAINs, BY H. FosTER BArN. 

Introduction __ ........ _ .. _ ... __ ....... __ .... ________ .. ____________ ________ ________________ _ 82 

Mode of occurrence- -. ----. ------.. ---. ------ - ---- ----. - -- -..... - _ .. -.......... _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 82 

List of samples-. ___ .... -- .. ------.------.---,-.-- .. -.... . .. . .... _ ... _ .. -.. _ .... _____ .____ 84 

_Mary :Maclane mine ..... _ .. _ ...... _ .... ~ ........... __ .. ____ . ___ . __________ . _ _ _ 84 

Gold Blossom mine_. . . . . . . . . . . ..... __ . _ ..... _. ___ . ______ . ___ . _____ . __ . ___ . _ _ 84 

Buckhorn mine .. __ ................ -..................... _________________ .... 84 

Rosedale mine .... __ .................. _ ................ _: ___ . _ . _. ________ . _ _ _ _ 84 

Three Boys claim _ ... · ..... _ ............ __ . _ ..... _ • __ . __ · ______________ . _ . _ _ _ _ _ 84 

Kech Brothers mine. ___ ... ___ ._ .. _. __ ._ .... _ ... _. __ . _____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 85 

Willie Hinton mine ... _ ... ___ .... ~ _ .. ___ .. _____ . ___ . _______ . ____ . _. _.:. __ .. _ _ 85 

Black lode ........... -................. ._, ....................... _ ..... __ ...... _ 85 

George Washington claim ................ _ ......... _. ____ ._ .... _ .... __ ._._. : _. 8.5 

Maud S mine ..... _ .......... ___ ........ _ . _ . _ . _ ... _____ .. _ . _ . _ . ____ .. __ ... _ _ _ 85 

Shawnee Mining Company ....... _ ........................ __ ._ ... ___ ._. __ ..... 85 

Cache Mining and Reduction Company, Monte Cristo mine ..... _ .. _. __ .... _... 86 

Florence mine at Craterville .. _ .. _ .. _ ............... _ ~ ___ .... _ ...... __ .... _ . . . 86 

Alberta Mining Company .............. _ ... · ___ . __ .. _. ______________ . _ .. ___ . _ _ _ 86 

Parker mine. ____ .. ___ ._ .. __ ... ___ .. ______________ . . ________ . _____ . _ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 86 

Lead lode ....... ___ ._ ... ___ -_____ .. _____ ." ___ . ____ . _______ .. ___ ~ __ . ___ ._______ 87 

Gem mine _ ...... _ .............. _ ... __ . __ . _ . _ ... _ ... ___ . ___ . ____ .. _ . _ . _ . ____ . 87 

Diamond mine _. __ . _ ..... ____ . __ . _ .. _______________ .. _. _____________ . _ .. ____ . 87 

Clark and Bennett mine ____ ... _ .... _ . . . ___ .. ____ .. _______ . _____ . ___________ _ . 87 

Little Bar mine of the Big Four Company ____ . _________ ~. ____ .. __ .___________ 87 

Bluebell claim._ .. _. __ ..... : .. __ ...... . ______ . ___ ... __ .. __ ... ~ . ___________ . _ _ _ 88 

Hale mine _ ..... ___ ........ __ ....... _ ... _ .. _______ . __ . __ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 88 
6 CONTENTS. 

List of samples-Continued. Page. 

Mountain Park Mining and Development Company. _____ : _ ... _ ... .. .... __ .... _ _ 88 

White quartz lead . _ .. _____ . _ .. __ .. ____________________ ... _____ . _ ........ _ .... _ 88 

Clements mine ____ .. __ .. _ .. _._. _ ......... _. __ . _. __ ... _: .... _ ... _ ...... _ .... _ .. · 89 

Williams mine ____ .. _____ ..... _ ...... _ .... _ ... ___ ... _. ___ .. ___ .. _ .......... _. 89 

Lone Star mine .... ___ . __ ........ ______ .............. _ ........ _. _____ ........ _ 89 

Last Drive claim ___ . ___________ ._. _______ .. _______ . __ . ___ ._. ___ .............. 89 

Black Diamond mine . _____ .... _ . _____________ . __ . __ . ____ . _ .. ________ ..... _ _ _ _ 89 

Kiowa Copper Company. _____ . ____ ___ _ ... ____ ... ___ .. __________ ........ -. . . . . 89 

Homestake mine _______ ..... _J _ _ • _ •• _______ • ___ •• _ ••• ___ •••••• ___ • • • • • • • • • • • • • 90 

Tenderfoot 1nine. __ . ____ .. ... _ ... __ . _. _ ................ _ ....... __ . __ .. ___ ..... 90 

Oaks 1nine _________ ... __ ........ __ ......... _ ........... . . _ .. _ . _ . _ . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 

Bonanza 1nine. __ .. _______ . _______ .... ____ ...................... ___ · ____ . _. __ . _ 90 

Twin Rose mine. ______ . __ . __ ._ .. _. _____ ... __ ....... _ ............... __ ....... _ 90 

Feland 1nine ______ ...... _ ...... ___ . __ ..... _ ........ _ . _ . _ .... __ . ___ ..... __ ... _ 90 

Creycraft 1nine . __ -. ____ .. _ .. __ .. __ . ___ ........... _ ..... _____ . _ ..... _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 90 

Joshua lode ________________ . _ .. ________ ................. _ ..... _ .. _ ... ____ ... _ 90 

Arkansas mine . ____ ...... _ ........ _ ........ _ ................ _ .............. _ _ 91 

Glen Raven mine ____ . __ . __ ........ _ .............•............. _ .. _.......... 91 

Snow Bird ~ine. _ .... ~ __ .. ____ .. _ .. _ ... _ .. _ ............ _ .................. _.. 91 

Lugart Mining Company ......... ... _. _ ... _ ...................... _ ......... : . . . 91 

Report of assays for gold, silver, copper, and lead, hy E. T. Allen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 

Conclusions .. ____ . ______ ... __ .. __ ......... _ ..... _.................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 

INDEX.- - - - - . - - - - - - - - - - - - -·_ - - - - - - - - - - - - ••• -- --.- - -• •• -- --- •• - -- _.- - ••• ---.-.----•• ---. -- --- - 95 
PLATE 

ILL U S-TRATI 0 N S. 

I. Geologic map and sections of the Arbuckle Mountain region ............ _ ..... . 

Page. 

20 

II. Geologic map and section of the ·w"ichita Mountain region. _____ . _______ . . . . . . . 54 

III. Northeastern face of the 'V"i_chita Mountains, showing Mounts Scott and 

Sheridan _________ . ___ -________ . _ . __ . _______ . __ __________ ... _________ . __ ·- _ . . . 56 

IV. A, Southwestern knob of Quartz Mountain; B, Northwest end of the Wichita 

Mountains, showing sharp mountain crests and embayment of "Red Beds"... 58 

V. A, Rainy Mountain, an Ordovician limestone knob in the "Red Beds" plain; 

B, Granite bowlders in the east slope of Mount Scott._..................... 60 

VI. A, Exfoliate weathering of granite mountain 3 miles northwest of Snyder; B, 

Exfoliate weathering of granite bowlder, south side of Quartz Mountain. __ ... 62 

VII. Medicine Bluff, north side of Carlton Mountains . ____ ________ . ____ . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 

VIII. A, Cambrian sandstone on granite-porphyry east of Blue Creek Canyon; B, 

"Red Beds" conglomerate on granite-porphyry at the east end of Carlton 

Mountains. ________ .. __ ... _____ ..... ________________ . __ . ___ .. _ .. __ .......... 7 4 

FIG. 1. Outline map of Indian and Oklahoma Territories, showing locations of Arbuckle and 

Wichita mountains and boundaries of mapped areas .. ___ . __ ..... _ ......... __ .... - 12 

7 

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 

Washington, D. 0., bruary~' 1904. 

SrR: I transmit herewith the manuscript of a report on the geology of the 

.Arbuckle and Wichita mountains, of Indian Territory and Oklahoma, by J. A. Taff, 

with an appendix on the reported ore deposits of the Wichita Mountains, by 

H. F. Bain, and recommend that these reports be published as a professional 

paper. They are of special interest at the present time in connection with the 

active search for deposits of precious metals in this region, and contain much 

valuable information which should be of material assistance to the prospector. 

Very respectfully, 

Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, 

c. "T. HAYES, 

Geologist in Oltarge of Geology. 

.Director United States Geological Survey. 

9 
.·, 

I 
PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE 

AND vVICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

By JOSEPH A. TAFF. 

GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS. 

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 

The Arbuckle Mountains consist of a moderately elevated table -land or 

plateau in the east- central part of the Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory. The 

plateau ranges in elevation from 1,300 feet above sea, in its contracted western 

part, to 750 feet, at the east end, where it coalesces with the bordering plain. 

Geologically the Arbuckle Mountain region consists of a great thickness of 

rocks, composed chiefly of limestones, which range in age from middle Cambrian 

to Devonian, and which are succeeded on the borders by an almost equal thickness of Carboniferous conglomerates, shales, and sandstones. In the central part 

'of the district, unconformably beneath the Cambrian strata, there is a mass of 

granite, gTanite-porphyry, diabase, and associated crystalline rocks. The uplifting and folding of the region occurred previous to the deposition of the Permian 

"Red Beds," which were deposited across it on the ' west. The bearing of the 

Arbuckle uplift is approximately N. 70° W. 

Sixty miles to the northwest are the Wichita Mountains, in southeastern 

Oklahoma, which are physiographically in marked contrast to the Arbuckle Plateau, being composed of a range of rugged mountains and . straggling peaks and 

hills, set in a practically level· plain. The . Wichita uplift bears in approximately 

the same direction aR the Arbuckles, N. 70° W. It consists of a central mass 

of igneous rocks which is partially surrounded, unconformably, by a thick section 

of Cambrian and Ordovician sandstone and limestone. The stratigraphy is in 

all essential respects a repetition of that of the Arbuckle uplift, as far as could 

be determined from the rock exposures. The outline map (fig. 1, p. 12) shows the 

geographic relations of the Arbuckle and Wichita mountains. Because of the 

close stratigraphic, lithologic, aQd structural relations of the two regions discussions of their geology may with propriety be brought together in a single report. 

11 
12 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

The name Arbuekle ·Mountains, as used in this report, includes the elevated 

country involved in the Arbuckle Nlountains uplift. The name as it iR used 

locally is applied to the higher western part of the uplift, chiefly we:::;t of 

Washita River. Full exposures of all the older Paleozoic strata which are found 

in the more elevated western part occur also in the eastern p~trt surrounding 

a core of igneous rock. · Devonian and Carboniferous rocks are involved in the 

uplift, but lie chiefly in a lower plain bordering the mountainous district. Across 

the northwestern part of the Arbuckle Mountains are ]ate Carhonifervus and 

Permian strata, which are sepaEated from the older rocks by a grea.t unconformity. 

FIG. 1.-0utline map of Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory, showing locations of Arbuckle and Wichita 

mountains and boundaries of mapped areas. 

Cretaceous strata also lap across the southeastern and southwestern sides of the 

uplift. A brief discussion of the Carboniferous and Cretaceous geology is also 

included in this report. 

The geology of the Atoka and Tishomingo quadrangles has been studied in 

detail, and the results have been published in folios 79 and 9~ of the Geologic 

Atlas of the United States. These quadrangles extend from longitude 96° to 97° 

and from latitude 34° to 34° 30', and include the eastern and central parts of the 
PHYSIOGRAPHY OF THE .ARBUCKLE MpUNTAINS. 13 

Arbuckle region. The remaining portions of the region, included in the southern 

half of the Stonewall and the northern three-fourths of the Ardmore quadrangles, 

have been surveyed hi special reconnaissances. In this work the formation 

boundaries were traversed ~nd mapped, and the rocks have been studied in the 

light of the classification already established in the survey of the adjoining 

'Tishomingo and Atoka quadrangles. 

Dr. G. H. Girty and Mr. E. 0. Ulrich collected and studied fossils in cooperation with the stl:atigraphic work. \Vjthout their assistance accurate mapping 

could not have been accomplished in much' of the area. 

Large collections of fossils were -made from all the limestone formations 

above the Cambrian. Less abu~dant faunas occur in the basal Cambrian sandstone, in the Sylvan shale of the Silurian, in the Devonian chert, and in the 

Carboniferous rocks, yet the fossils .are ample for rock classification.. The:se 

co11ections are ih hand for study preparatory to a monographic report. The 

classification of the pre-Carboniferous Paleozoic rocks and faunas was made by Mr. 

Ulrich. Dr. G. B. Richardson and. Dr. George -I. Adams assisted in· the su-rvey 

of that part of the Arbuckle uplift which is included in the Atoka~ quadrangle. 

A large part of the survey of the Tishomingo quadrangle is the work of Mr. 

Sydney H. Ball. 

PHYSIOGRAPHY OF THE ARBUCKI .. E ::'ri:OUNTAINS. 

GENERAL TOPOGRAPHIC FEATURES. 

\Vhen considered "in a broad sense the Arbuckle Mountain district is 

coextensive with the area in which rocks . older than the Devonian are found. 

So considered it forms a _rudely triangular area approximately 30 miles upon 

each side, with an arm extending westward from the southwest corner. It is 

longest from northwest to southwest, . which is the general direction of the 

upiift. The boundaries of the region mark only in part the limi~s of the 

uplift. Since the region was uplifted late Carboniferous and Cretaceous rocks 

have been deposited across it and now conceal. the older rocks by unconformable · 

overlap toward the northwest and southeast. The Cretaceous strata upon the 

southeast dip toward the southeast, and the Carboniferous on the opposite side 

dip toward the northwest. As e1:osion progresses these overlapping deposits 

which once covered the region recede, giving a continually broader section across 

the uplift. Previous to the deposition of the Cretaceous the older rocks in the 

region of the uplift were worn down nearly to a flat plain. t;ince the Cretaceous 

strata have been removed this plain has been preserved as a low plateau in the 

harder rocks of the central part of the uplift, while the softer strata upon the 

sides have been eroded to lower levels. Thus the central part of the uplift 
14 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

which is here termed the Arbuckle Mountain district remains as a low southeastwardly inclined plateau, with distinct escarpments facing northeast and 

southwest. The western part of th~ Arbuckle Mountains reaches an elevation 

of about 1,350 feet and is 400 feet above the plains o_n each side. The grade o:f 

the Arbuckle Plateau toward the southeaHt is greater than that of the bordering 

plain. As a result the two plains intersect along tlie Cretaceous contact on the 

southeast side. On the northwestern side the tpick deposits of Carboniferous 

conglomerate and'' Red Beds" sediments continue away to the northwest, making 

the broad plain which passes to and around . the Wichita Mountains. The de~cent 

from the Arbuckle Mountains westward to this plain is inconsiderable. Toward 

the southeast the Cretaceous plain extends with slight change of grade from the 

Arbuckle district toward the Gulf coast. 

The minor topographic details of the .Arbuckle :Mountains are due chiefly to 

the varying r esistance of the formations, which has resulted in differential erosion 

since the removal of the Cretaceous rocks. Bordering the mountains upon the 

southwest side are five formations extending from the Ordovician to the basal formation of the Carboniferous, which are composed of hard limestones and soft shales 

steeply upturned snd dipping toward the southwest. The Sycamore, Hunton, and 

Viola limestones, the first, third, and fifth formations~ respectively, from above, 

are hard rocks making level-topped narrow ridges with their crests n.early in 

the level of the Arbuckle Mountain plain. Between these limestone ridges the 

softer Woodford chert of the Devonian and the Sy Ivan shales of the Silurian 

outcrop in wooded valleys. On the northeastern side of the district are similar 

ridges· made by the same formations, excepting the Sycamore limestone. Between 

these belts of alternating ridges and valleys and toward the axial part of the 

uplift the broad plateau proper of the Arbuckle Mountains is chiefly in the 

truncated edges of the Cambro-Ordovician limestone and the reduced preCambrian granite and porphyry. In the more elevated part of the uplift the 

small streams, because of their steep grades, have etched the border of the plateau into a frill of deep~ short gulches. This border erosion is especially marked 

near the gorge of Washita River where it crosses the Arbuckle Mountains. 

Washita River was, without doubt, imposed upon the rocks of the Arbuckle 

Mountains from a former position in strata which are now removed. The explanation of this river erosion in the Arbuckle Mountains as a part of the physiographic history- of the uplift will be· discussed below. 

HISTORY OF THE PHYSIOGRAPHIC FEATURES. 

In the Arbuckle Mountains the rocks from the middle Cambrian, the lowest 

known in the region, up to middle Carboniferous, which were formed previous 

to and are involved in the uplift, are well exposed. The general physiographic 
PHYSIOGRAPHY OF THE .ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS. 15 

historv ~ learned from the extensive Coal Measures conglomerate in the northwest and southwest sides of the region, the later '' Reu Beds" conglomerate across 

the west end, and the Cretaceous -sedi~ents across the southeastern side of the 

uplift. Only a brief discussion of this history can be given in this paper. • f 

From Cambrian time up to middle Carboniferous the stratigraphic succession 

is regularly conformable, showing that the, rock beds remained practically flat 

during successive periods. There were probal;>ly oscillations which brought the 

sediments to the surface of the water at times, and gave occasion for slight 

erosion, which will be described in the discussion of the stratigraphy. About the 

middle of the Carboniferous period, near the beginning of Mississippian time, 

the rocks of the Arbuckle Mountain region were uplifted and folded, and moun- , 

tainous conditions resulted. During and following the uplift and before the end 

of Carboniferous time the mountains, so far as can be observed, were worn down 

to moderate relief. During this time thick deposits of limestone conglomerates, 

derived from the Silurian, Ordovician, and Cambrian rocks toward the hearf of . 

the uplift, were laid down in the bordering Carboniferous seas. As erosion progressed, during late Carboniferous time folding and faulting occurred, as is shown 

by the infolding and faulting of some of the earlier Carboniferous conglomerates 

with older Paleozoic strata. Remnants of this Carboniferous conglomerate occur in 

'the present Arbuckle Plateau in a number of places and conceal the whole northwestern extension of the uplift. The nearly flat limestone conglomerate, grits, 

and clays of the basal portion ·of the "Red Beds'' rest unconformably upon the 

Coal Measures conglomerate and across the extreme western end of the Arbuckle 

Mountains. Between the Permia;._ and the Cretaceous there is no record of sedimentation, and it is presumed that land conditions prevailed. 

D evelopment of the Arbuckle Plateau.--The basal formation of the lower Cretaceous lies across the southeastern side of the Arbuckle uplift, on a nearly smooth 

floor, composed of granite and interstratified with thick and hard limestone anu 

thinner limestone, sandstone, _ and shale formations. This formation, which is 

slightly inclined toward the southeast, is composed of the beach and near-shore 

deposits of the Cretaceous sea, which transgres~ed nor!hward and most likely 

beyond the region of the Arbuckle Mountains. The nature of these deposits of 

the Cretaceous and of the flat floor upon which they rest suggests strongly that 

the land upon which the Cretaceous sea advanced had been reduced to a low 

peneplain. \Vhatever the condition of the pre-Cretaceous land, it appears that 

the Cretaceous degradation reduced all the rocks from the . soft shales of the 

Carboniferous to the massive hard limestones of the Cambro-Ordovician and the 

granite to a nearly flat plain. The basal Cretaceous formation was rapidly eroded 

toward the south, in the direction of the drainage and of the dip of the strata. 

After these sands were removed from the rock floor of varying hardness on 
16 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUN'l'A.INS. 

which they had been deposited, differential er osion produced the topographic 

forms of the Arbuckle Mountains and the bordering parallel hills and valleys and 

etched plateau. The plain of the Arbuckle Mountains when projected southward 

passes beneath the Cretaceous sediments, approximately in the Cretaceous floor. 

As the soft Cretaceous rocks above the Arbuckle uplift were removed the · 

streams which tlowed in them without obstruction toward the south descended 

and were imposed upon the hard rocks of the Cretaceous floor. Thus Mill and 

Pennington creeks and Blue and Washita rivers were imposed upon the Arbuckle 

Mountains. As Mill and Pennington creeks and Blue Hiver are near the eastern 

end of the uplift from which the Cretaceous was last removed, and do not flow 

beyond the limits of the Arbuckle Plateau, they have wide, shallow valleys, extending southward in Paleozoic and Cretaceous strata with very slight increase in grade. 

""\Vashita River, however, flows in a lower plain for long distances in the soft 

rocks before reaching and after its passage through the Arbuckle Mountains. 

These soft rocks were worn down more rapidly than the hard ·limestones, and 

the river was required to keep_. pace in cutting its deep and narrow gorge across 

the Arbuckle Mountains. 

Peneplain o.f probable Tertiary age.-Toward the northeast and southwest there 

is a descent of 100 to 400 feet from the phtteau in the Arbuckle Mountains to 

the general level of the plain formed upon the softer Carboniferous rocks. The 

erosion which produced this lower plain has uncovered and obliterated a large 

par~ of the marine Cretaceous plain northeast and south west of the Arbuckle 

district. Southeastward, in the general direction of the drainage toward the Gulf 

of Mexico, this plain descends approximately with the grade of the rivers. Along 

these river valleys there ave elevated remnants of old channels slightly helow the 

level of the plain. They contain deposits of gravel and sand, similar to the material 

transported by the riv·er at the present time. 

These deposits occur upon the worn surfaces of Carboniferous, Cretaceous, 

and early Tertiary rockH. Upon approaching the T~rtiary border in southwestern 

Arkansas and eastern Texas these gravel deposits become more abundant and 

finally come to an end or descend beneath latest Tertiary deposits bordering the 

Gulf coast. Farther toward the northeast these elevated shallow and wide river 

channels lying nearly in the peneplain have been studied and mapped, along 

Canadian and Arkansas rivers, from the western border of the Creek Nation to 

the Arkansas line in Indian Territory. This peneplain stretches westward into 

Oklahoma and nort_hward across Indian Territory. It has a lower inclination 

toward tb_e southeast than the marine Cretaceous plain represented in the Arbuckle 

Plateau. Northward the horizon of the latter plain projects above the land, while 

the former continues nearly flat and is now preseryed throughout southern and 
STRATIGRAPHY OF THE ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS. 17 

central Indian Territory in almost innumerable level-crested ridges and hills. 

These ridges and hills are supported usually by beds of hard rock, and their crests 

occur at elevations approximating 850 feet. Outside the mountainous regions 

there are few hills which rise above this general level. These are usually tablelike and are protected by flat and hard strata. 

In the eastern part of Indian Territory the Ouachita Mountains rise above 

this plain, as do also certain isolated mountains in Arkansas Valley. In the 

Ouachita Mountains this .peneplain is represented by wide, flat valleys which have. 

been produc-ed upon the softer rocks. In Arkansas Valley the mountains 

which rise above the plain are limited areas where the rocks occur in broad, 

synclinal folds containing the harder and thicker sandstone strata. These mountains rise above the plain, as monadnock-like eminences and peaks, to elevations of 

1, 700 to 2,500 feet above the sea. The wide distribution of the surficial deposits 

connected with old river channels, but slightly depressed below the peneplain, their 

~·elations to the more abui1dant gravel deposits near the Tertiary, as already 

described, and the widespread degradation of the hard and soft rocks . to the same 

general level support the hypothesis that the surface nearly reached sea level 

at the time of its reduction to the peneplain stage. 

Recent peneplanation in the b1•oad valleys.-It would appear that since the 

formation of the probable Tertiary peneplain the land has been tilted slightly 

toward the southeast. In support of this it is observed that the larger 8treams 

have dPscended in softer strata · to depths approximating 200 feet below the 

general level of the Tertiary peneplain, cutting for themselves wide and flat 

valleys. These wide valleys may be considered to form rudely a lower· peneplain 

representing the present stage of erosion. The smaller streams tributary to the 

large creeks and rivers have steeper grades, especially toward their sources, and 

occupy various levels between two peneplains. 

STRATIGRAPHY OF THE ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS • 

. IGNEOUS ROCKS (PRE-CAMBRIAN). 

Igneous rocks are exposed in three areas in the Arbuckle uplift. The 

largest of these in the eastern portion is composed, for the most part, of granite, 

of a small amount of rocks related to granite, and of intrusive dike rocks, .chiefly 

diabase. The other two areas, which are situated near each other in the western 

part of the mountains, are composed of granite-porphyry and aporhyolite, containing also basic dikes. The granite occurs in the extreme southea.st~rn side 

and is partially concealed by the lower Cretaceous sediments which lie across 

this portion of the Arbuckle region. It occurs in a rudely triang;ular area 

about 20 miles in length an_d . 10 miles inr width at its broadest part, near the 

7800--~o. 31--04----2 
18 GEOL~GY OF THE ARBUCKLE .AND WICHITA MOUNTAIN$. 

western end. It is overlain across the western end and at a few points upon the 

northern side by middle Cambrian, the oldest stratified rocks of the region. 

Throughout the northern side, with two exceptions, the granite comes in contact 

with the sedimentary rocks along lines of faulting. 

The two porphyry areas occur in the Arbuckle Mountains proper, near the 

western part of the uplift. Like the granite., the porphyry upon the western and 

southwestern sides is overlain by the middle Cambrian sediments, and upon the 

eastern and northeastern sides it comes in contact with the sedimentary rocks along 

lines of faulting. 

In middle Cambrian . time the granites, porphyries, and other a~;sociated or 

included igneous rocks were eroded and their materials deposited as the oldest 

Cambrian sediments, which here rest on them. Their approximate age, however, 

can not be determined further than is indicated by their position beneath middle 

Cam brian rocks. 

GRANITE AND ASSOCIATED IGNEOUS ROCKS. 

The granite is a reddish or pinkish rock moderately coarse in texture. 

Associated with it are numerous dikes of gray to dark-blue or black basic rock, 

besides Jess numerous dikes of pale-pink to white aplite, and rarely dikes of 

granite-porphyry. These dikes of basic rock penetrate the granite in many 

directio~s, though the largest number have a bearing generally toward the northwest and southeast. The surface of the granite is nearly flat and is in large 

measure concealed by materials resulting from its own disintegration and by 

residual sands from the Trinity formation, so that it is not possible to locate or 

trace many of the dikes beyond the immediate valleys of the streams where the 

. rocks have their best exposures. In the eastern part of the area the basic dikes 

are few in number, though th,e granite is usually so concealed by surficial 

deposits that satisfactory observations .could not be made. Toward the west 

these dike:::; increase in number, until in the vicinity of Tishomingo they are of 

such frequent occurrence arid have increased in size so greatly as to form a considerable part of the igneous mass. In this part of the area they range from 

thin stringers to dikes 40 feet in thickness. 

Quartz-monzonite has been found to occur in association with and apparently I . 

as phases of the granite. In some places it has a well-defined boundary, while at 

others it seems to grade into the granite. 

Usually the exposures of the granite are such that its true relation to the 

aplite was not accurately determined. In certain fresh exposures the aplite 

occurs as dikes or stringers penetrating the granite. They are usually bu~ a few 

feet thick; and were not found in association with the basic dikes. 

The granite-porphyry was found in but two places. It occurs in granite in 
:iGNEOUS · ROOKS OF THE AR,BUOKLE MOUNTAINS. 19 

distinctly defined bands, 20 feet wide, trending toward each other. It is probable 

that they belong to the same dike. The granite-porphyry is cut by a basic dike 

which passes also into the ordinary pink granite. The granites and associated 

igneous rocks in the Arbuckle region have been studied by Mr. Ernest Howe, of 

the United States Geological Survey, and the petrographic descriptions of the 

igneous rocks are from Ylr. Howe's report. 

Granite.-The typical granite is in general a biotite-granite, rich in microcline and poor in ferromagnesian silicates. Associated with the granite are 

pegmatite veins, which contain the same minerals as the granites, but in coarser· 

aggregates. The feldspars are principally orthoclase or microcline, with plagioclase, albite, and oligoclase almost always assoeiated. Titanite, which occurs in 

extremely perfect crystals, is, under the microscope, a noteworthy constituent. 

Garnet; also, occurs in some specimens as an important accessory mineral. 

Quctrtz-monzon,ite.- Quartz-monzonites are associated with the granite a~d 

occur apparently as phases of it. As far as observations could be made, Iilon-:-

zonites occur in small areas. In most places where this rock was noted the 

exposures are poor and the relations of the rocks could not be satisfactorily 

determined. In all the specimens examined petrographically, plagioclase, ranging 

in composition from oligoclase to labradorite, is almost as prominent as orthoclase or microcline; quartz, usually in the form of pegmatitic intergrowths, with 

orthoclase, is always present, but never in abundance. With these minerals 

biotite occurs almost invariably; in all but two of the specimens hornblende is 

abundant. One of the rocks contains hornblende equal in amount to the plagioclase and alkali feldspar, and is remarkable in its very considerable development 

of quartz. It is a middle type between granite and diorite. . From this intermediate 

type the tendency seems in the majority of cases to lean toward the side of the 

granites. One of the specimens is a nearly pure diorite, consisting largely of 

plagioclase, feldspar, a1_1d hornblende, with a \-~ery little alkali feldspar and quartz. 

These rocks indicate a very interesting series, worthy of more extended study. 

ApUte. - Aplite occurs also in association with the granite in a manner similar 

to that of the diabase. In places the exposures are such that the true relations 

between the aplite and the granite could not be determined. Where erosion had 

removed the disintegrated rock the aplite appears as well-defined dikes. Specimens examined petrographically are pale pink or nearly white in color, containing 

no ferro magnesian silicates, and composed almost entirely of feldspars and quartz, 

with very little magnetite or hematite. The texture of the apliteEl is even and 

finely granular. Orthoclase, microcline, and plagioclase are present in all and are 

slightly greater than quartz in amount. 

Granite_.porphyry.---Granite-porphyry occurs in well-defined bands, apparently 

as dikes in the common granite. The only exposure of this porphyry ·noted is 
20 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

in a small tributary of Roek Creek in the western side of see. 1, T. 4 S., R. 5 

E. The granite-porphyries are fine textured and bric.k red. The phenoerysts, 

distributed in a dense groundmass, are irregular in size and eons!st of orthoelase, 

quartz, and some dark silieates, probably hornblende, whieh is now eompletely 

alt~red to chlorite and the hydrous oxides o:f iron. The feldspars and what 

remains of the ferromagnesian silicates are in larg-e imperfeet erystals, while the 

quartz is in very much smaller, rounded and dihexag·onal grains. The groundmass 

is partly a finely granular aggregate of quartz and feldspar and partly a micropegmatitie_ intergrowth of these two minerals. Magnetite is an abundant aceessorJ:. 

Diabase dikes.- Dikes of diabase are eommon throughout the granite, but 

increase in abundance from east to west. Near the western end of the granite, 

in t"he mass northwest of Tishomingo, they are so numerous as to form in places 

a network of sheets and stringers. These dike rocks have eonsiderable ·variation · 

in texture, but are all to be considered as diabase. They vary from dense, finely 

porphyritic. eontact faeies to coarse rocks which might almost be considered 

gabbro. Their composition is very uniform. Augite, labradorite, and magnetite 

are always present~ biotite rarely oceurs; and in only one instance was olivine 

found, . or, lTIOre correctly' pseudomorphs of serpentine after olivine. The~e 

diabase dikes usually weather more rapidly than the gr~nite, and as a result fresh 

specimens in many cases can not be obtained. The secondary minerals-chlorite, 

kaolin, calcite, muscovite, and epidote-are very abundant. In the dense roeks, 

evidently near the contaets, the groundmass, although very fine grained, is still 

distinetly op~itic. Delicate skeleton crystals of magnetite add materially to the 

felt-like appearance. Phenocrysts are seldom perfect and never large. The 

plagioelase laths average about one millimeter in length. The coarser speeimens, 

probably from the central portions of large dikes, show a tendene:y to assume a 

granular strueture, whieh, however, is never perfect; their structure would still 

be deseribed as ophitie. 

PORPHYRY AND ASSOCIATED BASIC DIKES. 

The porphyry of the Arbuckle Mountains occurs in two areas, known as the 

East and 'Vest Wooded Hills; which rise slightly above the general level of 

the Arbuekle Mountain table-land. These igneous masses have the san1e relations 

to the surrounding stratified _roeks as the granite above described. The relations are graphically shown on the geologic map (Pl. I). These igneous roeks, 

of pre-Cambrian age, eonsist of granite-porphyry and aporhyolite of various 

shades of pink, red, arid brown. In so far as could be determined by a general 

survey the aporhyolite is intrusive through the granite-porphyry. In plaees the 

aporhyolite, like the granite-porphyry, is strongly porphyritic an~ .shows large 

clearly defined phenocrjrsts of pink feldspar in a reddish and darker fine ground-
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

20' 10' 

------,---- --- -------------.-----------

7E L t:AP >I" T1TE 

R .. I 11\J I ] 1

: ( 11 N 

BY .T .\FF 

() 

LEO E N D 

QUATERNARY c __ l 

CRETACEOUS 

DEVON lA 

SILURIAN 

PLE STOCE~ E AN 0 1>-ECE.NT 

{inl\n>l and. SA !HI 

Snndst n ,lim . toni', 

and ~half' 

hn!P 

nuntort Jim Stoll ' 

and ':lvnn sholl' 

Violn hmestotw 

ORDOVICIAN 

Simpson f01·mnti<ln 

CAMBRO-ORDOVICIAN 

CAMBRIAN 

PRE- CAMBRIAN 

PL.l 

R 5 E. 

, 
CAMBRIAN ROCKS OF THE ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS. 21 

mass. In other plaee,s it is even textured, without porphyritic character, and 

shows a beautifully banded structure. In thin sections a fluidal, vesicular 

structure is shown. The base is generally devitrified, but certain bands show 

' , perlitic structure. 

Like the granite in the eastern part of the uplift, the igneous mass is peneh·ated by numerous dikes of diabase, which are themselves older than the middle 

Cam~rian, since sediments of that age rest uncomformably upon them. These 

dike rocks vary somewhat in character and in color, from very dark blue to 

gray, but in general are of the same nature as those oc?urring in the granite area. 

SEDIMENTARY ROCKS. 

In pre-Cambrian time the region of the Arbuckle uplift was submerged and 

the Reagan sandsto?.e, the lowest Cambrian sediment, was laid down upon the 

eroded surface of the granite and porphyry as a beach and off-shore deposit. 

The pre-Cambrian land, composed of igneous rocks, possessed some relief a~ the 

time of the submergence, as is shown by the uneven contact of the igneous rocks 

with the Reagan sandstone and also by the variable nature of the sandy deposits. 

The land in the immediate vicinity of the uplift was soon submerged, however, 

as is shown hy the presence of fossiliferous horizons representing the same-midCambrian time in the upper member of the Reagan sandstone wherever it is 

exposed. 

CAiHBRIAN ROCKS. 

Reagctn sandstone.-Thi~ sandstone is a variable formation, as regards both 

its thickness and the nature of its materials. In the eastern part of the . uplift, 

m contact with the granite, it varies in thickness from a few thin beds to 

approximately 500 feet, with an average thickness of about 300 feet. In itN 

thickest portion, at the western end of the granite, the lowest beds are composed for the most part of coarse arkose grit. The following is a record of the 

thickest section of the Reagan sandstone as it occurs at the western end of the 

granite area, beginning at the base: 

Section of Reagan sandstone. 

Feet. 

Quartzite and arkose conglomerate, composed of poorly sorted granitic materials . _..... . . . . . . 30 

Coarse grit and sand, with some elay and green sand in upper part, generally well stratified . . 370 

Thin-bedded and laminated sandstone, becoming calcareous in the upper part ...... _ ... _. _ _ 60 

This section is followed by generally thin-bedded siliceous Jimesto~e and 

shaly strata through several hundred feet to the top of the middle Cambrian. 

The calcareous beds at the top and above the Reagan contain numerous fossils 

' of well-defined middle Cambrian forms. 

The Reagan sandstone overlying the porphyry in the southern sides of . the 

East and West Wooded Hills has a · section similar to that in contact with 

the granite. The coarse materials which make lentils of conglomerate near the 
22 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

base, . however, are here composed of porphyry ~nd associated dike rock. In the 

upper part of the formation greenish clay8 are probably more abundant, and the 

green sand continue~ higher up into the niore calcareous bech. A~ in the occurrence near the granite, here the calcareous roek~; contain numerous middle Cambrian fossils. 

CAMBRO-ORDOVICIAN ROCKS. 

ATbuckle limeston e.- The Arbuckle limestone, with the exception of thin, 

shaly strata and occasional siliceous and cherty beds, i~ composed entirely of 

light-blue and white limestone and cream-colored to white crystalline dolomite. 

The section ranges in thickness from 4,000 to 6,000 feet, and include~ the whole 

of the upper Cambrian and the Calciferous of the Ordo,rician. From the ba:;e 

of the- formation upward to the top of the ·middle Cambrian the rocks are 

composed of_ thin-bedded and, in part, intraformational conglomerate and shaly 

limestones. \Vhile pursuing stratigraphic field vvork in connection with the study 

and collection of the fossils, Mr. E. 0. Ulrich noted the occurrence of what 

appeared to be shaly lentils at the top of the middle Cambrian, indicating to hi:; 

mind an unconformity between the upper and lower Cambrian. 

Beginning with the upper Cambrian the rocks are composed of massive and 

hard, pink to yellow crystalline limestone and dolomite, which weather to various 

shades of brown and almost black. Rocks of this character have a thickness of 

500 to 600 feet, and are followed by lighter-colored massive dolomite and ·lime-

. stone, without any indication of time interval, up into the Ordovician. Beginning 

approximately 450 feet below the top of the Arbuckle . formation the limestones 

become more thinly bedded and are associated with thin and, in places, shaly 

strata. Very near the top occasional sandy beds occur. 

· In the massive beds in the central part of the formation fossils are found, 

but not in great abundance. Near the top, however, where the rocks become 

argillaceous, fossils are more common. Fossils of the following genera, mostly 

undescribed, occur in the upper 1,250 feet of the Arbuckle limestone. 

Billingsella, 2 species. 

. Polytoecbia? 

Stromatocerium. 

Calatbium, 2 species. 

Maclurea. 

Opbileta. 

Eccy fiom pbalus. 

EccyliopteTus. 

· Rapbistomina . 

. Leiospira (? Helicotorna). 

Fossils of upper portion of Arbuckle limestone. 

Hormotorna, 2 species, one very near H. artemesia 

Billings . 

Trochonema. 

Ortboceras. 

Trochoceras. 

Leperditia. 

Isochilina. 

Primitia. 

Bathyurus. 

Isotelus canalis? 

Euconia (near E. rarnsayi Billings). 
ORDOVICIAN ROCKS OF THE ARBUOKL}~ MOUNTAINS. 

On account of its thickness and its position the central part of the uplift 

of the Arbuckle formation, though generally steeply upturned, occurs over broad 

area~, and forms a large part of the table-land of the Arbuckle Mountains. It 

extends from the southeastern end of the Arbuckle Mountains, where it is overlapped and concealed by Cretaceous strata, to the northwestern end, where it 

passes beneath Pennsylvanian and ''Red Beds" conglomerates. 

ORDOVICIAN ROCKS. 

Simpson forrnation.-After the Arbuckle limestone was deposited there was 

a general change in the nature of the sediments. The top of the limestone 

seems to have been slightly eroded locally and upon the surface were deposited 

beds of pure sand. At other places the Arbuckle limestone· is overlain by shaly 

and impure lime-the basal beds of the Simpson formatio,n. On these local sandy 

beds at the ba~e there were deposited greenish shales and thin crystalline and 

shelly limestones interstratified with a number of beds of sandstone, making a 

total thickness ranging from about 1,200 to 2,000 feet. Following is a general 

section of the Simpson formation on the south side of the Arbuckle uplift west 

of Washita River, the beds being given from above downward. 

Section of Simpson formation on south side of Arbuckle uplift, west of Washita Ri1)er. 

Feet. 

1. Thin limestone with green shales interstratified _________ ~ _________ _ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 400 

In the lower part the limestone is subcrystalline, resembling beds lower in the for-

' m~tion, while higher it becomes fine grained and argillaceous, resembling that of 

the succeeding Viola formation. 

2. Sandstone _________ . __ . ______________________ . ___________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 90 

3. Limestones and shales inte_rbedded _____________ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 400 

Some of the limestones are highly fossiliferous: Orthis tricenaria, 0. dejlecta, Monticuliporoid Bryozoa, highly ornamented cystid plates, and species of Ctenodonta. 

4. Sandstone __________________________________________________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 100-200 

5. Shaly limestone _______ _' _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 195 

The lower 50 feet highly fossiliferous, containing Ostracoda with numerous Bryozoa 

and bases· of crinoid columns, making a fauna sufficiently peculiar to be easily 

distinguished. • 

6. Sandstone _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 33 

7. Thin-bedded limestone and shales interstratified_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 295 

Contains fossils in great abundance, chiefly Ostracoda of large and small species, and 

numerous gasteropods, pelecypods, brachiopods, and trilobites. 

8. Greenish shales with few thin limestone layers _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 245 

Thin sandstone. 

9. Granular crystalline limestone in thin beds----------------------------------------- 350 

Contains an abundance of Ostra oda (Leperditia ehiefly) and other fossils so rare as 

to appear wanting. I . . 

10. Thin limestone and shales interstratified with occasional thin sandstone._____________ 29 

11. White to light-brown sandstone, occurring loeally ______ _____ __ ________ "'- _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 0-100 

• 
• 

24 GEOLOGY . OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA ~fOUNTAINS. 

The sandstone bed No. 4 in the section is more persistent in its characteristics, including thickness, than the others, and serves as a convenient datum for 

reference. It- also separates the formation into two divisions of nearly equal 

thickness. 

In the northern portion of the region, and especially on the northern side 

of the Arbuckle Mountains west of Washita River~ the Simpson formation is 

f~lmd to be ,much thinner than in the southern portio.n. This is due chiefly to the 

absence of the lowest beds,. which ha.ve an aggregate thieknes:::; of several hundred feet. The upper division of the formation is found to become thinner 

northward, owing to the decrease in the quantity of lime and clay. With the 

decrease in amounts of lime and clay nor~thward there is a general increase in 

the abundance of :::;and, the whole formation becoming more siliceous. 

On the n01:thern si~e of the region the Simpson formation is exposed much 

farther east than on the southern side; where it is found in its typical thickness and consistency. Near the east end, in the valleys of Blue River and 

Delaware Creek, the structure is :::;o variable that accurate estimate:::; of thickness 

could . not be made. It is approximately 1,200 feet thick, and the s-and is 

relatively more abundant than in the northern part of the Arbuckle Mountains 

farther west. In all places noted the sand is fine grained, and in many case::; 

i::; completely separated :from clay and lime :::;ediments. 

The Simpson formation contains a very abundant fauna. Larg·e collections 

of fossils were made by · ~Ir. Ulrich, especially from the district west of 

Washita River. Onl}T a prelimjnary :::;tudy of this f~una has been made, but it 

is :::;ufficient for accurate classification and general correlation. Below are lists 

uf readily recognized forms, separated according to the two divisions of the 

. formation. 

Fossils of lower Simpson frmnation. 

Plates of cystidian (? b-lyptocystites). 

Siphonotreta sp. undetermined. 

-Crania sp. nov. 

Orthis ccrstata. 

Orthis (Dalmanella) pogonipensis Walcott. 

Orthis sp.? nov. (near holstoni Safford). 

Ctenodonta sp. nov. (of C. nasuta type). 

Ctenodonta sp. nov. (large, ovate species). 

Cyrtodonta sp. undetermined. 

Morliolopsis sp. nov. 

Modiolopsis sp. nov. 

Bucania sp. undet. (small, with flat dorsum). 

Btlcania sp. undet. (larger, with subcarinate 

dorsum). · 

Bucanella sp. undetermined. 

Maclurea sp. undetermined. 

Eccyliopterus sp. undetermined. 

Leperditia sp. near fabulites. 

Leperditia bivia White. 

Leperditella of several undetermined specie~. 

This division is particularly characterized by 

these Ostracoda, many of the limestone layers 

being crowded with large and small species. 

Bathyurus sp. undetermined. 

Ceraurus of two undetermined species. 

.Am phi on nevadensis? W aleott. 
ORDOVICIAN ROOKS OF THE ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS. 25 

Fossils of upper Simpson formation. 

[Most of these species known only in the upper 300 feet. 'fhose occurring also in the lower part of the subdivision 

a re distin,guished by an asterisk.] 

Receptaculites sp. nov. 

Protarea sp. nov. (lnassive-lamil~ar form). 

Arehreocrinus sp. undetermined. 

Platycystit~s (?) sp. nov. 

Amygdalocystites sp. nov. 

Glyptocystites sp. nov. 

*Numerous monticuliporoid Bryozoa. 

Stomatopora proutana-pertenuis Ulrich. 

Phylloporina sublaxa Ulrich. 

Rhinidietya nicholsoni Ulrich. 

Arthroclema sp. nov. 

Pachydl.ctya d. foliata Ulrich. 

Lingula coburgensis Billings. 

Schizambon (? Siphonotreta) minnesotensi H. 

and C. 

Crania granulosa ·Winchell. 

Craniella ? ulrichi Hall. 

Pholidops trentonensis HalL 

Plectambonites serieea (Stones River variet:.;' ). 

Strophomena filitexta Hall. 

Rafinesquina minnesotensis vVi11chell. 

Scenidium anthonense Sardeson. 

* Orthis tricenaria Conrad. 

* Dalmanella perveta Conrad. 

* Dinorthis near pectinella Emmons. 

* Orthis (? Dinorthis) deflecta Conrad. 

Orthis (? Dinorthis) sp. nov. 

Hebertella bellarugosa Uonrad. 

Triplecia sp. nov . . (striated). 

Zygospira (Hallina) nicolleti W. and S. 

Zygos_gira ( Hallina) sp. nov. 

Clionychia lamellosa Hall. 

Ctenodonta contracta Salter. 

Eurymya plana Hall. 

Tetranota obsoleta ? Ulrich. 

Pterotheca attenuata Hall. 

Ampyx sp. undetermined. 

Harpina sp. undetermined. 

Platymetopus sp. nov. near bicornis Ulrich. 

Platymetopus sp. nov. near cucullus M. and W. 

Pterygornetopus near schmidti Clarke. 

Numerous undetermined small Ostracoda of the 

families Cypridre and Beyrichiidre. 

The fauna of the lower division of the Simpson formation is decidedly similar 

to that of the Chazy of New York and Canada· and of the Pogonip formation of 

Nevada. Considering these eastiand-west connections, it is . surprising to note 

that the lower Simpson fauna, ~:;o far as known, co~tains none of the prolific 

fauna of the lower division (Murfreesboro limestone) of the Stones River group in 

middle Tennessee, 'vhich is believed to be of equivalent age. As a whole, the 

fauna of the upper part of the Simpson is closely related to the upper division 

of the Sto~es Rive1~ group in Tennessee and Kentucky and the equivalent beds 

in the upper part of the Mississippi Valley. 

Viola limestone.-There is a gradual transition from the top of the Simpson 

formation up into the basal pl\rt of the Viola formation. The top layers of the 

Simpson are usually argillaceou~, .are thinner, darker, and more evenly stratified 

than those at the base of the Viola, and in place~ contain partings and beds of ' 

clay. The rocks at the contact on each side, however, vary somewhat in different 

parts ·of the field. 

The Viola formation is a cortinuons out slightly variable deposit of- limestone f>OO to 700 feet thiek, which usually appears massive on very fresh exposures. Upon weathering, however, the bedding is pronounced, showing layers 
26 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

rarely more than a :foot in thickness. In the middle and lower parts especially 

there are occasional band~ and nodular masses of chert. 

rhe Viola limestone is divisible into three members, distinguished by variations in bedding, in texture, and to a less extent in the color :f the limestone. 

The upper and middle members are approximately 300 :feet thick. The lowest 

member is somewhat thinner and more variable than the others. The lowest 

member nonsists of lig·ht-colored, coarse-textured, and usually roughly bedded 

limestone. It probably will not exceed- 100 :feet -in thickness anywhere, and in 

places is much less. 

The middle member consists of white to light-blu~ and generally even- and 

thin-bedded limestone. On account of the abundance of :fossil trilobites of the 

genus Tr1:nucleus in certain layers it might be known as the Trinucleus member. 

It is characterized by white surface where weathered and even bedding. 

The highest member resembles in part the lowest in essential physical characters. In its lower part the beds are thicker, more earthy, and more uneven 

than those of the middle part. In the middle part the beds are thin and more 

argillaceous. The limestone at the top of this member resembles very much the 

lowest beds in character of bedding. It is more crystalline and usually lighter 

in color, being light gray and occasionally pink. 

On the whole the Viola limestone varies but slightly in thickness ana general characteristics throughout its occurrence in the Arbuckle Mountain region. 

An investigation of the :fossils by Mr. -ffirich, who collected and studied the 

rock :;ection, shows that there are three faunal divisions~ which correspond to the 

three lithologic members above described. The most fossiliferous development 

of the basal member was noted at the extreme northern occurrence, in the region. 

at the base of Double Mound, 6 miles northeast of Roff. A preliminary study of 

the fossils collected shows the following-named forms: 

Fossils of lower member of Viola limestone. 

Streptelasma profundum var. 

Tetradium columnare Hall. 

Homotrypa intercalaris Ulrich. 

Bythopora subgracilis Ulrich. 

Phylloporina reticulata Hall. 

Rhinidictya mutabilis Uiiich. 

Rhinidictya mutabilis majo~ Ulrich. 

Escharopora subrecta Ulrich. 

Phoonopora indpiens Ulrich. 

Arthropora bifurcata Ulrich. 

Plectambonites sericea var. 

Strophomena filitexta Hall. 

Rafinesquina deltoidea Conrad. 

Dalman ella haru burgensis? ·wr alcott. 

Dinorthis p_ectinella Hall. 

Platystrophia sp. undetermined (small). 

Rhynchotrema .increbescens Hall. 

Zygospira r~curvirostris Hall. 

Vanuxemia gibbosa Ulrich. -

Technophorus subacutus? Ulrich. 

Cyrtolites retrorsus Ulrich. 

Protowarthia per_voluta U. and S. 

Lophospira bicincta Hall. 

Strophostylus textilis U. and S. 

Holopea obliqua? Hall. 

Pterotheca attenuata Hall. 

Bumastus trentonensis Emmons. 
ORDOVICIAN ROOKS OF THE ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS. 27 

Nearly all of the above fossils occur in . the Phylloport:Cna and Ol£tambonites 

beds of the Ordovician section in Minnesota. These beds are correlated with 

latest Black River and earliest Trenton. Many of the species occupy these 

horizons in New York and Canada and what are regarded .as equivalent positions 

in middle TennesRee and Kentuckv. 

As a whole the middle me1~ber or TriTI/ucleus bed of tii :ivi~iil. limestone 

is not abundantly fossiliferous. The organic remains occur chiefi'y in three horizons, one near the base, another above the middle, and the third near the top. 

The first and second contain an abundance of graptolites. Next to the Trinucleus 

the graptolites are ~he most characteristic and commonest fossils of the middle 

member. 

Fossils of middle member ( Trinucleus beds) of the Viola limestone. 

Diplograptus pristis? Hall. 

Climacograptus typicalis Hall. 

Schizotreta minutula W. and S. 

Conotreta, sp. undetermined (? rusti Walcott). 

Rafinesquina deltoidea Conrad. 

Conularia trentonensis Hall. 

Trinucleus concentricus Eaton. 

Trinucleus sp. undetermined: 

Proetus parviusculus var. 

Pterygometopus (near callicephalus Hall). 

Nileus vi~ilans Meek and Worthen. 

These fossils indicate that the Trinucleus beds were deposited during the latter 

half of the Trenton age. 

The upper member of the Viola limestone is approximately 300 feet in thickness, but only in the upper 25 feet is it abundantly fossiliferous. The lower 50 

feet yielded no fossils. In the middle portion the fossils are not only rare, but 

. poorly preserved. The fossils in the following list occur only in the upper 50 

feet of the formation: 

Fossils of 'Upper member of Viola limestone. 

Bead-like joints of the stalk of an undescribed 

,crinoid or cystid, one-quarter inch in thickness. 

Pachydictya gigantea Ulrich. 

Ptilotrypa obliquata Ulrich. 

Plectambonites sp. nov. (with denticulate h~nge ). 

Strophomena wisconsinensis ·whitfield. 

Lept:::ena unicostata M. and W. 

Rafinesqu;na sp. nov. (near camerata). 

9rthis kankakensis sweeneyi Winchell. 

Dinorthis subquadrata Hall. 

Dinorthis proavita vV. and S. 

Heberte1la insculpta Hall. 

Dalmanella macrior Sardeson. 

Platystrophia acutilirata Conrad .. 

Rhynchotrema capax Conrad. 

Parastrophia divergens H. and C. 

These are . all species characterizing the upper divisions of Richmond age in 

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. In northern Arkansas the 

same fauna occurs in the Polk Bayou limestone and in middle Tennessee in the 

Fernvale formation. This is one of the most widespread horizons, and certainly 

the easiest to recognize, of the Ordovician rocks. 
28 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

SILURIAN ROCKS. 

Sylvan shale.-The Sylvan shale and the succeeding Hunton limestone are 

comparatively thin formations, and because of their narrow outcrop they are 

necessarily mapped together. While these . formations prPsent st:r:ong contrasts, 

1ithologically they belong to the same system. 

The nearly pure lime deposits laid down at the close of Viola time were 

succeeded by dark-blue to black and green clay in apparently conformable 

successiOn. The deposition of the greenish Sylvan shale continued without 

interruption until it reached a thickness of from eG to 300 feet, when it was 

succeeded abruptly by the Hunton limestone. 

The Sy Ivan shale increases gradually in thickness westward. At the east 

end of the uplift its thickness is estimated to be 60 feet, while west of Washita 

River it is approximately 300 feet. Being a soft clay shale and bou~ded above 

and below by hard, ridge-making limestone, it invariably makes smooth sw·ales or 

valleys, which are protected by forests. As a result fresh exposures of the rocks, 

especially · at the contact with adjoining formations, are rare. 

Only one exposure of the shale at its base was noted; this is about 2 

miles northwest of Dougherty. At this place from the base upward through 

several feet the rock is a compact~ dark-blue to black calcareous and bituminous 

shale, containing an abundance of graptolites and shells. Elsewhere in the ·shale 

fossils are exceedingly rare. This basal bituminous shale is harder than the 

suceeeding greenish shale and is distinctly stratified. The greenish shale higher 

in the formation is homogeneous and massive and shows usually but slight 

indication of lamination, particularly on weathering. 

A preliminary study of the fossils occurring in the dark basal shale shows 

the following forms: 

Fossils of the lower_ part of the Sylvan shale. 

Diplograptus sp. undetermined. 

Climacograptns sp. near typicalis. 

Leptograptus sp . ....-undetermined. 

Lingula; short, obtuse form. 

Lingulops? sp. nov. (J?latform obsolete). 

Leptobolus sp. near insignis. 

Leptobolus? sp. nov. (has six strong radiating 

plications). 

Conularia sp. nov., with surface sculpture very 

similar to that of the Trenton C. papillata Hall. 

Conodonts of forms resembling those referred by 

Hinde to Prioniodus and Polygnathus. 

The fauna of the Sylvan shale as far as known is generally remarkably 

similar to that of the Utica. The specific differences, however, are such as to 

distinguish them~ yet a study of the fossils ·convinces one that the fauna of the _ 

Sylvan is a direct dev~lopment from the much older fauna of the Utica shale 

and not of the intervening faunas of the Cincinnati group. From this evidence 

it ··would seem that the position of the Sylvan shale in the time scale is problem-
SILURO-DEVONIA-N ROCKS OF THE ARBUCKLE MOUN'TAINS. 29 

atical. The highest known fauna of the Ordovician, that of the Richmond group, 

occurs at the top of the Viola limestone, beneath the Sylvan shale, and the Clinton 

occurs immediately above the Sylvan, in .the base of the Hunton limestone. According to the present classification, therefore, the Sylvan shale should be correlated 

with the Medina, and the line separating the Ordovieian and Silurian in the Arbuckle 

Mountains should be placed between the. Viola limestone and the Sylvan shale. 

SILURO-DEVONIAN ROCKS. 

Hunton limestone.-The green clay s/hales of the Sylvan are succeeded 

abruptly by hard, white to light-blue limestone of the Hunton formation. 

Usually the contact rock at the base of the Hunton is a massive bed of oolitic 

limestone. Locally hard bluish limestone beds are found at the base, with rarely 

a thin layer of breeciated limestone or limestone conglomerate in conta t with 

Sylvan shale. At the eastern end of the Arbuckle uplift the thickness of the 

Hunton limestone is estimated to be about 160 feet. It increases gradually 

westward on the northern side of the uplift, until it reaches nearly 200 feet in 

the' vicinity of Franks, where it is concealed by ·overlap of Coal Measures conglomerates. On the southern side of the uplift, east of Washita River, the 

formation thins out and is absent for a distance of about 10 miles. Where 

it is thinnest the beds are more or less siliceous. Farther west, beyond 

Washita River, the formation incFeases until it is nearly 300 feet thick on the 

southern side of the Arbuckle Mountains where it passes beneath the ''Red 

Beds" conglomerate, northwest of \Voodford. On the northern side of the 

Arbuckle Mountains south of Washita River it is about 170 feet thick: 

The Hunton formation is composed of hard, thick crystalline limestones, thin · 

earthy limestone, and marls. It may be separated into three fairly distinct 

members according to lithologic characteristics, and to a less extent according to 

color. Except where the formation is very thin, as on the southern side of the 

uplift east of Washita River, t~e three member~ can always be distinguished. 

An average section of the formation on the south side of the Arbuckle Mountains 

west of Washita River is approximately as follows: 

Section of Hunton limestone. 

UPPER )iE~IBER. 

Feet. 

Semicrystalline limestones, in places cherty, interstratified with oecasionaJ thin marly 

layers .......................................................... _ .................... _.. 30 

2\IIDDLE MEMBER. 

Marly limestones and calcareous clays, with some hard limestone layers, more abundant in 

the lower part .••••.•............. . . __ . . ... ___ ........... . ................ _ ........... 170-190 
30 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

LOWER MEMBER. 

Thick-bedded erystalline limestone succeeded by hard thin limestone with occasional marly 

layer;. At the base of this limestone is an oolite, 4 to 5 feet thick, which locally is 

Feet. 

silicified .. _ . _· __ .. ___ .. _ . _ . ____ .......... _ . __ .................. _ . _ ...... ---... --... -.. --. 35-40 

The upper member contains locally, at the top, beds of crystalline and very 

cherty and flinty limestone. vVhile the thickness of the formation becomes greater 

westward, that of the individual members does not increase in the same proportion, as the greatest variation in thickness of the formation is due to the middle 

member. West of \Vashita River the upper member has a thickness of 10 feet 

on the northern side of the Arbuckle Mountains and 30 feet on the southern side . 

. East of the same river it increases northward from a thin bed on the southern 

side to 35 feet on the northern side of the uplift near Franks. 

The lithologic differences by which the members are distinguished are accompanied by faunal changes which afford a basis for age distinctions. The more 

massive crystapine beds in the lower part of the basal member, ranging in thickness from a thin bed to 25 feet· or more, contain the following forms, which are 

distinctly Clinton. The four Bryozoa and the Triplecia ortoni are characteristic 

of the Clinton limestone of Ohio, and their horizon occurs in the St. Clair limestone of northern Arkansas. 

Fossils of the lower member of the I-Iunton formation. 

Favosites favosus Goldfuss. 

Rhinopora verrucosa Hall. 

Phrenopora magna Hall and .,Vhitfield. 

Pachydictya bifurcata (Van Cleve) Hall. 

Hemitrypa ulrichi Foerste. 

Orthis flabellites Hall, var. 

Tri plecia ortoni Meek. 

Atrypa marginalis Dalman. 

The hard thin limestone beds m the upper part of the basal member contain 

the fossils listed below, which indicate Niagara age. 

Fossils of the 'upper layers of the lower member of the Hunton formation. 

Thecia swinderiana Roemer. 

Orthothetes subplanus Hall. 

Atrypa reticularis var. 

Platyceras niagarense Hall. 

Strophostylus cyclostomus? H~ll. 

Orthoceras sp. undetermined; very slender. 

Calymene niagarensis Hall. 

The middle member of the Hunton limestone as a whole' is abundantly 

fossiliferous, the Oarnarocrinus horizon especially, near the middle of the member, 

being remarkably persistent. The fossils listed below are some of the easily 

recognizable forms: 
DEVONIAN ROOKS OF THE ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS. 

Fossils of the m'iddle member of the Hunton formation. 

Streptelasma waynense Safford. 

Favosites conicus Hall. 

Camarocrinus ulrichi Schuchet. 

Camarocrinus stellatus Hall. 

" Orthostrophia strophomenoides Hall. 

Dalmanella subcarinata Hall. 

Rhipidomella oblata Hall. 

Bilobites varicus Hall. 

Strophonella punctulifera Hall. 

Strophodonta varistriata. 

Uncinulus nucleolatus Hall. 

Delthyris perlamellosus Hall. 

Spirifer cyclopterus Hall. 

Anastrophia verneuili Hall. 

Gypidula galeata Dalman. 

Rensselaeria aequiradiata Conrad. 

Rhynchospira formosa Hall. 

Meristella arc,uata Hall. 

Megambonia lata Hall. 

Orthoceras rude Hall. 

Dalmanites pleuroptyx Green. 

Phacops logani Hall. 

Phacops hudsonicus Hall. 

Proetus protuberans Hall. 

31 

With a list of species like the above there can be no question as to the 

Helderbergian age of this member of the_ Hunton formation. 

The uppermost member of the Hunton formation is probably lower Oriskany 

in age and equivalent to the Camden chert of Tennessee. The fossils secured 

from this member are not now at hand, so it must suffice for the present to say 

that they consist chiefly of Gasteropoda and large crinoid colurlms. According to 

the classification of the Paleozoic rocks at present in vogue, this member should 

be called Devonian, but it is so intimately united, both faunally and structurally, 

with the underlying Helderberg member, that, for this region at least, it would be 

doing a violence to the natural classification of the rocks to draw a line of systemic 

impQrtance between them. _According to a classification taking into account both 

the life history and structure of the strata, this divisional line should be drawn 

either between the flinty beds at the top of the Hunton limestone and the base of 

the black shale and chert of the overlying Woodford formation, or between the 

Niagara and Helderberg members. In the latter case the lower member only would 

be Silurian, and the two upper members Devonian. 

DEVONIAN ROCKS. 

Woodford chert.-Excepting the flinty Oriskany linwstone occurring locally at 

the top of the Hunton limestone and possibly the Helderberg member of the 

latter, Dev_onian rocks in the Arbuckle region are limited to ·a single formation 

of chert and black , shale, known as the "\V oodford chert. While this ehert is 

apparently conformable with the limestone below in any single locality, it appears 

that this is not true in a broad sense. The Oriskany beds at the top of the 

Hunton limestone, eonsisting of several feet of cherty limestones, are present 

in one place but do not oecur in another.' In the northeastern part of the uplift, 

notably near Franks, cherty limestones are present at the top of the Hunton. 

Near the western .end of the l!plift, on the southern side of the Washita Valley., 

• 
• 

32 GEOLOGY Ofi' THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

this upper member of hard limestone is absent and the thickness of the entire 

formation is reduced to a little over 100 feet. In all places there is an 3.brupt 

change in sedimentation from the top of the Hunton limestone to the chert or 

shale of the Vv oodford formation. 

The \"v oodford chert has an estimated average thickness of 650 feet. It varies 

somewhat in lithologic character. In places massive chert rests upon the limestone; in other places black shale occurs at the base of the formation. As a 

rule, however, the formation becomes less cherty from the base upward. It is · 

usually even bedde~, occurring in layers !rom a few inches thick to thin laminre. 

In places, especially in the northeast side of the uplift, the formation is compose~ 

almost entirely of thin, fissile, siliceous and distinctly bituminous black shale. In 

this part of the region, a few miles west of Hunton, lentils of almost pure flints 

were noted interstratified with the black bhale near the base. In the western 

part of the region bluish shales were seen interstratified with the black shale in 

the upper part of the formation. At various positions _in the section, especially 

in the more cherty beds, are small, rounded, marble-like concretions of a calcareous nature. In. places there are large segregations of a similar character, 

concentrically banded, which oceur interseeting several layers of eherty shale. 

The Woodford chert is present throughout the Arbuckle region wherever its 

horizon reaches the surface. In the southern part of the uplift massive beds of 

Syeamore limestone 6ceur above it, and the equally prominent Hunton limestone 

beneath it, and since these roeks are steeply tilted the Woodford ehert crops in 

gullied valleys and rough hilly land bet~een the prominent ridges of limestone. 

Elsewhere it oeeurs as gullied slopes and rough woodland bordering Hunton 

limestone ridges. 

Fossils are very rare in the Woodford .ehert, and those found are not well 

preserved. In the lower part of the formation in the western part of the region 

a small Lingttla of the type L. 8patulata Hall and a few eonodonts have been 

observed. In the shales -of the upper part the only reeognizable fossils seen are 

two eoneentrieally plicated speeies of Prodtwtella, one of whieh seems referable 

to P. concentrica Hall. Fragments of fossil wood were found on the surfaee in 

many plaees, but with one exeeption it could not be determined whether they 

belonged with the. ehert or with the Cretaceous beds whlch are considered to 

have extended over the region. In one instance, however, in the southern side 

of the uplift northw~st of . Norton, a ti~ee trunk approximately 15 inehes ln 

diameter was found embedded in the ehert in the lower part of the formation. 

The ehert here is steeply upturned and the fossil tree rests parallel to the bed- , . . 

ding. Thin seetions of the wood have been studie~ microscopieally by Mr. David 

White, of the United States Geologieal Survey, and determined to belong to a 

. speeies of Dadoxylon~ a form eommon to the Devonian. 

,( 
C.A. RBONIFEROUS ROCKS OF THE ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS. 03 

This formation is believed to be of the age of the Chattanooga formation of 

Tennessee, the Ohio shale of Ohio, and 'the Portage and Chemung of New York. 

At the top it doubtless includes strata corresponding in age with the Noel shale 

of northern Arkansas and the basal shale of the Tullahoma formation of Tennessee, which are believed to be of Kinderhook age, or, according to the present 

classification, earliest Carboniferous. 

At present it is not possible to determine the exact parting between the 

Devonian and Carboniferous, since there is no clear stratigraphic distinction in 

, the shales~ and fossils are rare. 

CARBONIFEROUS ROCKS. 

MISSISSIPPIAN SEDIMENTS. 

Sedimentation continued through lower Carboniferous time without apparent 

cessation. With the exception of a limestone -lentil occurring near the base on 

the southern side of the Arbuckle uplift. the whole section of Mississippian rocks, 

approximately 1,600 _feet thick, consists of black and blue clay shales. The black 

shales contain argillo-calcareous ar.d limestone concretions and segregations, and 

the blue shale carries small ironstone concretions, occasional local sandstone strata, 

and small lime septaria. 

Sycamore lim,estone.-The limestone outcrops very near the base of the Carboniferous throughout the southern side of the uplift. It occurs also on the northern 

side of the main Arbuckle ]\fountain and extends eastward into the central 

part of the uplift almost to the granite. It is mapped and described in the 

Tishomingo folio under the name Sycamore limestone. This rock is a lightbluish to yellow and probably argillaceous massive limestone. Upon weathering 

it separates into thin beds, a foot and less in thickness, and changes to shades of 

yellow. Near the extreme western end of the A.rbuckle Mountains it has a thickness of nearly 200 feet. Near Washita River in the central part of the Arbuckle 

uplift the limestone has a thickness of about 50 feet, but it thins out eastward 

near the granite in the northeast corner of T. 2 S., R. 3 E. Elsewhere in the 

uplift, toward the northeast, it is absent or represented by local thin siliceous 

limestone strata at the top of the Devonian chert. No fossils have been found in 

this limestone. 

Caney shale.-The remaining Mississippian strata above the limestone are 

mapped as the Caney shale in the Atoka and Tishomingo folios. This forma:tion 

consists in the basal part of black bituminous clay shale containing limestone and 

argillo-caleareous segregations. This black shale grades upward into bluish shale 

containing small clay ironstone concretions and occasional lime septaria. The 

7800-No. 31-04-3 
34 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

whole formation is estimated to be about 1,600 feet thick. The limy concretions 

and segregations in th,e black shale in the lower part of the Caney formation 

contain a number of fossil shells. The fossils of the Caney shale were collected . 

and studied by Dr. G. H. Girty, who concludes that the fauna is peculiar and 

that many of its species are new. Associated with a species of Leiorynchus resembling L. q,uadricostat1trn, and a small undetermined Posidonmnya, which at certain 

horizons is extremely abundant, are found Productus hirsutiformis, Seminula sp., 

and a number of Goniatites, related to G. subcircularis, G. crenist1·ia, G. striatus, 

and Gastrioceras kingi. The age of this fauna can probably safely be placed as 

post-Devonian, and evidence thus far obtained is favorable to correlating it with 

the upper portion of the Mississippian series. 

l;'.ENNSYLVANIAN SEDIMENTS. 

Franlt"-8 eonglomerate.-At the close of the Mississippian epoch the Arbuckle 

region, especially the western part, was uplifted into land and remained so during 

a large part of Pennsylvanian time. In the western part of the uplift the 

sediments from the top of the Mississippian well down into the Ordovician, and 

probably to the Cambrian, were subject to erosion, and lower Carboniferous limestone conglomerates derived from them were spread across their worn edges. The 

westward exten~Sion of these older rocks, now concealed unconformably by the 

lower Cariboniferous and ,"'Red Beds" (Permian) conglomerate, most probably 

formed the larger part of the uplift, since the lower conglomerate especially 

increa~Ses both in volume and in coarseness westward. The Carboniferous conglomerate varies greatly in thickness as well as in coarseness of materials. In the 

western part of the region the conglomerate with associated shale and sandstone 

is many hundred feet thick. On the northern side of the uplift it decreases 

in thickness eastward, and changes from complete unconformity upon the edges 

of the Mississippian, Devonian, Silurian, . and Ordovician strata to apparent 

conformity above the Caney (Mississippian) shale. In the Tishomingo folio this 

conglomerate is mapped in detail and described as the Franks conglomerate. 

Wapanucka limestone.-From the vicinity of Franks southeastward the Franks 

conglomerate rapidly decrea~es in thickness and coarseness, giving place to limestones, sandstones, and shales. At the northwest corner of the Atoka quadrangle, 

north of Hunton, is a thin oolitic limestone which is believed to represent the 

Franks conglomerate, in part at least. This limestone has been mapped here 

and farther east, and is · described as the Wapanucka limestone in the Atoka 

folio. It is the lowest Pennsylvanian sediment known in Indian Territory. This 

limestone continues eastward beyond the limits of the Arbuckle uplift, increasing in thickness to nearly 400 feet in the central part of the Choctaw Nation. 
CARBONIFEROUS ROCKS OJ!' THE .ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS. 35 

Still farther eastward it decreases aud comes to an end near the Arkansas-Indian 

Territory line north of the Ouachita Mountain range. 

Sandstone, shale, and coal.-Above the Wapanucka limestone and the Franks 

conglomerate, northward from the eastern part of the Arbuckle uplift, known 

Pennsylvanian sediments aggregate a thickness of 10,000 to 11,000 feet. The 

rocks of this section, comprising many formations of the sandsto-r:es and shales, 

have been mapped in -detail and described in the Coalgate and Atoka folios. 

The lowest coal-bearing rocks occur approximately 3,000 feet above the Wapanucka limestone, and outcrop in the extreme southeast end of the Choctaw 

coal field, against the east end of the Arbuckle uplift. These rocks consist 

entirely of sandstones, shales, and coal. The coal-bearing strata comprise approximately 3,000 feet of sandstone and shale, with eight to ten workable beds of coal, 

besides many 'thin coal seams. These rocks outcrop across the Choctaw Nation 

and northward to Kansas. Continuing westward these Coal Measures rocks, 

especially in the lower part, are overlapped unconformably and conce~led by the 

later "Red Beds" of the late Pennsylvanian and Permian. In the ~arne direction the coal seams become thinner and decrease in number, so that no coal of 

importance is knDwn west of the vicinity of Stonewall, north of the central part 

of the Arbuckle uplift. 

The Pennsylvanian deposits south of the Arbuckle Mountains differ considerably from those north and east of the uplift. They occur only south of the 

Arbuckle Mountains proper, being concealed by overlap of the Cretaceous Tocks on 

the east and south, and of the "Red Beds" on the west. They consist of shales, 

sandstones, thin limestones, and limestone conglomerate. Unlike the rocks of the 

same age north of the Arbuckle region, the thick deposits of limestone conglomerate do not occur at the base, but are found at various positions in the section 

up to the coal-bearing strata in the vicinity of Ardmore. These l~mestone-conglomerate beds are relatively . tb~n and appear as lentils interbedded with shale 

and limestone. Coarse conglom~rate deposits occur in contact with the older 

rocks in the north side of the Criner Hills southwest of Ardmore. On account 

of the excessive folding the thickness of the Pennsylvanian sediments in this 

· district can not now be estimated. 

PERMIAN? 

"Red Beds."-Rocks of very late Pennsylvanian or ef,tr]y Permian age have 

been deposited across the western end of the Arbuckle uplift. The unconformity 

of these sediments with the lowe~· rocks in the western ' part of the uplift bas 

been discussed under the heading ''Physiography." They lie in a nearly flat 

position across the eroded edges of several thousand feet of the Pennsylvanian, 

all of the Mississippian, Devonian, Silurian, and a large part of the Ordovician 
36 GEOIJOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINR. 

rocks. These older formations were · sharply folded and eroded prior to the 

deposition of the " Red Beds." 

Near the base the "'Red Beds" deposits consist of local limestone conglomerate 

composed of well-worn limestone pebbles in a calcareous and usually red clay 

matrix, red and bluish clays, grit, and sand. The limestone conglomerate occurs 

only above and in the vicinity of the Silurian and Ordovician limestones and 

Carboniferous limestone conglomerates from which its limestone pebbles were 

derived. Westward, away from the source of the deposits, the limestone 

conglomerate changes gradually to a bed of massive, tough argillace_ous limestone. 

In the vicinity of the outcrop of the Devonian chert a large part of the basal 

deposits of the "Red Beds" consists of fragmental chert, sand, and clay. Above 

the Carboniferous strata of sandstone and shale the basal deposits are compo:;ed 

·of gritty sandstone, sand, and bluish and red clay. 

These "Red :Beds" deposits are exposed on the plain from the Arbuckle 

Mountain8 westward to and around the V\7 ichita Mountains, and are described more 

:fully in the discussion of the geology of the Wichita Mountains (pp. 72-76). 

CRETACEOUS ROCKS. 

The relations of the Cretaceo'us sediments to the older rocks of the Arbuckle 

region have been explained under the heading ""Physiography of the Arbuckle 

Mountains" (pp. 13-16). The Cretaceous rocks rest upon a nearly flat floor, slightly 

inelined southward from the Houthern edge of the Arbuckle region. The basal 

formation of the Cretaceous is known as the Trinity. It has a thickness approximating 240 feet and consists of sand with. local conglomerate at the bottom. The 

Trinity ·sand is followed by a nearly pure limestone formation, 20 to 30 feet in 

thickness, known as the Goodland limestone. Succeeding the purer limestone there 

are blue clay marls, whit~ limestones and marls, ferruginous clays with thin shell I 

limestones, and ' finally a thin fossiliferous limestone at the top of the lower 

Cretaceous, These formations, known as the Kiamitia clay, Caddo limestone, 

Bokchito formationr, and Bennington limestone, respectively, aggregate nearly 

840 feet in thickness. Each is conformable with its contact formations, and all 

dip toward the south-southeast at a grade approximating 40 feet to the mile. At 

the close of the lower Cretaceous the sediments were lifted above the sea, but 

not folded. Slight erosion was followed by depression and the deposition of 

the extensive ferruginous sand and clay which constitute the basal formation of 

the upper Cretaceous. This basal formation of the upper Cretaceous is known 

as the Silo sandstone, and is in part at least of Dakota age. These Cretaceous 

formations have been earefully mapped and are described in detail in the Atoka 

and Tishomingo folios. South of Red · River above the Silo sandstone is a thick 

:formation composed of blue clay shales. These are succeeded by white, chalky 
GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS. 37 

limestones, and these in turn by blue marls, which extend to the top ~f the upper 

Cretaceous in southeastern Choctaw Nation and northeastern Texas, beyond the 

limit of the area shown on the accompanying map (Pl. I). 

STRUCTURE OF THE ARBUCKLE MOUN'J_"IAINS. 

In discussing the physiography of the region it was necessary to make brief 

mention of the orogenic movements involved in the Arbuckle uplift. The hi~tory 

of the geologic structure will be described more fully in the following pages. 

In discussing the stratigraphy it has been shown that the formations remained 

in an approximately flat position from the earliest Camb1:ian to the end of Mississippian time. That there were osc!llations of the ocean bed, and probably elevations of the sediments into lowlands at times, is shown by the varying nature of 

the rocks. A study of the fossils by Mr. Ulrich has shown without much doubt 

that comparatively short intervals of nondeposition and probably of slight erosion 

have occurred. The first change in sedimentation, and probably slight erosion, 

occurred between lower and middle Cambrian time, when argillaceous limestones, 

intraformational conglomerates, and clays were succeeded by massive limestone. 

Another change occurred at the end of the Arbuckle limestone deposition, as there 

is an abrupt transition from Arbuckle limestone to t~e basal 1'3andstone of the 

Simpson formation, which is of Chazy age. Other breaks occurred at the close of 

the Simpson formation, where there is a change from siliceous to purer limestone 

sediments; at the top of the Viola formation, where there is an abrupt change 

from limestones to clays; and at the close or the Sylvan, where there is an equally 

abrupt return to. limestone of the Hunton formation, which was introduced locally 

by deposits of conglomerate. The rock bedding, however, remained practically 

parallel, and the sediments, with the exceptions noted, are finely divided an~ evenly 

distributed, showing that the oscillations of the sea bottom were of . broad extent 

and that if erosion occurred it was in very low and flat land. It is neither impossible nor improbable that a break in the fauna accompanied by a change in sedimentation may be due to marine conditions, a prominent part being performed 

by ocean currents. A belt of shallow sea bottom swept by an ocean cur~ent, it 

is considered, would receive neither the fauna ·nor the sediments being deposited 

in a dis~rict of more quiet waters. __; 

Near t~e beginning of the Pennsylvanian or near the close of the _ _Mississippian, the rocks of the Arbuckle region were folded and the western part 

was elevated into land, probably into mountains. The formations involved in 

this uplift are 8,000 to 10,000 feet in thickness, and are composed chiefly of 

massive limestone. Faulting on a large scale also occurred, involving the whole 

Paleozoic section below the top of the Mississippian, besides the pre-Cambrian 

granite and porphyry. After the elevation into land there was exte~sive erosion .. 
I 

38 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

which exposed the rock section down to the Cambrian in the western part of 

the Arbuckle Mountains. Either by erosion or by erosion and subsidence combined the western part at least of the uplift was submerged and large deposits 

of Carboniferous conglomerate were spread across the edges of the older faulted 

and folded strata. At a still later time, before the close of the Carboniferous, 

the sediinents were again folded and elevated into land. This folding affected 

the recently formed conglomerates as well as all the rock previously deposited. 

Faulting occurred also aft~r the deposition of the conglomerate. N e~r the 

close of Carboniferous time another ,period of subsidence occurred and the '' Red 

Beds" sea encroached upon the region from the wel::lt. The extent of this encroachment eastward is not now determinable beyond the vicinity of the present 

occurrence of the deposits. These deposits have not suffered deformation to any 

appreciable extent. At a later period, between Permian and earliest Cretaceous 

times, the whole region was elevated into land. Following this regional elevation 

there was depression and a reduction of the surface to a rel!Ltively flat plain. 

Then followed a submergence and the deposition of the Cretaceous sediments. 

After Cretaceous time the region was broadly uplifted into land, without deformation, and has so remained to the present time. 

The deformation of the rocks now exposed in the Arbuckle region commenced 

near the beginning of upper Carboniferous time and ended before its close. 

CHARACTER OF FOLDING AND FAULTING. 

The Arbuckle uplift includes a number of low, wide anticlines and corrugated 

faulted synclines, which together make a broad geanticline, the borders of which 

are flexed steeply downward. As explained in ~ discussing the stratigraphy, 

erosion has removed the rocks down to the heart of the uplift, exposing all the 

sedimentary rocks as well as the pre-Cambrian granite and porphyry. In the 

faulted synclinal folds in the central part of the uplift, which have depressed and 

preserved later softer and thinner formations, there are indications of more 

complicated folding than occurs in the massive Cambro-Ordovician limestones. 

The geologic sections accompanying the map (Pl. I) show the broad as well 

as the detailed structure of the Arbuckle uplift. The eentral part of the uplift 

east of Washita River is composed of several broad, shallow folds. In the axial 

parts of the anticlines great thicknesses of massive Cambro-Ordovician limestones 

are exposed and are generally but slightly flexed. The thinner and softer Silurian, Devonian, and Carboniferous rocks in the intervening ~ynclines have been 

crumpled into many small folds. These synclines are broken, in general longitudinally, by many faults. Since the faulting erosion has so removed the strata I 

that only parts of these numerous small folds in the broader ·synclines are now 
STRUCTURE OF THE ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINel. 39 

preserved. . The essential features of the folding and, faulting will he describe<I, 

beginning with the north side. 

Hunton anticline.-On the northern side of the Arbuckle uplift, beginning 

in the vicinity of Hunton and extending northwestward, the rocks have been 

bent into a broad and low upward fold, which is sharply flexed and faulted on 

the northern side and faulted throughout the southern side. In its western part 

it is 15 miles in breadth and extends over almost half the width of the Arbuckle 

Mountain district. Eastward the fold grows gradually narrower for 20 miles, 

!Vhere it is contracted more abruptly by the axial pitch of the rocks and by the 

oblique faulting. The faulting upon the northern side of this fold is local, the 

fractures bearing generally east and ·west at various angles to the axial trend of 

the main anticline, but in most cases across or oblique to the strike of the formations. The longe~:-~t of these faults, however, follows the strike of the beds in 

the northwest side of the fold. The displacement of the beds due to this fault 

decreases northwestward. Near the southeastern end the whole of the Simpson 

formation is displaced, · bringing the succeeding Viola limestone against the 

Arbuckle. Some of these local faults extend from the thick Ordovician limestones, 

across Silurian and Devonian strata, into the Carboniferous shales, arid the rocks 

upon the north are generally depressed with respect to those upon the south in 

the direction of the dip of the strata. In T. 2 N., R. 6 E., near the extreme 

northern limit of the uplift, there is a triangular basin of Carboniferous lim~­

stone conglomerate resting unconformably across older Paleozoic rocks. The beds 

are steeply upturned upon the northwestern and southwestern sides, and faulting 

has occurred at the contact of the · conglomerate with older rocks, so that the 

rocks are depressed by faulting as well as by folding. The faulting upon the 

southern side is more exte1nsive, with downthrow toward the south. The rocks on 

the southern side of the Hunton anticline are inclined at low angles except 

locally near the faults, where the dips are usually increased. In the axial part, 

and near the western ~nd of the anticline, where it is overlapped and concealed 

by later Carboniferous strata, there are local shallow basins, and at the extreme 

western end a local basin containing rocks of the Simpson formation has been 

faulted down as a triangular block in the Arbuckle limestone. For the most 

part the faults bordering this depressed block bear east and west, with displacements toward the south. A single fault bearing northeast intersects the . faults 

in the axial trend . and displaces the rocks downward toward the west. 

Wapanucka syncline.-A flat and eastward-pitching syncline occurs immediately 

south of the Hunton anticline. In the broad, flat valley of Wapanucka · Creek, 

from which it .has received its name, its axial part is occupied by Mississippian 

shale. This fold becomes broader and flatter eastward, until it is lost in the Coal 
40 GEOLOGY OF 'l'HE .ARBUCKLE .AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

Measures northeast of the Arbuckle uplift. Toward the west it contracts by 

faulting upon each side until it practically ceases as a fold in the northern part 

of T. 2 S., R. 7 E. Parts of the syncline may be said to occur along the fault 

which extends through the uplift on the south side of the Hunton anticline. The 

south limb of the vVapanucka syncline is intersected by many faults, which have 

strikes varying from transverse to directions parallel, with the trend of the folding. 

A striking characteristic of the faulting is that the older and harder rocks, 

including the granite, are displaced to a greater· extent than the soft Carboniferous 

shales. On the southern side of the Wapanucka syncline the faults are mor~ 

numerous than on the northern side, and with the exception of a local transverse 

fault west of Wapanucka the depression of the strata due to faulting is in all cases 

toward the axial part of the syncline. 

Excluding the transverse fault referred to, the faults may be considered in two 

classes, viz, those which bear nearly east and west, and those which trend in 

northwest-southeast directions, more nearly with the strike of the rocks. These 

two classes of faults, however, coalesce, and by their junction augment the displacement of the strata. Many of the larger faults have vertical displacements of 

·several thousand feet, and, where two such approach, the throw is doubly great. 

Two nearly parallel faults approach each other south of Wapanucka, and their 

combined throw brings Devonian shales almost in contact with the . granite, 

concealing 8,000 feet of Cambrian, Ordovician, and Silurian strata. 

The faulting in the northern side of the syncline bears nearly N. 70° E., 

intersecting · the older rocks almost at right angles to their strike, and the rocks 

in all cases are depressed south ward toward the axis of . the syncline. The" 

displacement due to faulting in the northern limb of the Wapanucka syncline is 

less than that on the southern side, and as a consequence the resultant throw 

west of their junction is downward toward the north, along the axial trend of 

the fold. 

Belton anticline.-The elongated granite area which extends from the southeast end of the Arbuckle uplift northwestward beyond Belton occupies the axial 

part of a poorly defined anticlinal· fold. Both sides of this fold have been faulted 

in such manner that the rocks represented in it occupy only the axial part. The 

stratified rocks now in this fold above the gr~pite consist of massive Cambrian 

and Ordovician limestones which are folded only to a moderate degree and 

which strike toward the fault at various angles. Near the faults on either side 

~f the fold the beds are usually more steeply inelined toward the fault or locally 

folded. In places, however, only a slight increase in dip is all the disturbance 

to be noted on account of the fault. The contacts between the granite and limestones, with the exception possibly of that at the west end, are marked by faults, 

and on both northern awl southern sides the stratified rocks are depressed 
· STRUCTURE OF THE ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS. 41 

with respect to the igneous mass, and the dip near the fault is usually toward 

the down throw. The faults ma~king the limits between the granite and the 

limestone at the east end of the a::ticline extend westward and bound the long 

block of Arbuckle lhnestone which ·constitutes the axial part of the fold. The -

rocks upon each side of this faulted anticlinal bloc~ have been depressed with 

respect to the rocks within. The Belton anticline is concealed by Cretaceous 

deposits toward the southeast and by Carboniferous conglomerates toward the 

northwest. 

Mill Creek syncline.-The district of most intricate folding and faulting in 

the Arbuckle region is ' a narrow strip of country immediately south of the 

Belton anticline in the central part of the Arbuckle uplift. The belt varies from 

one-half mile to 3t miles in width and is as a whole synclinal. , The town of 

Mill Creek, for which the syncline is named, is located near its center. The 

syncline consists of parts of many subordinate folds, bearing . generally northwest 

and southeast, in the trend of -the Arbuckle uplift, and is bounded upon each 

side by well-defined faults. These bounding faults, as well as most of those in 

_the interior of the syncline, trend generally parallel with th~ main folding of the 

uplift. In no case, however. do the faults follow straight lines for any considerable distance. While the fault lines take the general direction of the major 

folding, the beds usually strike against them on one side or the other, and in 

places on both sides, at angles between 30° and 90° . 

The rocks occurring at the surface and involved in the folding and faulting 

include the entire section from the Cambrian to the Coal 'Measures and have a 

thickness approximating 10,000 feet. The rocks exposed in the smaller folds are 

for the most part the thinner and softer formations of the Silurian, Devonian, 

and Carboniferous. It is probable that these folds in the higher rocks are minor 

crumplings which were developed in the axial part of the syncline, above the 

btoader trough of the thick and hard deep-seated limestone, before the faulting 

occurred. These massive limestones exposed in the eastern part of the fold are 

for the most part gently inclined, approaching the faults upon each side at wide 

angles. The faulting, especially in ea.ch side of ~he fold, is very extensive, and 

in places brings the Carboniferous rocks in contact with the Ordovician and the 

upper Ordovician strata against the granite, showing displacements of several 

thousand feet. 

For the most part the folding and faulting occurred before the deposition of 

the Carboniferous conglomeyate which extends across the western end of the fold. 

Certain faults in the vicinity of Mill Creek and near Buckhorn, however, occurred 

since the deposition of the conglomerate, which is involved in the disturbances . 

. Parts of folds in Cambrian and Ordovician ·limestone occur faulted against . 

tho g1·anite at the ·extreme southeastern· end of the uplift. So large an area is 

/ 
42 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE .AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS •. 

overlapped and concealed by Cretaceous strata that the relations of these parts 

of folds to other structures can not be determined. Parts of two fiat irregular . 

synclines are represented and the faulting appears to follow their axial trends. 

Near the east end of the limestone exposures the 5,000 to 6,000 feet of Arbuckle 

limestone is cut at right angles to the bedding and brought against the granite. 

Tishomingo anticline.-South of the Mill Creek syncline and forming the ~outhern 

part of the Arbuckle Mountain region is a broad, fiat fold called the Tishomingo 

anticline. The large granite area lying northwest o£ Tishomingo occupies the 

axial part of this anticline. Above the granite and upon its western side the 

whole section from lower Cambrian to Carboniferous is exposed, pitching westward at an angle of about 10°. The northern limb of this anticline is. for the 

most palrt displaced and concealed by faulting. A large part of the southern 

limb of the fold is also concealed by faulting from the vicinity of Wyatt eastward. Bordering the granite on the south side, this fault cuts the whole section 

of stratified rocks from Cambrian to Carboniferous, and displaces them in such 

manner that the formations rest consecutively against the granite. North of this 

fault, which extends along the strike of the rocks from the granite westward to 

Washita River, the rocks dip generally at low angles toward the west and 

southwest. On the southern side the rocks strike approximately with the trend 

of the fault and dip steeply toward the southwest. Northeast of Dougherty the 

Tisnomingo anticline contracts and separates into two minor folds, the northernmost of which pitches rapidly downward toward the northwest and is lost 

beneath late Carboniferous conglomerate which overlaps older sediments. The 

second fold is the western extension of the central part of the anticline. The 

rocks in the axial part pitch northwestward at an angle of about 20° east of 

Dougherty, and rise again at about the same angle northwest of the same place. 

This fold continues northwestward, expanding slightly, until it also is concealed by 

late Carboniferous and recent river deposits. 

Two to 5 miles northwest of. Dougherty, and south of the western contracted 

end of the Tishomingo anticline, is a peculiar dome-like anticline less than a mile 

in width, with north-south axis. The occurrence of this local fold deflects the 

Tishomingo anticline slightly northward. On the northwestern and southeastern 

sides of this dome-like anticline there are small synclines, and their sharp north 

ends rise in the south side of the Tishomingo anticline. The southern part of 

this dome-like anticline is cqncealed by the sand and silt deposits in the valley of 

Washita River. 

Washita syncline.-Just south of the Tishomingo anticline, near the point 

where Mill Creek crosses the large £ault, is a faulted southern limb of a syncline. 

It is also a part of the northern limb of a narrow anticline which trends toward 

the northwest and approaches and is cut by the fault east of the center ·of T. 5 
. STRU~TURE OF THE , ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS. 43 

S., R. 4 E. This broken anticline is probably a part of the A:rbuckle anticline 

described below. A local narrow synclinal fold occurs on the northern side of 

the same fault in sec. 2, T. 3 S., R. 3 E., and its .southern limb is faulted 

downward and concealed. Th~se two parts of synclines are similarly related to 

the Tishomingo anticline and trend in the same direction, but the fault conceals 

their true relations. The second small syncline rises toward the west and then· 

descends nea;r the· western side of .. T. 2 S., R. 3 E., becoming a part of the deep 

Washita syncline, which lies beneath the valley of Washita River northwest of 

the ·gorge in the Arbuckle Mountains. 

The southern limb of the \V ash ita syncline is steeply upturned. The beds 

exposed south of the river valley dip toward the northeast at angles varying 

between 40° and 70°. In the northeastern side of the fold, east of the dome-like 

anticline described in connection with the Tishomingo anticline, the rocks are 

inclined toward the southwest at. angles of about 30° "' Northwest of the domelike fold the dips are steeper. It is believed that the southern extension · of the 

dome-like anticline does not pass beyond the axis of. the syncline, since the 

exposed rocks in the southern limb show no indication of ,transverse stresses. 

The sand and -silt deposits of Washita River conceal the axial part of the fold, 

which contains a thick section of Carboniferous shale. The northwestward extension 

and probably a large part of the Washita syncline is covered by overlap of late 

. Carboniferous conglomerate, which conceals the westward extension of all the 

large folds of the Arbuckle uplift. 

Arbuckle anticline.-South and west of Washita River is a broad 2.nd steepsided anticline which is occupied by the, Arbuck}e Mount:1ins proper. The fold 

'converges practically to !1 point east of Wash ita River, and pitches steeply eastward 

between converging fauJts. Northwestward the fold expands u.ntil it reaches a 

width of l5 miles at the western end of the mountains, where the rocks involved 

in the folding are overlapped and conc~aled by Pennsylvanian and "Red BedR" 

conglomerate. Section AB on the map (Pl. I), drawn across the west end .of the 

fold, illustrates the character of the structure. 

The r~cks near the northern and southern borders dip at angles of 30° to 70°, 

while in the axial part of the fold, especially through the broader western portion, 

the inclination of the thick Cambro-O_rdovician rocks is usually inuch lower, 

though locally variable. In the eastern part,· near the 'Vashita River gorge, the 

folding has been more intense. Only the general features of the structure have 

been worked out and sllown on the accompanying small-scale map. 

In the axial part of the anticline, near the center and the western end, are 

two unsymmetrical dome-like structures in which pre-Cambrian igneous rocks are 

exposed. The rocks in the northeastern sides of these domes are more steeply 

inclined, ·besides being faulted. The more easterly of these elevations, known 
44 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

locally as the East Wooded Hills, is . the smaller, and is bounded on the northeast 

by a curved fault, giving the igneous area a rudely crescent-shaped outline. The 

massive Cam brian .limestone on the east . side dips away from the igneous mass 

in the direction of the downward displacemeut. 

The more westerly dome-like elevation of the strata in the Arbuckle antl-

. cline, known locally as the West Wooded Hills, is broken on the northern side 

by a number of faults which have approximately the same· direc.tion as the 

trend of . the fold, and on the southwestern side by a single fault near the 

western end. Four faults have been located on the northeastern side. The . two 

faults which border the granite are gently curved or fluted and · the Cambrian 

limestone is displaced downward toward the north. The vertical throw can not 

oe accurately estimated, but it is probably not less than 500 feet where the 

Reagan sandstone is concealed. The second two faults have caused greater displacement of the strata. They ~re near together, are nearly parallel, and converge at the western side of sec. 12, T. 1 S., R. 1 W. Between these faults a 

narrow ~edge of the Si~pson formation is thrown down between massive strata 

in the lower part of the Arbuckle Hmestone. A fault in the striKe and southeast of the depressed wedge of Simpson limestone cuts the southeastern lobe of 

the igneous mass, throwing the Cambrian limestone down on the southwestern 

side of a tongue of porphyry. It is presumed that this is the southwestward 

extension of the more northerly of the two faults above referred to. The fault 

pn the southwestern side of the West Wooded Hills has a more easterly bearing 

than those on the northeastern side. Toward the east it enters the granite and 

is lost to view. Toward the 'Yest it passes into the thick Cambro-Ordovician 

limestone and probably beneath the overlapping Carboniferous conglomerate. 

The bearing of this fault is oblique to the strike of the rocks, and the displacement of the strata is downward toward the south, concealing the Reagan sandstone. The ' beds on each side, especially those near the base of the section, 

strike against the fault at nigh angles. 

Local folding and faulting have occurred near the border of the Carboniferous conglomerate east of the West Wooded Hills. A strike fault in this district 

separates the Viola limestone from older formations on the west. It is evident 

that the displacement of the rocks on th~ northeast side is downward with respect 

to t~ose on the opposite side. Southeastward the fault passes beneath an area 

of Carboniferous limestone conglomerate, which was deposited on eroded edges 

of the Cam brian and Ordovician rocks after the folding ·and fau1ting in this district occurred. Farther toward the southeast and extending to Washita River it 

is believed that the same fault continues in the strike of the Simpson !ormation. 

Its exact location, howe veT, is difficult to determine. The displacement appears 
STRUCTURE OF THE ARBUCKLE MOfTNTAINS. 45 

to increase southeastward~ sinee the Simpson formation becomes gradually thinner · 

in this direction by the loss of lower beds~ until only a remnant of its thickness 

is present where its outcrop approaches V\1 ashita River. In the river valley the 

fault cuts across the Washita syncline, bringing successively Silurian, Dev·onian, 

and Carboniferous rocks i.n contact with the Cambro-Ordovician Arbuckle formation. East of \Vashita. River the throw decreases, and practically ceases near the 

southeast corner of sec. 29, T. 2 S., R. 3 E. From approximately the same 

place a fault already described extends through the south limb of the Tishomingo anticline. The displacement of the rocks of this fu.ult, however, is downward toward the south. 

A second fault occurs in the rocks north of the East Wooded Hills. It joins 

the first near the western side of sec. 24, T. 1 S., R. 1 E., and hears toward 

the west, with downthrow toward the south. Thus between the two faults there 

is an obtuse wedge of older rocks which has been elevated with respect to the 

formations that . ocGur on opposite sides of the faults. 

It has been explained that the Arbuckle anticline near the crossing of 

Washita River and beyond toward the southeast is much contracted and strongly 

folded and faulted on both sides. The faults on the northern side have been 

described. On the southern side the disturbances are more complex and are difficult 

to interpret. Two and possibl~y more faults cross Washita River nearly in the 

trend of the folding, and converge t~ward the southeast near the southern side 

of sec. 31, T. 2 S., R. 3 E. The resulting displacement, when they converge, is 

such that Carboniferous shales are thrown down on the south and brought in 

contact with Ordovician limestones. In sections 32 and 33 of this township 

the same shales are faulted against. Ordovician rocks, but on the northern side. 

A fault transects the fold obliquely tq its trend, bearing southeast from the 

no1:thern side, and approaches and seems to join the above-named converging faults 

near the southeast corner of section 32. Here it turns · eastward in the south 

side of the narrow pitching end of the Arbuckle anticline, dividing Carboniferous 

rocks lying on the north from Ordovician limestone on the south. 

Near the southern side of section 34 a narrow fragment of massive Arbuckle 

limestone a half mjle in length is apparently projected into the Mississippian 

shales. The limestones are steeply upturned and the shales in exposures near by 

are intimately crumpled and slic~ensided. An attempt at explanation of the 

forces which produced the disturbances of the rocks would not be satisfactory 

without further detailed work, but it appears that there have been movements 

of the strata along the fault planes in the trend of the folding anq that the 

long and narrow wedge of limestone referred to above ·has been thrust into the 

Carboniferous shales. 
46 GEOLOGY OF THE .ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

The rocks in the southern limb ·of the Arbuckle anticline have been 

crumpled to a small extent, apparently by forces acting in the direction of the 

trend of the fold. Local transverse folds occur in the strongly tilted southern 

limb of the anticline, and two of these are faulted. One instance was noted neaT 

Woodford and the other 6 miles east. The trend of the one is toward the northeast, while that of the other is toward the northwest. In each case the faults are 

traceable from the Carboniferous shales on the south into the thick Ordovician 

limestones on the north by means of the discordant contacts and local crumpling 

of the strata, due to the lateral drag on either side. Between these faults, which 

approach each other almost 'at right angles, the triangular block of strata has 

moved southward, or upward, with respect to the rocks on. the opposite sides of 

the faults. 

NOTES ON THE OCCURRENCE 0~' ORE DEPOSITS OR PRECIOUS METALS 

IN THE .ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS. 

It has been shown in the discussion ,of the stratigraphy of the Arbuckle 

Mountains that all of the igneous . rocks, including the dikes, were formed in 

early Cambrian or pre-Cambrian time, and that they probably suffered long 

erosion before the oldest sedin1entary rocks were deposited. The various classes 

of igneous rocks, including the dikes, show no indication of faulting, fissuring, 

or shearing along their contacts with one another. On the contrary, there is every 

indication that the intrusions of granite-porphyry, aplite, or diabase as now exposed 

occurred at great depths, and that no occasion has been given for the passage of 

meteoric waters which would cause replacement or mineralization of the rocks along 

their contacts. 

It is true that the igneous rocks, as well as the stratified rocks, of the Arbuckle 

region have been extensively faulted, but these faults occurred long since -the 

formation of the igneous rocks, and they have nothing to do with the relations 

of the different kinds of igneous rocks with one another. All the fault contacts 

between the igneous and stratified rocks have been carefully traced, but no indication of the mineralization of the rocks or the occurrence of ore deposits of any 

consequence along them have been noted. There is nothing .in the topography to 

aid one in tracing lines of faulting in the igneous rocks, and they are so deeply 

weathered or .concealed by soil or surficial sand that a structural feature can not 

be traced for any considerable distance. 

Many of the dikes, chiefly those of diabase cutting the granite, have been prospected at various times for the precious metals without any show of profit, and 

the sum of all information obtainable gives no assurance that ore or metal deposits 

of any value can be found in the region. 
THE CRINER HILLS. 47 

NOT::E~S ON THE GEOLOGY OF THE CRINER HILLS. 

Fifteen miles south of the Arbuckle Mountains and 6 miles southwest of 

Ardmore is a small uplift, locally known as the Criner Hills, in which are exposed 

all the formations occurring in the Arbuckle uplift except the pre-Cambrian 

igneous mass, the Reagan sandstone, and the lower . part of the A~buckle 

limestone. 

STRATIGRAP.aY. 

The formations occurring in the Criner Hills include a complete section from 

near the top of the Cambrian up to thp, Carboniferous, and they are fomid to 

contain ·in all respects the characters appearing in the same formations in the 

Arbuckle Mountains, described above. A detailed description of their lithology, 

therefore, is not considered necessary in this place. The location and areal extent 

of the formations may be seen on the map. 

TOPOGRAPHY. 

Physiographieally the Criner Hills are the Arbuckle Mountains in miniature. 

Composed of the same formations· steeply folded and exposed to erosion in early 

Cretaceous time, the district was reduced to a low plain and submerged. In comparatively recent geologic time the CretaceOl~S . deposits were remo\Ted, again 

exposing the older rocks to the action of erosion. It will be observed that the 

Criner Hills lie in an angle formed by Hickory Creek and its tributaries, and 

are bounded on the northeast and southwest by Cretaceous sand, the base of 

which, if continuous, would fall practically in a plain cutting the crests of the 

hills. In fact, a remnant of the Cret~ceous sand may yet be seen on Carboniferous 

rocks at the southeast end of Criner Hills. Since the removal of the Cretaceous 

sand erosion has gone on· more actively in the soft Carboniferous rocks than in 

the older and harder rocks, thereby developing the hills. 

The plain at the base of the Cretaceous which falls in the crests of the 

Criner Hills is the . same as that which marks the high levels of the Arbuckle 

Mountains. It was produced by the base-leveling erosion which advanced northward with the sea across the region in early Cretaceous time. 

Like the larger streams in the Arbuckle region, Hickory Creek and its 

larger tributaries in the vicinity of the Criner Hills were imposed on the older 

and variably hard rocks from formerly established drainage channels in the more 

homogeneous southeastwardly inclined Cretaceous strata. Thus, like Washita 

River in the Arbuckle Mountains, Hickory Creek cut into the rocks of the 

Criner Hills, and is still deepening its gorge across the hard Ordovician limestones as erosion of the softer strata of the surrounding region continues to lower 

its surface below the plair~ of the Criner J:lills. 

.. 
48 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

The minor details of Criner Hills topography depend upon the character of 

the rocks composing the exposed formations. As in the Arbuckle Mountains, 

the Arbuckle limestone, being a massive and comparatively homogeneous formation, makes irregular stony hills, while the Viola and Hunton limestont?s, consisting of thinner though comparatively harder beds, make oval and smooth hills 

and ridges. The Sylvan shale is_ invariably in valleys or swales, and the Simpson 

formation, which is in large part composed of soft rocks, is usually occupied by 

valleys and lower hill slopes. 

STRUCTURE OF CRINER HILLS. 

The relations of the Pennsylvanian beds to the older rocks are essentially 

the same as in the Arbuckle Mountains, so far as could be determined by a 

general survey. The Sycamore limestone and Caney shale of the Mississippian 

occur infolded with the older rocks, and it seems evident that in this area, as 

elsewhere in the Arbuckle Mountain region, active disturbances of the rocks did 

not occur until about mid-Carboniferous time. Sufficient fossils, however, were 

·not obtained to determine the position of the lowest Pennsylvanian beds exposed 

in the district. 

There is a pronounced unconformity at the base of the Coal Measures strata 

across the north western end, in a large portion of the northeastern side, and at 

the southeastern end, of the hills. The lowest exposed beds of the Coal Measures 

consist of gritty siliceous limestone, sandstone, and shale interbedded, and coarse 

limestone conglomerates. The entire southwestern side, however, and a part of 

the northeastern side are marked by faults. The extent of displacement . on the 

southeastern side is not determinable. The older rocks of the hills end abruptly 

in a definite but low escarpment, at the base of which _a number of large springs 

Issue. As shown by the exposures, the rocks in contact at the base of the 

escarpment consists of Coal Measures shales, calcareous grits, and sandstones, 

and dip usually toward the south west. In the area west of Hickory Creek, 

except that part bordering the stream, a flat, fertile plain extends to the base of 

the escarpment. 

The rocks of the Criner Hills structurally compose parts of four folds. All 

these folds are intersected by faults and are bounded on one or more sides by · 

an overlap of Carboniferous deposits. 

The larger of these folds includ~s the northwestern half of the hills and is 

a northeastward-dipping monocline or the broken southern limb of a syncline. 

Along and near the southwestern side the lowest exposed beds of the Arbuckle 

limestone are nearly flat and are locally deflected downward at low angles toward 

the fault which bounds the hills. It is interpreted that this local southwestward 

deflection of the rocks is due to the drag in the downward displacement on the 
• 

THE CRINER HILLS. 49 

opposite side of the fault. There are no means by which the extent of displacement of the strata along the southwest side of this fold can be determined. It 

is reasonable, however, to consider that the throw is not so great as th~ discordance in strata now in contact at the fault would indicate, but that it is, in part 

at least, due to au unconformable overlap of Carboniferous upon the . folded and . . eroded older rocks before the faulting occurred. 

A fault also bounds the northeastern side of this fold. It bears S. 25° to 30° 

E. from the northwest corner of the hills, oblique to the strike of the rocks and 

to the trend of the hills. The strata on the east side of the fault have been 

thrown down with respect to those on the west side. The axial part of a syncline 

occurs east of this fault, near th~ north end of the hills. The lowest rocks 

exposed here are Devonian (\Voodford) cherty shales, which oecur in contact with 

Ordovician (Viola) limestone on the opposite side of the fault. Near the north 

side of sec. 22, T. 5 S., R. 1 E., the fault crosses the axis of this syncline, and 

toward the southeast successively lower formations approach the fault on each side. 

This fault joins that in the southern boundary of the hills near the crossing of 

Hickory Creek. The downward displacements of these faults are in opposite 

directions, and it is evident that in the latter fault the displacement is· greater, 

since it continues downward toward the southwest, beyond the junction of the 

faults, and to the southeast end of the hills. From Hickory Creek southeastward 

the inclination of the older rocks of the hills is 45° to 50° NE., while the 

Carboniferous rocks dip 25° to 30° SW. 

East of the above-described fault, which cuts the hills diagonally, the . older 

rocks comprise a remnant of an anticlinal fold, which trends approximately N. 

20° W. The upper part of the Simpson formation is expo:5ed in places both east 

and west of Hickory Creek, and the succeeding Viola limestone outcrops in large 

bodies on each side, making the southeastern part of the Criner Hills. Still higher 

formations, the Sylvan shale and the Hunton limestone, occur at the northwestern 

and southea:::~tern ends of this broken fold. ~n the northwestern end they are 

terminated by faulting and overlap of the Carboniferous conglomerate, and at 

the opposite end , apparently only by overlap. Faulting has pccurred in the axial 

part of this fold also. At the crossing of Hickory Creek, in the SW. i sec. 35, 

T. 6 S., R. 2 E., the Simpson formation is exposed only in the southern limb of 

the fold. It appears that the fault follows approximately the strike of the fold, 

and that the eastern limb has been thrown down with respect to the other. The 

dip of the rocks in the Simpson formation here is 80° SW., while on the opposite 

side the Viola limestone is nearly as steeply inclined in the opposite direction. In 

the eastern half of sec. 36, T. 5 S., 'R. 2 E., there is a small area of Silurian, 

Devonian, and Mississippian rocks, surrounded unconformably by Coal Measures 

7800- No. 31-04-· -4 

't 
50 G EO LOGY OF 'I'HE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

strata. It appears to be a part of the northern limb of the anticline above described. 

The rocks dip toward the northeast, and are nearly in strike with the same 

formations at the southeastern end of the Criner Hills. 

The Carboniferous rocks on the northeast side of this anticline have suffered 

folding, and near the contact .with the older rocks are generally steeply inclined 

and dip toward the northeast. East of Hickory Creek dips of Carboniferous 

rocks at and near the contact vary from 25° to 40°, while the older rocks dip at 

greater angles and in places in different or opposite directions, indicating a great 

unconformity. Immediately east of the road at its crossing of Hickory Creek, 

near the west side of sec. 35, T. 5 S., R. 2 E., the contact is evidently upon a 

fault. At this place the Simpson formation dips toward the southwest, while 

the dip of the Carboniferous is 40° in the opposite direction. Farther southeast, 

and in the opposite side of the axis of the fold, the Viola, Sylvan, and Hunton 

formations dip northeast, in the same direction as, but at higher angles than, do 

the overlying Carboniferous strata. West of Hickory Creek, at the base of the 

Coal Measures deposits, is a strong unconformity which is probably in part due 

to fauiting. The beds near the base are variable in character along this contact. 

In some places they appear to be chiefly shale, while in others, especially in sections 22 and 27, are coa1·se limestone conglomerates consisting of pebbles of the 

same nature as the limestones of the Criner Hills. 

ARDMORE BASIN. 

The region between the Criner Hills and Arbuckle Mountains may be characterized as the Ardmore trough or basin. The rocks consist of shale, limestone, 

limestone conglomer~te, and sandstone, of Coal Measures age, and have been 

strongly , folded. The trend of the folds is northwest and southeast, generally 

parallel with the Arbuckle and Criner Hills axes. 

The details of the folding have not b~en .worked out, but sufficient observations have been made to determine that the rocks have been crumpled into many 

folds, which together constitute a deep corrugated syncline or trough. 

Like the Arbuckle Mountain and Criner Hills uplifts, the Ardmore trough 

is overlapped and concealed toward the northwest by Pennsylvanian or "Red 

Beds" deposits, and on the southeast by early Cretaceous sand. Toward the 

south the Carboniferous rocks are also con?ealed by Cretaceous deposits separat-

. ing them from rocks of the same age in the north Texas coal field. 
GEOLOGY OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

PREFATORY REMARKS. 

}>REVIOUS WORK. 

The Wichita Mountain region was first visited by scjentific observers in 1852, 

when Dr. George G. Shumard, who was physician to the expedition, commanded 

by Capt. R. B. Marcy, that explored the North Fork of · Red River,a noted the 

occurrence of the igneous rocks of the mountains and the stratified sediments 

of the · surrounding plains. The expedition touched many points . along the . 

southern side and crossed the northwestern and southeastern ends ' of the range. 

Captain Marcy mapped a part of the range, his map indicating that the range 

had a northeast-southwest direction, when in fact it trends southeast and northwest. The mountains and streams with one exception, still retain the names 

then applied. Tepe Creek was designated Spring Creek, and Tepe :Mountain is 

evidently the eminence named Mount Webster by Captain. McClellan. The names 

now locally used for this stream and mountain are too . well esta'Qlished to admit 

cha~ge. Doctor Shumard noted that the sandstones and red clay surrounding 

the mountains were horizontal, and that the sandstone beds, where they approached 

the mountains, contained fragmental igneous materi~ls. He also observed ·that the 

granite and porphyry were widespread in the mountains and that 'they contained 

"veins" of greenstone and quartz. 

In 1899 Dr. T. B. Comstock and Mr. W. F. Cummins' made a reconnaissance of a part of the ~rich ita Mountains. b Doctor Comstock had recently surveyed the "Central Mineral Region" of Texas, in which the older igneous and 

Paleozoic rocks occur, and his interpretations of structure and geologic relations 

made there were extended to the Wichita region. He assumed that the geology 

of the central Texas region-200 miles distant from the Wichita Range and separated from it by' little distorted Carboniferous and Permian strata-was a key 

to its geologic interpretation. In the igneous masses of the Wichita Mountains 

post-Cretaceous structures were apparently recognized corresponding . with those 

which were claimed to occur in the Texas region, where undisturbed Permian 

a Senate Ex. Doc. No. 54, 32d Cong., 2d sess., Washington, 1853. Appendix D. 

b First Ann. Rept. Texas Geol. Survey, 1889, pp. 319-328. 

51 
52 GE0LOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

strata surrounds the mountains and no Cretaceous rocks are known. Doctor Com-

• stock classed the granite-porphy_ries of the Carlton Mountains, the gabbro, and 

the diabase as lavas representing stages of eruption, and stated that there . were 

flows . and remnants of volcanic craters. He correctly noted the occurrence of 

older stratified rocks which were involved in the Wichita upJift, but failed to see 

that the diabase dikes which penetrate the gabbro and granite-porphyry as well 

as the granite are older than the oldest stratified rocks, which are of middle 

Cambrian age. Doctor Comstock named many of the mountains, locating them 

by numbers on his sketch map. Of these only Carlton, Cummins, Quana, and 

Navajoe can be definitely located. 

In 189.1 Mr. R. T. Hill made some general observations on the nature of the 

Wichita Mountains, a attempting to connect them structurally with the Ouachita 

Mountains of eastern Indian Territory. He notes the peculiar topographic features of the mountains and concludes "that their age is not determined," but that 

they are post-Silurian and have developed in part since the deposition of the 

~'Red Beds:" 

In the fall of 1896 Mr. T. Wayland Vaughan, in making a reconnaissance of 

parts of Kansas and Oklahoma, investigated the older Paleozoic strata on the 

northern side of the range and made a collection of specimens representing the 

principal types of igneous rocks of the Wichita Range. These collections were 

studied and reported upon by Dr. A. C. Spencer. b Fossils were collected fro_m certain 

limestones nortbeast of Tymate Mountain, which proved to be of Ordovician age.1 

No effort was made by Mr. Vaughan to segregate or map the classes of igneous 

roeks, but his collections enlarged greatly the species of igneous rocks before 

known to occur in the region. Doctor Spencer recognized gabbro, granite~ 

granite-porphyry, anorthosite, .and troctolite. With the aid of a local surveyor 

Mr. Vaughan was able to locate, by reference to land surveys, practically all the 

mountains of the region which had been named, but none were mapped. 

In the spring of 1899 Dr. H. F. Bain devoted a month's time to a reconnaissance of the Wichita Mountains, giving attention chiefly to a study of the mineral 

resources. His report 0 on the general geology is more complete than previous 

publications of the region. Doctor Bain differentiated and described the main 

classes of igneous rock, including the quartz veins, which in one instance he found 

were cut by greenstone (diabase) dikes. He considered that the granite was erupted 

through the porphyry and affected the Cambrian and Ordovician strata. This 

conclusion seems to have originated from a misinterpretation of structural con-

. a Notes on a reconnaissance of the Ouachita mountain system in Indian Territory: Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 42 

1891, pp. 122-123. 

b Vaughan, T. Wayland, Geulogic notes on the Wichita Mountains, Oklahoma, .and the Arbuckle Hills, Indian 

Territory, with report on the igneous rocks by Dr. A. C. Spencer: Am. Geol., vol. 24, 1899, pp. 44-55. 

cGeology of the Wichita Mountains: Bull. Geol. Soc. America, vol. 11, 1900, pp. 127-144. 
WORK IN THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 53 I 

ditions in Blue Creek C:tnyon. In this canyon the limestone is faulted against 

the granite-porphyry instead of being cut by· a dike of similar rock. Cambrian 

rocks are recognized besides the sequence of succeeding Ordovician lime~tones of 

great thickness. The ·classification is substantiated by fossil determinations. Certain conglomerates composed of granite, porphyry, and limestone interbedded 

with shales and suceeeded by shale and sandy limestone near the eastern end of 

the Wiehita Mountains are correctly claE.sed in age as '"later than the Trenton," 

but instead of being older than the "Red Beds" (Permian) · deposits they are 

evidently contemporaneous with them and form their near-shore phase. Likewise 

the conglomerates of limestone and various igneous rocks in the la1·ge valley~ 

and along th~ borders of thA 'Vichita and Quana groups o~ mouqtains are Permian, if the ''Red Beds" are to be so classed. Beneath a zone of weathering 

these deposits are partially consolidated and in places associated with red clays 

and grits, as explained in the discussion of Permian rocks in the pages followi-ng. 

Along the south side of Quana Mountain, in the · valleys of the larger . streams, 

are recent surficial deposits .of gravel and sand, worked over i~ part from the 

'"Red Beds" conglomerate, which may be mistaken· for the conglomerates in a 

general reconnaissance. 

WORK OF THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 

The writer, assisted by Mr. C. N. Gould and Mr. E. 0. Ulrich, mapped the 

geology of the Wichita Mountain region in the latter part of the season of 1901. 

The land had been cleared of all improvements, except the occasional inclosures 

on the allotments to the Indians, preparatory to the opening of the country to 

homestead settlers. It was devoid of inhabitants outside of the few small towns, 

except occasional Indians and prospectors. Recently the quarter-section and 

section corners had been reestablished for the purpose of ready location of 

homesteads. This region, outside of the mountain'3, is .an open and practically 

featureless plain, and the mountains are almost bare, so that conditions for rapid 

and accurate geologic mapping were very satisfactory. 

With the assistance of .Mr. Gould all the known igneous areas and the contacts 

between the igneous masses and the formations of stratified rocks were mapped by 

traverse surveys, checked by locations on section and quarter-section corner stones. 

Mr. Ulrich devoted his time to a study of the Cambrian and Ordovician 

rocks. An abundant collection of fossils gave mea~s by which the rocks were 

correctly classified, as well as correlated with the Cambrian and Ordovician formations of the Arbuckle .Mountains. The lithologic similarity of these rocks to 

·the ~ormations of the Arbuckle region, and the duplication of fossiL remains, are 

·so nearly complete that faunal Hsts of the Cambrian and Ordovician· of the Wichita 

Mountains are not considered necessary. 

• 
• I 

54 G EO LOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

PHYSIOGRAPHY OF WICHITA MOUNTAIN REGION. 

The Wichita Mountain region consists of collections of mountains, hills, and 

knobs extending from Fort Sill~ in the Apache Indian Reservation, northwestward 

to beyond Granite, in Greer County, Okla., a distance of n5 miles. From the 

vicinity of Fort Sill the northern and southern limits of this peculiar collection 

of mountains diverge until, near the center, the outlying knobs upon each side 

are 30 miles apart. Continuing northwestward the range gradually contracts 

· \and ends in small collections of low mountains or k~obs northwest of the town 

of Granite. The region is thus ,symmetrical in general outline, but not so in 

the arrangement; size~ and form of the mountains which constitute the range, 

or, more properly speaking, the groups of mountains. The groupS'of mountains 

'composing the range with one exception, many ~f the individual mountains, and 

numerous knobs and points of granite and other igneous rocks are surrounded 

and separated by Hie . nearly level and smooth plain of the "Red Beds" which 

extends southward across Oklahoma into western Texas. 

WICHITA MOUNTAIN GROUP 

The largest of the groups of mountains that compose the Wichita R;mge 

is the Wichita group, from which the range has received its name. It extends 

from near the northwest corner of the . Apache Reservation northwestward about 

. 25 miles, and consists of many rugged and irregular granite mountains, the most 

prominent of which are lVlounts Scott and Baker, near the southeastern and 

northwestern ends, respectively. On Pl. III is a view of the southeastern part 

of this group from the plain of Medicine Creek, looking toward the southwest, 

and showing Mounts Scott and Sheridan. Mount Sheridan is about 4 miles west 

of Mount Scott. Between Mount Sheridan and Mount Baker and Haystack 

Mountain, at the west end of the group, are many unnamed mountains and peaks 

of sharp outline, separated by narrow, rugged passes. On Pl. IV, B, is a view 

of the ·northwestern end of the Wichita group, showing the sharp, serrated 

outline of the mountain crest. Near the source of Medicine Creek an arm of 

the W ichitas extends northward. ending in Saddle Mountain. Saddle Mountain is 

separated from the main Wichita group by a low pass, which is traversed by one 

of the large branches of M'edicine Creek. Though the highest peaks in this 

group rise to elevations not exceeding 1,500 feet above the bordering plain, they 

are difficult of ascent because of the steep and rugged slopes, which are strewn 

with large angular granite bowlders. 

The Wichita group of mountains is separated from the . Quana Mountains on 

the south by a wide, plain-like valley, which descends with very easy grade from 

Military Pass, 2 miles east of Oriana, to the western end of the Carlton Mountains, 

• 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURYE'r PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 31 PL. Y 

A. RAINY MOUNTAIN, AN ORDOVICIAN LIMESTONE KNOB IN THE "RED BEDS " PLAIN. 

B. GRANITE BOWLDERS iN THE EAST SLOPE OF MOUNT SCOTT. 

U .S . GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE 

WICiiiTA ~fOUNTAIN REGION B Y 

JO PH .A. 'T'AFF AND C. . GO L D 

LEGEND 

D PERM IAN 

CARBONIFEROUS •Red Beds• (ga.b/Jro.porplo "Y..91'fVr.ll~,and 4ntMtmu:. COrlfjlOm.,YUlAYiuLttl'«t dqy and- sarut) 

ORDOVICIAN 

CAMBRIAN 

PRE-CAMBRIAN 

Viola li•neston e l.u,i.sh-/.uru;.$t.o ) 

iJ~~~ grc\)' _qaJJDro ) 

Dip of t·ocks 

Sc~ l 

-,==;..-...;;.3=-==r....- ==-- == """''= ~o tn.ilcs 

R . 21W . R . 2 0 W . 

PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO 3 1 PL. II 
PHYSIOGRAPHY OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAIN REGION. ' 55 

where it divides, the northern arm passing down a branch of Medicine Creek 

between Carlton Mountains and Mount Scott, while the southern arm extends to 

the plain down Beaver Creek. The sources of \Vest Cache Creek occupy the 

western half of th.is valley aud flow southward through gorges near the middle 

of the Quana Mountains. 

This intermontane valley, like most other valleys of large siie in the Wichita 

Mountain region, was formed during the deposition of the "Red Beds," of presumably Permian age, and has been resurrected and to some extent modified by 

more recent degradation. Many remnants of the "Red Beds" conglomerate yet 

remain in this valley between the present shallow drainageways from Military 

Pass at the head of the valley and the plain to the east upon each side of Carlton 

l\Iountains. From the same pass a wide embayment, partially filled with conglomerate and red clay deposits, opens southwestward, descending 200 feet or more 

to .the general level of the plain about Oriana. 

QUANA MOUNTAIN GROUP. 

The Quana group, like the Wichita, is an elongated collection of granite 

mountains and low peaks about 14 miles in. length. Though like the Wichita 

group in character of rock and topographic features, the individual mountains 

are' lower, and none of them, it is believed, rise more than 800 feet above the 

general level of the plain bordering the mountains upon the south. The Quana 

group is separated into an eastern and a western part by gaps near the center, 

through which the three branches of West Cache Creek flow. The two westernmost 

and largest branches cross the mountains in narrow and deep gorges, while the 

other traverses an old, wide, and flat -valley that originated contemporaneously 

with the intermontane -valley which lies north o:f the Quana Mountains and with 

which it is connected. Remnants of the ·"Red Beds" conglomerates and red clay 

deposits may yet be seen in the floor of this -valley. 

CARLTON MOUNTAIN GROUP. 

The Carlton group consists of low mountains and peaks which lie between 

the east ends of the Wichita and Quana groups and extend eastward to within 

a mile of Fort Sill. The topographic features of the Carlton Mountains are 

markedly different from those of the Wichita and Quana mountains. The Carlton Mountains consist of granite-porphyries and old rhyolites, which, unlike the 

granite, break into small angular bowlders and fragments upon weathering, giving 

rounded and comparati-vely smooth topographic forms. The general effect is like 

that produced by a topographically young region composed of homogeneous soft 

rocks-mountains composed of numerous ridges and spurs separated by V -shaped 

valleys. 
56 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

The outline of this group, as well as of its separated members, like that of all 

'the other groups of the region, was established by marine degradation at a time 

when the Permian sea stood with its shores at the approximate position of the 

"Red Beds" and porphyry contact. 

From near the center of the group an arm projects southward and ends in 

Signal Mountain, the highest peak, which rises about 800 feet above the plain. 

A single mass of hills is separated from the main group on the southwestern side 

by an inlet of the "Red Beds" plain which extends up the valleys of Wolf Creek 

and joins the broad upland valley between the Quana and the Wichita mountains. 

The most noteworthy feature of the Carlton Mountains is Medicine Bluff, at the 

extreme east end, about a mile west of Fort Sill (see Pl. }1f). Here Medicine 

Bluff Creek flows agairist · the north side of the porphyry uiountain, making 

perpendicular bluffs 100 to 400 feet high and about half a mile long. 

RAGGEDY MOUNTAINS. 

West of the Wichita and Quana mountains and extending southwest to 

Navajoe, in the valley of the North Fork of Red River, is a scattered group of 

mountains and hills, the individuals of which are separated by the "Red Beds" 

plain. To this group the name of Raggedy Mountains has been applied. Twin 

and Navajoe mountains, in the southwestern part of the group, are the only mountains to which names had been given when the region was surveyed in the fall 

of 1901. Contrary to the arrangement of the "''ichita, Quana, and Carlton 

. groups, whieh have northeast-southwest bearings governed in a measure by the 

structure, the Raggedy Mountains are longest north and south, an a1:rangement 

which seems to be accidental. Between the Wichita-Quana group and the 

Raggedy Mountains the flat plain is unobstructed. While gabbro roeks come to 

the surface across this plain and connect the gabbro of the central mass of the 

Raggedy group with the Wichita, they were completely worn down and submerged 

in Permian time and stand . now in the level of the smooth " Red Beds" plain. 

Southwest from the Quana Mountains there is a broken string of granite knobs 

and hills connecting with the south end of the Raggedy group. 

The central mass of the Raggedy Mountains is eomposed of gabbro, and is the 

-only area of this rock exposed in the region which has not been reduced almost 

to the present level of the " Red Beds" plain. These mountains of gabbro lie 

east and southeast of Roosevelt, on both sides of Otter Creek. That part of the 

'- gabbro area of the ~aggedy group south of Roosevelt and a fringe around the 

more mountainous part are practieally in the level of the plain and contain thin 

patches of the !,(,Red Beds" deposits, a remnant of t.he strata which once extended 

over the whole reduced portion/ Here and there in the reduced gabbro area are 

mounds and low rounded knobs which have not been affected by recent active 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 31 PL. Iii 

NORTHEASTERN FACE OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

Showing Mounts Scott and Sheridan. 

'a 

PHYSIOGRAPHY OF ~HE . WICHITA MOUNTA-IN REGION. 57 

erosion. The highest gabbro mountains lie on each side of the Upper Narrows 

and rise to elevations of 600 to 800 feet ab e the leve1 of the plain. Iron 

lVlountain is a knob in an arm of gabbro e .. tending northeast of the Upper 

Narrows and is cut off from the mountain m ss by a wide, :fiat divide. The 

detached elongated area east of Roose-velt ma es low rounded hills 100 to 200 

feet in height. ; 

On disintegrating the gabbro breaks into bowlders in a manner similar to 

the granite, but they are generally smaller a d rounded and give rotund topographic forms similar to the porphyry topogra by of the Carlton Mountains. 

The northern and southern parts of the aggedy group an~ composed of 

isolated granite mountains and knobs set in the smooth "Red Beds" plain. 

Many of the smaller ones rise abruptly 100 f et, more or less, above the red 

sediments of the plain, with evenly curved bo ndaries and steep sides, and have 

the appearance of nearly submerged peaks. In !act, they were islands in Permian 

time, and many-probably all-were submerg d. There is no reason to doubt 

that these . isolated areas, as well as mountain roups of igneous rocks, are connected beneath the "Red Beds" and formed peaks and knobs of a single broad 

range which were partly or wholly submerge and separated ·by the Permian 

sediments. 

A peculiar feature of the Raggedy Mounta'ns is that Otter Creek :flows acro-ss 

the central part of the group and has cut ihr ugh the more rugged gabbro · and 

granite mountain::;, m.aking narrow, sharp gorgj' known as the Upper and Lower 

Narrows. One of the large branches of this[ creek rises in the northernmost 

group of granite hills and :flows across the g ntly rolling plain and passes the 

sharp gorges of the Narrows, 100 to 200 feet i depth, cut in wider divides which 

separate the higher knobs or peaks of the moun ains. The only inference apparent 

at this time concerning the peculiar course of tter Creek through the Raggedy 

group is that it occupied practically its present location at a time when the surface 

of the "Red Beds " plain stood above the di ·des between higher knobs of the 

igneous mountains in which the gorges of the 

At that time the plain was nearly 200 feet 

general degradation of the land progressed, 

gabbro and granite masses which constitute th 

DEVILS CANYON 

pper and Lower Narrows are cut. 

bove its present position, and as 

tter Creek was imposed upon the 

present Raggedy Mountains. 

The watershed between Elk and Otter cree s is a low and almost imperceptible 

swell in the plain. This divide separates the aggedy Mountain group from the 

considerable collection of granite mountains a hills, including Little Bow, Elk, 

Dome, Teepee, Quartz, Suttles, and Devils Canyon mountains, besides many 

unnamed mountains and hills, which may be k own as the Devils 'Canyon group. 
58 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND •wiCHITA MOUNTAINS. 

These mountains lie jn the valley of the North Fork of Red River, and the 

channel of the river meanders among them, touching a number of the larger ones. 

The Devils Canyon groqp is composed almost entirely of granite, which protrudes 

through the "Red Beds." The rock is the same kind as that of the Wichita and 

Quana mountains and presents the same topographic forms. The smaller mountains 

and isolated knobs rise abruptly from the plain, their steep slopes being strewn 

with angular bowlders. The larger masses of granite, such as Quartz, Dome, 

and Devils Canyon mountains, contain many 'rounded knobs and peaks, rising 

600 to 800 feet above the plain and separated by rugged gulches or divides. 

Many of these crests are dome shaped. This form was especially noted in Teepee 

and Dome mountains. In Dome Mountain the dome-shaped knob of the crest, 

100 feet or more in height, sits 300 to 400 feet above the plain on a wide terrace 

or table of the mountain. On Pl. IV, A, is a view of the southwestern peak of 

Quartz Mountain, illustrating the abrupt ascent from the level plain and the forms 

of the isolated knobs in the western part of the Wichita region. 

HEADQUARTERS MOUNTAIN GROUP. 

At the extreme northwestern end of the Wichita Range is a small group of 

granite mountains which He entirely west of Red River and northwest of the 

towri of Granite. The largest of these is Headquarters Mountain, which covers 

an area of nearly 3 square miles and rises steeply to an oval crest about 600 

feet above the plain. These mountains are composed of red granite similar to 

that of the Wichita group, 'but the mountain peaks ~nd knobs have a rounded 

form, though the slopes are strewn with large bowlders. 

LIMESTONE HILLS. 

Ano,ther mountain group of the Wichita region is the . elongated collection of 

limestone and porphyry hills and low mountains which lies northeast of the 

Wichita group and is separated from it by a long strip of rolling plain 2 to 6 

miles in width. This group, which has received no adequate name, extends from a 

point 7 miles north of Fqrt Sill northwestward, with the general strike of the 

rocks, to Rainy Mountain at Rainy Mountain Mission. It gradually expands in a 

rqdely triangular form and reaches a width of about 7 miles in the central part. 

Near the middle, north of Mount Scott, the compact mass of hills i~ divided into 

two portions by a broad, :flat inlet of the '' Red Beds " deposit of the plain. 

Each of these arms is broken northeast of Saddle Mountain into numerous low 

mountains or hills, which are oriented generally northwest-southeast, with the 

trend or strike of the rocks. 1 The northern arm contains a number of porphyry 

hills. A mass of porphyry also occurs between the limestone hills north of 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 31 PL. IV 

A . SOUTHWESTERN KNOB OF QUARTZ MOUNTA I N. 

Showi ng ab rupt ascent of g ranite from the level plain. 

B. NORTHWEST END OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

Showing sharp mo~ntain crests and embayment of " Red Heds." 

PHYSIOGRAPHY OF THE WICHITA. MOUNTAIN REGION. 59 

Mount Scott. The detached masses of limestone and porphyry . are surrounded 

throughout this region by the open and level "Red Beds" plain. 

The · topographic details of the porphyry hills in this group are of the same 

character as in the porphyry hills composing the Carlton Mountains. The surface 

is broken and cut by many g~lches and sharp defiles, but the hills are generally 

smooth crested and have rom:ided or oval forms. , The limestone hills have the same topographic features as the porphyry hills, 

and many of their crests are now 400 to 600 feet above the plain. Pl. V, A, shows 

a typical knob of Ordovician limestone near Rainy Mountain Mission, at the 

extreme western end of the limestone hills, known as Rainy Mountain. 

Like all the other mountains of the region, the location, general plan, and 

contour of the hiils are due to a cycle of degradation culminating in Permian 

time and to later minor modifications. The larger valleys descending f~om the 

more prominent limestone and porphyry hills, as well as the broader level passes 

of the plain which separate them, are not always occupied or followed by the _ 

principal drainage lines. These larger valleys f!nd passes do not contain exten- . 

sive deposits of recent local conglomerates, which might be supposed to ex1 end . 

as fans or sheets ·out from the mouths of the valley. The deposits of conglomerate descend or extend into the plain, blending with the red grits and clays and 

forming parts of the plains materials. T.he partly consolidated gravel, sand, and. 

clay which filled the old valleys are softm' than the crystalline limestone and 

porphyry now making thk hills, and they were therefore more rapidly eroded 

and the old valleys were resurrected and are perpetuated. Many of the streams 

are small, but when established in their positions 'in the once submerged and 

filled valleys, as the general degradation of the land progressed, they cut downward 

without regard to the older and harder rocks. Thus many of the streams once 

flowing in the softer rocks became imposed upon the spurs and slopes of hard 

limestone bordering the old valleys. Marked instances of such superimposed 

drainage occur in Tps. 4 and 5 N., R. 12 "\V., where small streams, flowing in the 

wide resurrected valleys whose :floors are filled with " Red Beds" deposits, cut 

through sharp spur8 projecting from the limestone hills, while the level plain 

upon soft rocks was opened for their passage. 

STRATIGRAPHY OJ!, WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

IGNEOUS ROCKS. 

In the general survey of the Wichita Mountains only sufficient time was 

available to study the salient features of the igneous rocks. The kinds of igneous 

rocks which occur abunda tly or in large ma,sses were disti~guished, classified in 

respect to a,ge as far as conditions would permit, and mapped. Local variations 

'· 
60 GEOLOGY O:H' THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

of tle larger masses and various phases of the dike rocks were noted and 

specimens collected, but a study of their relations in detail was not attempted. 

The rocks collected were submitted to Mr. Ernest Howe, of the Geological Survey, 

for study, and the petrographic descriptions are from his report. 

The igneous rocks of the Wichita Mountains are separated into four general 

classes, distinguished by their large mass or abundant occurrence, and also by 

their age relations. These, in order of apparent age, are, gabbro and related 

anorthosite, granite and related aplites, granite-porphyry and associated aporhyolite, and diabase dike rocks. 

GABBRO AND RELATED ANORTHOSITE. 

For the most part the gabbro is exposed in valleys or in the plain which 

surrounds the mountains. Such is its occu~T~nce along Medicine Creek southea t 

of Saddle Mountain, in the broad elevated valley between the Wichita and Quana 

mountains, and in the plain between the Wichita and Raggedy mountain groups. 

On the southern side of Medicine Creek the gabbro rises in the lower northern 

slopes of the Wichita Mountains beneath the granite. The position of the gabbro 

with regard to the granite is similar on the southern and western sides of the 

Wichita group. On the north and south the gabbro of the Raggedy Mountains 

is separated from the granite· masses by the '"Red Beds" deposits, but in the 

plain eastward it is connected with the gabbro of the Wichita group. -

The gabbro of the Raggedy group makes mountains of onsiderable size, 

but their general aspect is different from that of the mountains formed of the 

granite. The gabbro disintegrates more readily, and even the large-size bowlders 

are less angular than those of granite. The general effect is a roundness of 

contour. and profile of the hills, and in the valleys or plain the rock is generally 

disintegrated. 

The prevailing physical aspect of the gabbro is that of a dark-gray to black, 

rather coarsely crystalline, rock. The gabbro proper consists of labradorite, augite, 

and magnetite with a little biotite and accessory titanite. It is a typical gabbro, 

fairly fresh, or with the augite altered to uralitic hornblende. 

The rocks which on close study have proved to be anorthosite were collected 

as phases of the gabbro, and occurred near the contact with the granite or near 

dikes of granite or aplite. Between the anorthosite and the gabbro a continuous 

gradation can be made out, even in hand . specimens. The specimens of anorthosite 

collected show a reddish, greenish, or bluish-gray rock, with lath-shaped crystals 

of labradorite. 

_Petrogr~phically the relation between the gabbro and anorthosite rocks is 

close, and in the field it is doubtful if lines can . be drawn separating them. In 

the several specimens of anorthosite examined, labradorite is the only constituent, , 
IGNEOUS ROCKS OF THE WICHITA. MOUNTAINS. 61 

with the exception o~ ~ mere trace of magnetite. Beginning with a faint trace, 

the augite increases in quantity until it is almost equal in amount to the labra·· 

dorite. With the increase of augite or its alteration product, uralitic hornblende, 

there is a corresponding increase in the magnetite. The various stages can be 

readily seen. 

GRANITE AND ASSOCIATED APLITE. 

Granite is th~ principal mountain-making rock in the Wichita region. Its 

area is greater than that of. all the other igneous rocks combined, and is about 

equal to that of the others and the older Paleozoic sediments. It makes all of the 

high land of the Wichita, Quana, Devils Canyon, and Headquarters mountains~ 

and a large part of the Raggedy group. 

The relations of the granite to the gabbro indicate that the granite 1s younger 

and that it intrudes the gabbro. Both occur in large masses, as shown, and the 

gabbro is cut by a great number of granite or aplite dikes, which in many cases 

can be traced from the granite mass. 

In physical aspect this granite varies from dark red to light pink and from 

moderately coarse to finely granular. A representative of a large part of the 

granite mass is found in Mount Scott, which consists of a rather deep-pink, eveiltextured, and moderately fine-grained rock. 1 

The granite in its various phases is rich in orthoclase and quartz, with relatively subordinate amounts of the dark Rilicates, hornblende, augite, or biotite. 

The majority of the specimens studied are from dikes cutting the gabbro or very 

near the contact of the granite with the gabbro. A specimen from the top of 

Mount Scott may be taken as typical of the granite as a whole. It is a medium 

coarse-textured rock, to which the feldspar gives a dominant red color, which is 

varied by small spots of a dark-greenish mineral and grains of quartz. The 

microscope shows that orthoclase and quartz occur in nearly equal amounts and 

together make up by far the greater part of. the ro0k. A little hornblende also 

occurs, and accessory magnetite, apatite, and zircon. Although not evident in 

hand specimens, the rock is seen to have a crude porphyritic structure when 

examined under the microscope. The 'feldspar occurs in large phenocrysts, 

surrounded by quartz and feldspar in micropegmatitic intergrowths. The ~ark, 

turbid character of the feldspar is to be attributed to finely divided hematite 

which fills the crystals as a dust. 

Parts of the large granite masses also show variations in texture. In the 

northwestern foothills of Saddle JYiountain the granite has a · finer texture and 

is porphyritic, but is slightly different from that occurring commonly · in the 

Carlton :Mountains. A similar phase of the granite occurs in the northwestern 

hills of the Headquarters group, at the extreme northwestern end of the "'\Vichita 

Range. 
62 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

Variations of the granite from the average type are found chiefly near its 

contaot with the gabbro. A particular instance was noted in the SE. i sec. 

21, T. 4 N., R. 14- W., where the granite mass rests against the gabbro. Hand 

specimens ,show the rock to be strongly porphyritic, and it may be called 

- spherulitic granite-porphyry. ~ similar contact phase of the granite with gabbro 

occurs near the center of the south side of sec. 16, T. 4 N., R. 14 V-l. 

·The dikes which extend from the granite and cut the gabbro range from 

massive bodies 40 fbet and /more in thickness to thin sheet and stringers. Usually 

the rock of the thicker dikes is coarser and is more nearly related to typical granite. 

than the1 rock of the thin d1kes. A dike, 40 feet in width, cutting the gabbro 

in the SE. t sec. 4, T. 4 N., R. 13 W., is characterized as an augite-hornblendegranite. The_ dikes generally, however, are best described as aplites. They are 

fine-grained rocks, in gray, pink, and lighter colors. Quartz and feldspar occur 

in the usual fine mosaic characteristic of aplites. The feldspar is predominantly 

orthoclase, plagioclase being present only in very small amounts. Augite, hornblende, and biotite occur, but never prominently; muscovite is rarely present, and 

the usual accessories of granite, magnetite, titanite, apatite, and zircon are generally found in small amounts. 

The contact between the .granite and granite-porphyry is exposed south 

of Mount Scott for a few miles. To the west, across sees. 22 and 23, T. 3 N., 

R. 13 W ., the contact between the granite and porphyry can be traced, although 

the contrast in the rocks on each side is not strong, as the two rocks are practically the same in, color and in granular texture. Apparently, also, there is a 

gradation through a short space from the granite to the granite-porphyry. 

Along the eastern part of the contact, in parts of sec. 24, T. 3 N., R. 13 W., , 

and farther east, a wide band of finely granular aplite occurs between the granite 

and the granite-porphyry. 

In t~e description of the structure of the Wichita Range it was observed 

that there are zones of fracturing and jointing in the granite. In such localities 

the rock on weathering breaks up into relatively small, angular bowlders. The 

prevailing surface features of the granite, however, are coarse and rugged, the 

rocks having broken deeply into' large angular bowlders between widely set 

joints, and become rounded on long weathering. The slopes of Mount Scott are 

typical of the granite surface of large masses. (See Pl. V, B.) The lower slopes 

of the knobs and mountains are strewn with immense bowlders, many of which 

descend to · the borders of the plain. The large bowlders become well rounded 

on long surface exposure, and some of these in old age are reduceq. by exfoliation. A · typical example of this peculiar mode of weathering occurs at the 

southern side of Quartz Mountain, and is shown in Pl. VI, B. 

In the western part of the Wichita Range many of . the low mountains. and 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 31 PL. VI 

A. EXFOLIATE WEATHERING OF GRANITE MOUNTAIN 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF SNYDER. 

B. EXFOLIATE WEATHERING OF GRANITE BOWLDER, SOUTH SIDE OF QUARTZ 

MOUNTAIN . 
. ; 
IGNEOUS .ROCKS OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 63 

knobs have dome-shaped or oval crests. The .centers of some of these show 

• large masses of granite but little broken. A typical knob of this character may 

be ~een in one of the crests of the granite mountains of the Raggedy gr~up in 

sec. 22, T. 3 · N., R. 17 W. On long exposure the massive granite knob has 

assumed exfoliation on a large scale. From the plain on the southwestern side 

large segments of granite, many feet thick, may be seen becoming detached from 

a spheroidal dome. Thi~ view is illustrated on Pl. VI, A. . I 

GRANITE-PORPHYRY AND ASSOCIATED APORHYOLITE. 

A class of rocks apparently closely related to the granite composes practically 

. all of the Carlton Mountains, the igneous mass lying between. the limestone hills 

in the vicinity of Blue Canyon, north of Mount Scott, and some hills near the 

northwest end of the limestone areas east of Rainy Mountain Mission. They 

vary from brick red to shades of light pink. The porphyritic character is variable, and specimens may be selected which have a near resemblance to certain 

parts of the granite, but on the whole the masses desig·nated granite-porphyry are 

different from those described as granite. 

Megascopically the rock appears to be a rather coarse-grained and largely 

feldspathic porphyry. With the exception of the feldspar phenocrysts, there seem 

to be usually no real crystal grains, the remainder of the rock consisting of a 

dense felsitic groundmass. Rarely a specimen is found which shows occasional 

smaU quartz grain8. A microscopic examination shows that, with the exception 

of a very little altered hornblende, the rock is composed almost entirely of 

spherulitic aggregates of feldspar and micropegmatite, often grouped about small 

crystals of feldspar. A little qu'artz also occurs, in grains. 

In some _instances the feldspars have a faint zonal structure, but these and a 

small proportion of the others, presumably plagioclase, are undeterminable on 

account of their decomposition. The greater part of the feldspar is orthoclase. 

The above description applies to the rock of Carlton Mountain, on Medicine Creek, 

near the western side of sec. 28, T. 3 N., R. 12 W. 

Another porphyry, distinct from that just described, is found in the· east end 

of the Carlton Hills, at the east end of -Medicine Bluff. It is a dull-pink rock, 

with phenocrysts of feldspar and quartz, in a · dense or finely granular groundm'ass. 

The feldspar phenocrysts are all orthoclase, frequently twinned according to the 

Carlsbad law, and from 3 to 4 millimeters in length. The groundmass, largely 

feldspathic, and in part possibly micropegmatitic, is now very much decomposed, 

and looks not unlike the devitrified base ·of a surface glassy flow. With the 

exception of a little doubtful hornblende there are no dark Rilicates to be made 

out. The feldspars are all charged with a fine reddish dust, probably hematite. 

In Blue Creek Canyon~ sec. 11, ~· 4 N., R. 13 W., a 1rock is exposed which 
64 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

was believed to be a phase of the granite-porphyry, but which on microscopic 

examination proved to be aporhyolite. Rocks having similar physical aspects 

occur in the Carlton Mountain area, about 1 mile north of Signal Mountain. 

Specimens of the same rock also were collected from the East Wooded Hills 

of the Arbuckle Mountains, Indian Territory~ As in the Arbuckle Mountains, 

the aporhyolite occurs in close association with the granite--porphyry, hut the 

contact relations were not made out. 

In hand specimens the Wichita aporhyolite appears to be a partially decomposed porphyry of a darker hue than the average Carlton Mountain porphyry. 

In thin secti~ns it is seen to be a fluidal, vesicular, much-altered rock, containing 

phenocrysts of f~ldspar, a little quartz, possibly secondary, and rarely a very little · 

plagioc~ase. The base, which was once glassy, is now completely devitrified, but 

still shows in certain .bands a perfect perlitic structure. The vesicles, of which 

there are many, are now filled with secondary silica. 

On weathering the porphyry breaks into small bowlders and fragments, and 

the hills composing it have distinctly rounded forms. At Medicine Bluff, 1t 

miles northwest of Fort Sill, the granite-porphyry is exposed in a vertical cliff 

100 to 400 feet high, showing rude columnar structure, doubtless due to close 

parallel and cross jointing. Pl. VII is a view of Medicine Bluff showing this 

peculiar jointing. The distinct, closely placed parallel joints may be seen a 

considerable distance extending nearly vertically from the top of the bluff to the 

bed of Medicine Creek. Whether this structure is common in other parts of the 

granite-porphyry of the vVichita Mountains can not be determined on account of 

the . mantle of weathered surface rock. It iR presumed that similar structural 

conditions occur, since the characteristic weathering of the porphyry into small 

angular blocks is universal. 

.DIABASE. 

The gabbro, granite, and granite-porphyry, the only igneous rocks in the 

/ Wichita region which 1are known to occur in large masses, are cut by great numbers of diabase dikes. These dikes range in thickness from several feet to thin 

stringers. They cross the co~tact between the granite and the gabbro and intersect the granite dikes in the gabbro. 

These diabase dikes extend in various directions, but sufficient time was not 

given to their study to determine whether they conform to any system of 

arrangement. Dikes of the same texture and color penetrate one another ~t various angles, but whether they are of one or more generations was not ascertained. 

The diabase ranges from a moderately fine-grained ~ark-gray to fine-textured 

bluish-black rock. As a rule, the larger the dikes the coarser the texture. A 

• 
IGNEOUS ROCKS OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 85 

thick and apparently neck-like dike in the granite-porphyry of Blue Creek 

Canyon has a texture approaching that of the average gabbro. 

Petrographica1ly these dike rocks have the typical structure and mineral 

composition of diabase. One specimen, from a dike 18 inches wide cutting both 

g-abbro and granite, contains, in addition to labradorite, augite, and magnetite, a 

considerable amount of a brownish-yellow mineral which is evidently an alteration product, but which possesses the optical characters of serpentine, and was 

probably derived from olivine, as outlines of olivine crystals are still to be made 

out. The ophitic structure of the rock is emphasized by this mineral, for it 

partly surrounds the laths of labradorite after the manner of the augite. 

A number of diabase dikes were noted intruding the granite-porphyry of the 

Blue· Creek Canyon area near the Cambrian contact, and pebbles, both of graniteporphyry and of diabase, make conglomerate beds in the .Reagan formation, which 

is the oldest dimentary deposit of the region, bei?g middle Cambrian in age. 

Thus all the evidence of the age of the igneous rocks so far obtainable indicates 

that they are older than middle Cambrian, and, since granites form only at considerable depths or under great pressure, the inference is that they are much 

older than middle Cambrian. 

QUARTZ-MONZONITE. 

Certain rocks occurring in association with granite-porphyry., granite, or 

gabbro, and in the field considered to be phases of these rocks, on microscopic 

study were found to be quartz-monzonite. The rock associated with graniteporphyry was found at the western bank of Medicine Creek, in the NW. t 

sec. 35, T. 3 N., R. 12 W. It is dense, rather fine grained, porphyritic, deep 

red in color, and pas a general physical resemblance to much of the graniteporphyry of the region. Near the center of sec. 25, T. 3 N., R. 14 W., a 

granular gra}T rock was found in the wall of a narrow mineralized zone in which 

galena is disseminated in small quantity. The country rock here is the ordin~ry 

granite of the region, and the specimen collected was considered to be a 

phase of the same. Two specimens of finely granular gray rock, were obtained 

near the center of sec. 13 and in the NW. i sec. 17, T. 4 N., R. 17 W. They 

occur in the large gabbro area· of the Raggedy Mountains and near granitic 

intrusions, which cut also the ordinary coarsely crystalline gabbro. The specimens of finely granular rock are all more or less decomposed, so that exact 

determinations were not possible. 

The predominant constituents of the monzonite are orthoclase and some 

plagioclase feldspar, which is difficult to determine on account of its decomposed 

condition. ln a few catles th~re is an indication of oligoclase, and in one the 

7800-No. 31-04-5 
66 GEOLOGY Ol!' THE AR;BUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

plagioclase seemed to be as basic as labradorite. The relations of the two feldspars vary so mew hat, but orthoclase is generally slightly in excess. In all 

specimens quartz occurs, but never in great abundance. It is usually in the 

form of pegmatitic intergrowths with orthoclase. Hornblende and accessory 

biotite, though seldom fresh, are present in all the rocks, frequently in abundance. Accessory minerals are inconspicuous. 

QUARTZ VEINS OR DIKES. 

The large igneous masses above described contain here and there veins or 

dikes of white quartz. Probably the most extensive deposits of quartz occur Ill 

nearly east-west leads in the central part of the gabbro area of the Raggedy 

Mountain group. Quartz bands were noted by Dr. H. F. Bain in the granite of 

the Quana Mountains in the valley of the stream which flows south through sec. 

35, T. 3 N., R. 14 W. Quartz bands were found also in a small gabbro hill in 

the southeast corner of sec. 6, T. 4 N., R. 18 W., near a large granitic dike 

which cuts the gabbro in an east-west direction. Like the diabase dikes, the 

quartz bodies extend both across and in the direction of the trend of the Wichita 

Range. It has been reported by Doctor Bain a that some of the quartz veins are 

granular and contain mica, and that a large one cutting the granite-porphyry of 

the Carlton Mountains . at Medicine Bluff is intersected by a diabase dike. 

It has been shown that the granite-porphyry and the diabase dikes which 

intrude it were formed prior to m:iddle Cambrian time. The relations of quartz 

bodies and diabase dikes in the Carlton Mountains and the granular structure of 

the quartz suggest strongly that at least one of the quartz bodies is, a true dike 

and not ~ vein deposit. 

GRORUDITE. 

Two dikes of peculiar nature, cutting gabbro, were located, one in the SE. 

t sec. 4, T. 3 N., R. 15 W., and the other near the center of sec. 9 of the 

same township. The first is 4 to 6 inches thick- and cuts a large gabbro mass 

near the contact with the granite, toward · which it bears. The other is 18 inches 

to 2 feet thick and occurs in the same gabbro area, but at a point where the 

gabbro is less than one-fourth of a mile in width and is bounded on , each side 

by granite. . As in the first instance, the dike bears across the gabbro and toward 

the granite. In neither case, however, could the dikes be traced into or connected 

with the granite on account of the disintegrated and bowldery nature of the 

latter near the bases of the hills at the contact with the gabbro. While the 

general bearing of the larger dike is east-west, it appears to have been folded or 

distorted. It curves in different directions, and inclines at various angles, from 

nearly flat to a vertical position. 

a Geology of the Wichita Mountains: Bull. Geol. Soc. America, vol. 2, 1900, pp. 127-144. 


IGNEOUS ROCKS OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 67 

This dike rock is reddish to greenish gray, and granular in texture. Usually 

on each side near the contact it is coarsely crysta.Uine and resembles pegmatite 

in structure, while toward the center it becomes by degrees finely granular; and 

with the variation in structure there is a gradation from light to dark colors, 

giving the dike a rudely banded, vein-like appearance. · 

On microscopic examination it is found that a large amount of quartz and 

feldspar in irregular masses is penetrated by elongated crystals of a nearly black 

rngirite. There is a rapid transition between the coarse border and the interior, 

which is very fine textured and in which individual crystals can not be distinguished by the unaided eye. The prevailing color of the interior is dull green. 

Another portion in an intermediate position is a little less finely grained, and 

individual crystals can be made out in hand specimens. This has a slightly 

different composition from the rest, and the relation of the two is not clear. 

Under the micro~cope the rock is found to be composed of quartz, feldspar, 

and rngirite. The different occurrences show slight variation in the character 

of the feldspar, but the average is orthoclase and microperthite or microclinemicroperthite in nearly equal proportions, with albite and some anorthoclase. 

Quartz follows the feldspars in the importance of its occurrence. .A3Jgirite is 

abundant, and i~ fresh and typical in appearance. It occurs in crystals one-half 

to three-fourths of an inch long in the border zone, and in fine acicular needles 

or mesh-like aggregates surrounding the grains of feldspar and quartz in the 

interior of the dike. It has the appearance of having been developed later than 

the feldspars. As well as c_an be determined from a microscopic examination, 

the rock is practically the same as the grorudite described by Brogger. a 

A few specimens from different parts of the same dike would' probably have 

nearly the same chemical composition as the rock described, but the soda-rich 

pyroxene appears in 'Tery subordinate amounts and its place has been largely 

taken by arfvedsonite. In other details the rock is also different from the 

grorudite. Albite in irreg!llar laths is the most prominent feldspar, and with it 

is associated microperthite, but little or no orthoclase. Quartz is abundant, and 

the arfvedsonite, often intergrow~ with rngirite, is a most striking constituent. 

lEgirite is also found free from arfvedsonite, in needles and larger masses, but 

it is a distinctly subordinate mineral. 

SEDIMENTARY ROCKS. 

In the Wichita region and the Arbuckle Mountain region the formations 

below the '• Red Beds" agree in all essentials, both in lithologic characters 

and in a_ge, in so far as they are exposed, and ar'e of essentially the same thickness. 

a Zeitschr. fiir Kryst., vol. 16, 1890, pp. 65-69; Eruptivgest. d. Kristianiageb., I, Grorudit-Tinguait Serte, pp. 46--48, Kristiania, 1894. 
68 GEOLOGY OF THE .ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

Therefore the classification and the formation names employed for the Arbuckle 

regio:p. are used also for the Wichita Mountains. 

CAMBRIAN ROCKS. 

Reagan sandston~.-The Reagan sandstone is the lowest Cambrian formation 

in the Wichita region, and it rests on the eroded uneven surface of the granite 

porphyry, from which most of its materials have bee~ derived. The formation 

is known to outcrop in this region in but four areas. The largest of these 

lies on the northeastern side of the. large mass of porphyry east of Blue Creek 

Canyon and is beneath the thick section of Cambro-Ordovician limestone, which 

follows in regular stratigraphic succession. The other three areas are near the 

northwestern end of the group of limestone hills, 8 to 12 miles northwest of and 

-in the strike of the large area near Blue Creek Canyon. The same graniteporphyry either is exposed near by or is in contact beneath the Reagan sandstone 

and the Cambro-Ordovician limestones. Between these smaller outcrops of the 

Reagan sandstone, as wel.l as in many other places where the succe"eding limestone 

indicates that it should occur, the Reagan sandstone is concealed by the widespread ''Red Beds" deposits. In all the occurrences cited the Reagan sandstone 

dips in a northeasterly direction and is so aligned in strike as to show, without 

doubt, that it is continuous beneath the "Red Beds." 

In a part of the larger area east of Blue Creek Canyon the Reagan sand-

. stone is repeated in parallel belts by faulting. The fault approaches the stratified 

rocks in the porphyry from beneath the "Red Beds," bearing nearly due northwest. The down throw is toward the south west, giving sufficient displacement to 

bring the whole section of the Reagan sandstone against the belt of porphyry 

which occurs between the duplicate outcrops of the sandstone. The displacement 

due to faulting decreases toward the northwest and comes to an end near the 

northwest corner of sec. 1, T. 4 N., R. 13 V{. The normal dip of the rocks is 

toward the nc;>rtheast, varying from a few degrees to about 25°. Next to the 

fault on the southwest or downthrown side theee is a reverse dip, due · to the 

· upward flexing of the strata in the faulting, which is sufficient to produce a 

narrow synclinal fold a mile or mor~ in length, ending in a spoon-like form, with 

porphyry upon each side and beneath. The Reagan sandstone is softer than 

-either the porphyry beneath it or the succeeding Arbuckle limestone. In consequence it forms the base and northeast side of valleys, and forms bluffs and steep 

slopes in which the rocks ar;e admirably exposed. The section accompanying the 

map illustrates the relations and structure of the rocks, including the Reagan 

sandstone, across the northeast corner of T. 4 N., R. 13 W. Pl. VIII, A, is a 

view of the Reagan sandstone and associated rocks in the NE. i sec. 12, T. 4 

N., R. 13 W., looking northwest. The porphyry upon which the Reagan sand-
CAMBRIAN ROCKS OF THE WI CHIT A MOUNTAINS. 69 

stone rests is on the left, and the Arbuckle above the sandstone caps the mountain 

on the right. 

The Reagan sandstone is approximately 300 feet thick and is composed of 

hard and soft sandstone, grit, conglomerate, shales, and siliceous shell limestones. 

The section of the formation is essentially the same as in the western -end of the 

Arbuckle Mountains. In each case porphyry is beneath i't, and the limestone 

which overlies the Reagan is of the same nature and contains the same fossil 

fauna. ' In both localities the Reagan formation is made up of conglomerate composed of porphyry pebbles and included basic rocks, gritty light-brown to gray and 

greenish sandstones, greenish clay shales, and siliceous limestones, interstratified. 

The limy layers contain many species of Cambrian fossils, which were carefully 

collected, but which have not yet been thoroughly studied. The conglomerate 

occurs invariably near the base as local beds or lentils, while the calcareous sandstone and limestone beds are without exception in the upper part of the formation. 

From Blue Creek Canyon northwest toward Rainy M~mntain Mission the 

Reagan formation should occur, in the natural order of succession, beneath the 

"'Red Beds" plain, betwee~ the igneous rocks of the V\'ichita Mountain group and 

the limestone of the long ridges to the northeast. Southeastward of Blue Creek 

Canyon, beneath Fort Sill, and westward from Fort Sill, its stratigraphic position 

is between the porphyry of the Carlton Mountains and the limestone of the hills. 

These limestones are in the lower part of the Ordovician, and their· southward 

dips indicate that the Reagan sandstone is concealed unconformably beneath the 

'"Red Beds." The basal "Red Beds" grits outcropping at the eastern end of the 

Carlton Mountains resemble parts of the Reagan formation occurring east of 

Blue Creek Canyon. As the '• Red Beds" grit is composed of porphyry material, 

and is for the most part a .local beach deposit like the Cambrian sandstone, it is 

necessary to determine the relations of the individual beds to the succeeding 

strata in order to classify them. 

CAMBRO-ORDOVICIAN ROCKS. 

Arbuckle limestone.-Above the Reagan formation m conformable succession 

Is a great limestone section essentially the same as . the Arbuckle formation in 

the Arbuckle Mountains, where the lower part, practically the lower third, was 

found to be Cambrian, and the upper two-thirds Ordovician in age. Near the 

ttansition zone, between the rocks of the two periods, very few fossils have 

been found, so that precise distinctions as to age can not be made at the present 

time. The same conditions of deposition seem to have occurred in the Wichita 

region as in the Arbuckles, and the rocks must be classified in the same manner. 

There seems to be no reason to doubt that the formation is continuous from one 

region to the other beneath ''Red Beds" deposits. 
• 

~'10 GEOLOGY Olf THE ARBUCKLE .AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

With the exception of three small areas near Rainy Mountain Mission, all 

the limestones found in the area mapped belong to the Arbuckle formation . 

There are certain thin limy strata in the "Red Beds" which do not resemble the 

older limestones and have not been mapped. The Arbuckle limestone is composed 

of a practically continuous succession of limestone beds, usually less that 5 feet 

in thickness and aggregating 4,000 to 6,000 feet. The individual beds vary from 

dense, fine- grained, white limestone to cream-colored dolomitic limestones interstratified with. slightly argillaceous ~nd siliceous lime beds, which are usually not 

so hard. Occasional cherty limestones, and more rarely thin beds of chert, occur. 

As a result of the variable hardness of the beds, the more resistant ojes have a 

relief which rarely exceeds 5 or 6 feet. A complete section of the formation is not 

exposed in the region. The thickest exposure found is northeast of Blue Creek 

Canyon, where the rocks outcrop in regular succession from the base upward 

for nearly 3 miles. The dip is approximately 20° NE., and approximately 4,000 

feet of this limestone are exposed. It is estimated that the same thickness is 

exposed in the long arm of limestone hills outcropping northwestward from Blue 

Creek Canyon. Neither the top nor the base of the 'limestone, has been found 

in the hills west of Blue Creek Canyon. The lowest limestones exposed beneath 

the "Red Beds" at the southwestern side, however, are near the base and those 

of the northeastern side are toward the top. 

The elongated limestone hills at· the northeastern part of T. 5 N., R. 15 W., 

and in the southwestern portion of. T. 6 N., R. 15 W ., belong most likely below 

the middle of the section, as determined by the abundant fossil remains and by 

the position in the strike of the central part of the section exposed in the large 

limestone mass toward the southeast. Likewise the limestones occurring at the 

quarries southeast of Fort Sill, south of Signal Mountain, and farther west at 

the eastern end of the Quana Mountains, belong below the middle of the Arbuckle 

formation. The limestone in the hills south of Signal Mountain and farther west 

yields an abundant fauna of upper Cambrian and lower Ordovician age, closely 

related to that of the quarries at Fort Sill and of the limestone hills 3 to 6 

miles southeast of Rainy Mountain Mission. The Arbuckle limestone north and 

east of the porphyry in T. 6 N., R. 14 W., is in the lower and middle part of 

the formation and belongs to · the Cambrian and ·lower Ordovician parts of the 

section. 

ORDOVICIAN ROCKS. 

In the Arbuckle Mountains there is a formation 1,500 to 1,800 feet thick, 

composed of limestone, shale, and sandstone, known as the Simpson formation, 

which occurs between the Arbuckle and Viola limestones. The rocks of this 

formation are for the most part softer than the contiguous limestone upon each 
.. 

ORDOVICIAN ROOKS OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 71 

side, and are therefore more easily degraded and usually fm~m low ·lands or 

valleys. J n the "\Vichita region this formation, if, it occurs, is entirely concealed 

by the "Red Beds" deposits which surround the Arbuckle and Viola l~mestone 

exposures. As far as can be determined from the exposures of the rocks which 

elsewhere occur above and below it, the Simpson formation, if the "Red Beds" 

were removed, would outcrop in an area extending northwestward from the north 

end of Blue Creek Canyon, passing just south of the porphyry areas in T. 6 N., 

R. 14 W., and the three Viola limestone hills south of Rainy Mountain Mission, 

in an area east of the group of limestone hills bearing northwestward from the 

vicinity of Richards switch; and in an area south of the isolated limestone hills west 

of Fort Sill. These references as to location are given because ~long the streams 

in some of these areas the "Red Beds" may hav:e been eroded to a sufficient 

depth to expose the Simpson formation. 

Viola limestone.-This formation, which occurs in full exposures throughout 

the Arbuckle Mountain region, is found here in three isolated areas, which form 

small rounded hills rising from the level of the ''Red Beds" plain in the vicinity 

of Rainy Mountain Missi~n. They are in alignment, and extend northwest-southeast, in the general strike of the limestones of this region. The thickness of the 

formation, where it is known in the Arbuckle region, is 500 to 700 feet; but 

in the Wichita . region only 200 to 300 feet of the middle portio? are exposed. 

The formation is composed entirely of limestones, with occasional thin lentil-like 

bands and nodules of chert. Its lithologic character, including the chert, and the 

abundant Ordovician fauna, are practically the same here as in the Arbuckle Mountain country. .According· to its position in the section this limestone should occur 

beneath the "Red Beds" northeast of the group of limestone hills bearing northwestward from the vicinity of Richards, and also south of the eastern end of 

the Arbuckle limestone south and southwest of Fort Sill. The Viola formation 

is thinner and more easily eroded than the Arbuckle limestone, and as a result 

has been generally worn down to lower levels and concealed by the "Red Beds" 

deposits. Most likely it will not be found in the region beyond the limited areas 

near Rainy Mountain Mission. 

In the Arbuckle Mountains the Viola limestone is succeeded by a soft, greenish shale formation termed the Sylvan shale. This is at the base of the Silurian, 

and is followed in turn by the Hunton limestone, which reaches to the Devonian. 

Above the Silurian is Devonian chert, which is succeeded by a very thick section 

of Carboniferous rocks. In t~e Wichita region all these rocks, so far as known, 

are concealed by "Red Beds" deposits. So far as can be judged from the 

structure of the "'.,.ichita uplift, the Silurian, Devonian, and Carboniferous rocks 

shouid occur successively farther away from the axial part of the range beyond 

the outcrop of the Ordovician strata. 
• 

72 \ 

GEOLOGY OF THE .ARBUCKLE .AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

CARBONIFEROUS ROCKS. 

PERMIAN. 

"lied Beds."-In discussing the stratigraphy of the Arbuckle Mountaim: it 

has been stated that the "Red Beds" lap across the western end of the Arbuckle 

uplift unconformably, concealing the westward continuation of the folded strata, 

i:r;J.Cluding Ordovician, Devonian, and Carboniferous rocks. From the western end 

of the Arbuckle uplift these "Red Beds" deposits are continuous westward to 

and around the Wichita Mountaiml, also northwestward into northern Oklahoma 

and Kansas, apd southwestward into Texas. 

From the Arbuckle Mountains westward, midway to the Wichita Mountains, 

the "Red Beds" dip slightly (less than 5°) toward the west. Still farther west, 

to and around the Wichita Mountains, the rocks are practically flat. In and near 

the Wichita Mountains the "Red Beds" have local variable but low dips away 

from the mountains, which were the old Permian land areas. These local structures are considered to be due to deposition of the sediments upon the sloping 

near-shore sea bottom rather than to post-Permian orogenic movements. 

In the earlier part of the season of 1901 and at other times Dr .. George I. 

Adams made some stratigraphic investigations coneerning the age of the "Red 

Beds" in northwestern Indian Territory and eastern Oklahoma north of Canadian 

River. He observed a that the red color transgressed the strata diagonally from 

the upper part of the Pennsylvanian into the Permian. No indications of unconformity between the Pennsylvanian and Permian, or between other stratigraphic 

horizons_, were noted by Doctor Adams. I£ there is no unconformity at the base of 

the ''Red Beds" north of Canadian River, and if Doctor Adams's observations 

concerning the color of the strata are correct, the stratigraphic unconformity of the 

"Red Beds" across the Arbuckle uplift is local, though the uplift was profound 

and the erosion great from the beginning of the uplift through a large part of 

" Red Beds" time. 

In this discussion no attempt wil~ be made to distinguish by names or classify 

the various deposits which make the '"Red Beds" except as to order of succession, 

since they were studied only across the western end of the Arbuckle uplift, along 

the section between the Arbuckle ·and Wichita Mountain region_s, and in proximity 

to the pre-Permian rocks of the Wichitas, and since no fossils, except a few small 

fragments of bones which were not· deterrnjnable, were found in them. The base 

of the "Red Beds" was traced across the upturned and eroded beds of Ordovician, 

Silurian~ Devonian, and Carboniferous strata from the northern side of the 

Arbuckle Mountains southward nearly 30 miles. The "Red Beds" were observed 

to dip westward regularly at low angles. It ~as been explained that in the 

a The Carboniferous and Permian age of the Red Beds of eastern Oklahoma from stratigraphic evidence: Am. Jour. 

·sci., 4th ser., vol. 12, 1901, pp. 383-386. 
CARBONIFEROUS ROOKS OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 73 

Arbuckle Mountain region the older rocks above the Cambrian dip steeply and 

at various angles toward both the north and the south, with strikes generally northwest and southeast. 

In the section from the Arbuckle :Mountains westward the "Red Beds" are 

naturally divided into three members, formations, or divisions, the extent of 

which toward the north and south has not been <letermined. The basal member, 

resting upon the upturned and eroded older rocks, varies in composition along 

the strike according to the character of the older rocks in the vicinity from which 

it was in large part derived. At the western end of the axial portion of the 

Arbuckle uplift, where limestone~ appear in contact with the "'Red Beds," the 

basal conglomerate is composed chiefly of limestone pebbles derived directly from 

the degrad~d older Paleozoic rocks. These limestone conglomerates are interstratified with grits, greenish and red shales, and siliceous fragmental limestones, or 

fine limestone conglomerates, which have a total thickness of probably 200 feet. 

South of the axial portion of the Arbuckle uplift, where the "Red Beds" 

approach outcrops of Devonian chert and Carboniferous s~ndstone, the basal 

·member is composed chiefly of cherty conglomerates interstratified with the 

greenish and reddish clays and soft sandstones. Still farther south, where the 

basal member rests onlr upon the Coal Measures sandstones and shales it is 

composed chiefly of soft sandstones and shales, with a minor amount of conglomm·ate. Above Carboniferous rocks these sandstones and shales of the "Red 

Beds" usually contain less red color than above the limestones and shales of the 

Ordovician and Silurian. As these coarse strata near the base of the " Red 

Beds " are followed westward they are found to continue for several miles before 

disappearing beneath higher sediments. In their extention westward the conglomerate element is found to decrease, the limestone conglomerates giving place 

to argillaceous tough limestone beds associated with the same green and red 

shales, grits, and soft sandstones~ 

Succeeding the basal conglomerate series are . extensive deposits of friable 

sandstones dipping very slightly toward the west. The outcrop is about 10 

miles wide, extending westward from near the western line of the Ardmore quadrangle to the vicinity of Velma. These sandstones contain local deposits of grit 

and fine conglomerate composed chiefly of foreign quartzitic material consisting 

of smooth white, red, and biackish pebbles. This sandy formation is so friable 

that it breaks down readily and forms deep sandy soil, so that fresh exposures 

of the rocks are of rare occurrence. The main topographic features of this sandstone are low rounded hills and generally wide smooth valleys, which are covered 

by a sparse growth of scrubby oak timber with thick scrubby underbrush or shin 

oak. In places the sandstone and grit is indurated and occurs n,t the surface in 

large rounded bowlders which weather usually to a brick-red color. The thick-
\ I 

74 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 1 

" ness of these sandy deposits can only be estimated, since so few exposures of the 

rock occur that dips can not be determined. It is probable, however, that it does 

not exceed 200 feet. 

Above the sandy member and continuing from the vicinity of Velma west- -

ward to the Wichita Mountains are deposits of bluish, greenish, and red shales~ 

with some grit, thin cross-bedded sandstone, and siliceous limestone. The shales 

predominate over the other associated deposits to such an extent as to give the 

topographic appearance and general character of a clay formation. From Velma 

to Fort Sill the surface is generally smooth and occupied by prairie except in the 

immediate valleys of the larger streams. Here and there are low buttes and 

terraces capped by thin sandstone and limestone beds which are interbedded 

with the shales. So far as observations could be made, these shale beds are 

practically flat. 

Near Fort Sill the sediments-undergo certain changes due to their proximity 

to the Wichita Mountains, which were land masses during a great part if not all 

of the . time in which the "Red Beds" were deposited . . In the east side of Cache 

Creek Valley, southeast of Fort Sill, 60 to 100 feet of the "Red Beds" are exposed · 

in the bluffs, deep gullies, and slopes. Here , the deposits consist of red and 

greenish clays, thin strata of grit and fine conglomerat~, and argillaceous limestone. The greenish and red clays in part contain numerous calcareous nodular 

concretions, which seem to owe their origin, to 'a certain extent at least, to the 

segregation of the calcareous matter in the clays during their disintegration. 

The fresher exposures of the rocks seem to contain fewer of these concretions than · 

appear in the weathered surfaces. Other exposures occur along the eastern side 

of Cache Creek Valley east and northeast of Fort Sill. On ascending Medicine 

Cree~ from its mouth, toward Carlton Mountains, one finds that the conglomerate and sandy beds become more pronounced, many layers being composed of 

coarse igneous material in a matrix of grit and sand and interstratified with blue 

clays. Naturally the coarser and more durable beds are best exposed and little can 

be seen of the clay deposits. At the eastern end of Carlton Mountains, immediately 

west of the Rifle Range, these conglomerate beds rise at low angles and come in 

contact with the porphyry. From round and subangular pebbles the material 

changes westward to angular breccia in the contact with the porphyry. Pl. VIII, 

B, illustrates the contact phenomena in a small gulch entering Medicine Greek 

at the extreme eastern end of the Carlton Mountains. In the bluff above and 

upon . the east side of the gulch shaly and gritty beds succeed the contact 

breccia and conglomerate. Wherever the stratified rocks are exposed near the 

porphyry masses the conglomerate beds are found to be composed chiefly of 

porphyry materials, though granite bowlders and pebbles are found. Excellent 

exposures of the conglomerate and grit occur in the deep gullies between the 
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 31 PL. VIII 

A . CAMBRIAN SANDSTONE ON GRAN ITE-PORPHYRY EAST OF BLUE CREEK CANYON. 

B . " RED BEDS " CONGLOMERATE O N GRANITE-PORPH Y RY AT EAST END OF CARLTON 

MOUNTAINS. 

CARBONIFEROUS ROCKS OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 75 

two easternmost hills of the Ca~lton Mountains, south of Medicine Creek, and 

2 miles west of Fort Sill. Farther up Medicine Creek, south of Mount Cummins, 

the present stream is found to be located in an old valley which is still partially 

filled by the "Red Beds" conglomerate. Southeast of Mount Cummins the conglomerate is exposed in numerous places along the bluffs of the creek, and is 

noted to be composed chiefly of coarse granite conglomerate with occasional 

bowlders and pebbles of gabbro and diabase dike rocks, the latter of which is 

found penetrating the gabbro, granite, and porphyry. The mountains upon either 

side in this vicinity are composed of granite. T~e ?abbro occurs farther up 

the valley north of Mount Scott. 

It has been explained in discussing the geography that the plan and general 

configuration of the mountains and hills composed of the older rocks originated 

in Permian time. The contact of the later sediments with these old rocks 

represents or locates the shore line of the sea at certain stages in Permi'an time. 

Since the land masses at that time were not large the conglomerates and associated 

sediments laid down in contact with them are limited in area and represent 

materials degraded chiefly by the action of the waves upon the shores. North · 

of Medicine Bluff the porphyry conglomerate gives place to sediments of red 

clays in the plain, which farther north change to grits and then to coarse limestone conglomerates- in contact with Cambrian and Ordovician limestone. Farther 

northwest, 6 miles north of Mount Cummins, the composition of the contact 

conglomerate changes from limestone along the strike \of the beds to chiefly of 

porphyry against the porphyry hills. In Blue Creek Canyon 5 miles north of 

Mount Scott low hills of '"Red Beds" conglomerate composed of mixed limestone 

and porphyry materials are found in the old Permian valley. Similar conditions 

prevail in all the larger valleys in the limestone hills where the pre~ent streams 

are cutting into and removing the '' Red Beds" eonglomerates. In the resurrected 

Permian valley now occupied by a tributary of Cache Creek, which flows across 

T. 4 N., R. 12 W., the coarse limestone conglomerate is especially well exposed. 

All of the streams at the present time flowing from the mountains of the 

\V ichita region are small, and are not degrading the harder rocks with sufficient 

power to remove coarse materials. Upon entering the '' Red Beds" deposits the 

streams cut into and transport the conglomerate and associated sediments without 

depositing, as fans or overwash deposits, the fine materials brought down from the 

igneous and older stratified rocks. The tributaries of Medicine Creek flowing 

south from the limestone hills in T. 4 N., Rs. 13 and 14 vV., cut deeply into the 

conglomerate and ' expose the older Ordovician limestones, and make rough low 

hilly country at the border of the "' Red Beds" plain. In the plain between 

the Wichita Mountains and the limestone hills, and in the wide embayment of the 

'' Red Beds" deposits northwest of Blue Creek Canyon, the relations between 
76 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AN:O WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

the contact conglomerate and red-clay sediments are well shown. In the immediate 

valleys of the streams flowing south across and from the Quana Mountains the 

relations between the granite conglomerate and red sediments are the same as 

between the limestone conglomerates and red sediments above described. In some 

places especially noted, near Quanq, Parker's house, in the NE. ± sec. 2, T. 2 

N., R. 14 W., and in sec. 16, T. 3 N., R. 15 W., the granitic conglomerates occur 

in a matrix of red, calcareous, gritty clays. 

The gabbro of the Wichita region is a hard rock, but it is more easily disintegrated and degraded by erosive agents than either the granite or the porphyry. 

As a consequence the rocks of the gabbro areas were worn down to lower levels 

during the transgression of the Permian sea than were the granites and porphyries 

or even the harder limestones. On account of the nature of the gabbro rocks 

the contact sediments of the '' Red · Beds" are composed of finer materials. . Coarse 

gabbro conglomerates have not been found in the "'Red Beds." On the contrary, 

red c_lays interstratified with calcareous, slightly indurated, gritty beds of r~d color 

have been noted to occur in contact with the gabbro. .Such sediments were 

noted especially in the valley' of Otter Creek immediately north of the Upper 

Narrows; also in contact with the small gabbro hill on the banks of Red River 

in the southeast corner of sec. 6, T. 4 N., R. 1.8 W. Some of the coarser contact 

material from the gabbro is slightly angular, and the rock somewhat resembles 

a tuff. 

As the igneous· and limestone areas were reduce~ to small size, isolated and 

almost submerged during Permian time, no coarse materials were brought into 

the sea by stream erosion. In consequence the contact sediments of the '"Red 

Beds" in such cases were composed of disintegrated materials in situ. At the 

present time, therefore, fine sandy sediments of the "Red Beds" are in contact 

with the small igneous and limestone areas. They are usually surrounded by 

the. level pla~n, so that recent erosion of streams rarely exposes the sediments in 

contact with the older rocks. 

QUATERNARY ROCRS. 

Pleistocene(?) gravels.-ln relatively recent geologic times certain gravel and 

pebble deposits of quartz an·d quartzites were introduced into the. region of the 

Wichita Mountains and now occupy the hi~·h levels of certain divides as welL 

as terraces cut in the igneous rocks associated with some of the larger streams 

100 to 200 'feet above · the general level of the plains. These gravels are well 

rounded, smooth, and are composed of quartz and quartz1tic material of various 

colors, chiefly of light and dark shades. The gravels were noted especially on 

the diyide east of Fort Sill, near the east line of the present Apache Reservation. They occur simply. scattered upon the surface or as a very thin mantle. 
• 

. STRUC'rURE OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 77 

Gravels of similar nature . were noted _ also upon the ' granite mass at the north 

end of the Lowm: Narrows, about 6 miles northwest of Snyder. Gravels in this 

instance occur upon a terrace in the granite representing an old level of Otter 

Creek before cutting its present narrow and sharp channel. No original materials of the nature of these gravels have been fonnd in the region of the 

present drainage of Otter Creek, and their occurrence here indicates that they 

were introdu~;ed into the region by a system of dr~inage and under conditions 

not now in existence. 

· STRUCTURE OF THE WICHI A MOUNTAINS. 

The Wichita ' lVJountain range, except the group of . outlying ridges on the 

northeastern side and some low detached hil s on the southern side, near the 

eastern end, is composed entirely of igneous rocks. These igneous rocks are 

separated into more than 250 detached areas, a d form mountains and hills which 

range from closely connected groups of 150 squ re miles in area to isolated, sharp 

knobs which rise above the plains like islan s. The numerous small igneous 

mountains and hills in the western hal£ of thl range are especially broken and 

disconnected. All these groups and mountains are surrounded by the nearly 

horizontal ''Red Beds" deposits which extend f n all sides of the range for long 

distances. They conceal the rocks of the Wi hita Mountains to such a degree 

that no adequate conception can be had of e e extent of the Wichita uplift. 

The archipelago-like arrangement of the granite mountains and peaks in the plain 

leaves one to assume that only a small part o the igneous core of the Wichita 

uplift is now exposed. 

EVIDENCE OF DISTURBANCE IN T E IGNEOUS ROCKS. 

These igneous masses of the Wichita Moul tains possess certain general, yet 

pronounced, structural features. The granite I has been intruded ~hrough the 

gabbro in part at least, and spread out in 1 broad way upon it. Where the 

erosion of Permian and more recent times has uncovered the gabbro in what is 

now the generally level plain, the gabbro ar . as are found to be oriented in a 

direction approximately N. 60° to 70° W., ils lwould be the case if the gabbro 

had been arched in the axial part of an uplift. The larger area~ of gTanite, 

especially in the Wichita and Quana mountain groups, and also a great num her 

of the smaller ones, are found to be oriented m the same general northwestsoutheast direction. 

In the strike of the principal ridges and ines of peaks and hil1s there are • I 

marked zones of fracture or of major jointing. These lines of jointing are 

especially pronounced in the western part of t~ b Wichita group, south of Mount 
78 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

Baker. The same structures were also noted near the eastern end of this group, 

east of Mount Cummins, and in the porphyry of Carlton Mountains. In the 

western part 'of the range the major joints are generally nearly vertical, while in 

the eastern part they are inclined toward the south at an angle of 30° to · 40°. 

This inclined jointing is so marked in the eastmln end of the Carlton Mountains, 

and in the granite east of Mount. Cummins, that at a distance it resembles pronounced stratification. Such structures, causing variable weaknesses in the igneous 

rocks, were emphasized to a marked degree by agents of degradation before the 

present drainage system was established. Especially pronounced instances are 

found in the large resurrected Permian valley leading southeastward from Military Pass between the Wichita and Quana mountain groups. Other instances 

of less pronounced character occur in the southern part of the Wichitas, south of 

Mount Baker, where the ridges and valleys are oriented in the general strike of 

the range. These major structural lines would naturally be concealed to a greater 

extent in the large area of isolated mountains and hills making the western half 

of the range. Many of these mountains, however, and even some of the smaller 

ones; show pronounced major joints in zones of crushed rocks bearing in northwesterly directions. Such occur .in Elk Mountain and are especially marked in 

Twin Mountains. Aside from the major jointing, it will be observed by reference to the map that with a few exceptions these igneous mountains and even 

small hills ·have their longer axes arranged in directions generally northeast and _vvVl/?o southwest. This is doubtless due to the survival of the more resistant zones of 

the igneous mass parallel with the lines of weakness. Conspicuous jointing 

occurs in other directions than northwest and southeast, the most pronounced 

being north and south, across the trend of the range. 

FOLDING AND FAULTING OF THE STRATIFIED ROCKS. 

In the stratified rocks on the northeastern side and near the eastern end of 

the range the structures are more pronouncedand easily interpreted. These rocks 

occur in a small part of the Wichita Range, and, as explained above, are probably but a small part of the uplift. The Ordovician limestone, "vhich forms part 

of the thick Arbuckle formation, occurs upon the northern and southern sides of 

the Wichita 1\llountains near the eastern end, showing that this part of the range 

is anticlinal. On the southern side of the range, south and southwest of Signal 

Mountain, the remnants of the Arbuckle limestone occur in low hills dipping 

south and southwest. One-half mile southeast of Fort Sill the same limestones 

dip toward the southeast.. Beginning north of Fort Sill and extending northwestward to -Rainy Mountain Mission the whole Cambrian section and a large 

part of the Ordovician are exposed in a group of straggling, low mountains and 

hills. Local foldings occur in these limestone hills, and there are repetitions in 

the section due to faulting, but throughout the exposed section of 4,000 to 6,000 

• 
STRUCTURE OJ!' THE WIOHIT MOUNTAINS. 79 

feet the general direction of the dip is tow rd the northeast. This shows, ,- 1 

without doubt, that these separated limestone hips are parts . of the northern limb 

of a great anticlinal fold which encompassed kt least the eastern part of the 

Wichita Range. The diverging strikes of the r

1

ocks on each side of the eastern 

end of the range indicate that the uplift became broader and probably more 

elevated toward the northwest. ~ The Reagan sandstone, the lowest Cambri n formatio. n in the regton, lies 

upon the porphyry east of Blue Creek Can on and dips northeast. •· In the 

strike of these rocks toward the northwest thf same formation occurs in three 

small areas near the northwestern end of . the gl oup of hills, dipping in the same 

northeastern direction. Below it is the same kind of porphyry as at Blue Creek 

Canyon, and above it the limestone <,>ccurs, dip ing in order toward the north-

' east. Between these small areas, and separatin~ them from the larger limestone 

mass east of Blue Creek Canyon, the "Red Beds" conceal all the older strata. 

The regularity of the dip and strike of the neagan sandstone and succeeding 

limestones indicates, without much doubt, that they occur and continue without 

break beneath the '• Red Beds" deposits. 

Blue Oreek faults.-In the vicinity of Bl e Creek Canyon, about 7 miles 

:10rth oi Mount Scott, there are two lines of pr 1

onounced faulting. One of these 

faults follows the canyon and bears nearly N. 10° W., while the other is a mile 

east of the canyon and strikes N. 40° \\r. In , ach case the throw is downward 

and toward the southwest, and the di~placeme t of the c~nyon fault is greater. 

than the other. As a result of the drsplacemer ts due to these faults the porphyry mas::; has been elevated with respect to the stratified rocks on the northeastern and southwestern sides. The Blue Creer fault extend::; toward the northwest and separates 'the limestone and porphyqy areas upon the northeasi!_ from 

limestones· of the same character and age upon;,he southwest. Ex?epting along 

Blue Creek Canyon the extensive deposits of " ed Beds" conceal the fault contact. The limestones southwest of the porphyry belong to the same formations 

as those upon the northeast, and in each area 1\he dips are in the same general 

northeastward direction, exposing the limestone !section to/a thiekness of 4,000 to 

5, 000 feet. -

The lowest rocks exposed on the southwes ern side of this group of "lime- · 

stone hills are below the middle of the Arbuc, le formation and belong to the 

upper part of the Cambrian or the lower parJ of the Ordovician, the Reagan 

sandstones being here concealed by the '' Re.d eds," so that there is no positive 

connection, except as indicated by the structu e, between the igneous mass of 

the Wichitas and the limestones. The structur I section accompanying the map 

of the Wichita Mountains shows the successi n of stratified rocks and their 

relations to the igneous masses. 
80 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

AGE OF 'i'HE WICHITA MOUNTAIN UPLIFT. 

In the discussion of the stratigraphy it was shown that the igneous rocks of 

the region are pre-Cambrian. The succeeding Cambrian and Ordovician strata, 

representing approximately 6,000 feet of strata, bear no evidence that they were 

either folded or uplifted into land at any time during their deposition. . The 

rock section exposed in this region i~; an almost exact repetition, both in stratigraphy and in structure, of that of the Arbuckle Mountain uplift. As already 

explained, the Arbuckle uplift began near the middle and culminated near the 

close of Pennsylvanian time, previous to the deposition of the '"Red Beds," 

,which occur now undisturbed between the Arbuckle and Wichita mountains. It 

has been shown that there is no record to indicate that the rocks of the vVichita 

Mountain region were disturbed during the deposition of the Cambrian or 

Ordovician rocks, nor since the formation of the •' Red Beds;" therefore the 

deformation of the rocks occurred between Ordovician and Permian time. The 

Arbuckle and Wichita mountains occur near. together, have the same general 

form of uplift and structural trends, and show identical stratigraphic sections 

and igneous cores of similar character and age, which are good reasons for supposing that their uplifting and folding occurred during the latter part of the · 

Carboniferous period. Moreover, since these uplifts are in alignment it is natural to presume that they belong to the same uplift, being separated by deposits 

which were laid down since the folding occurred. 

NOTES ON THE OCCURRENCE OF ORE DEPOSITS IN THE WICHITA 

MOUNTAINS. 

With two 'exceptions, which include the gabbro, the oldest igneous rock, and 

a local and very limited dike of grorudite in the gabbro, all the igneous rocks 

as well as the quartz veins or dikes of the Wichita Mountains are duplicated in 

the Arbuckle region. The texture of the granites varies in an unimportant degree, 

but the granite-porphyries, aporhyolites, diabase, and quartz are essentially 

identical in the two regions. Moreover, they have the same age relations, and all, 

with the possible exception of some of the quartz, are, without any reasonable 

doub~, of pre-Cambrian origin. 

When the writer made a survey of the \Vichita region in 1901, the lands of the 

Kiowa and Comanche reservations which include it had just been opened to settlers. 

Practically every dike and igneous rock where it came in contact with another 

showing contrast in texture or color had been prospected, besides Permian "Red 

Beds" and Cambrian sandstone and limestone. The light-colored granite or aplite 

dikes in the gabbro and the points of intersection of such dikes with the diabase 

dikes, also the quartz bodies and grorudite dike, proved especially attractive to 
REPORTED ORE DEPOSITS IN THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. ~I 

81 

the prospector, and it was easy enough to get f vorable reports of the' occurrence 

of gold and silver in samples submitted to som assayers. 

As in the Arbuckle region, the contact phenomena between the various cl~sses 

of igneous rocks, including the dikes, seen by ti e writer, gave no encouragement 

to a belief that mineral deposits of value could be found. It is possible, though 

not considered probable, that the precious meta s or their ores may occur in small 

quantities as original constituents in these igneous rocks. 

Following the settlement oJ' the lands of 5~ Wichita region in the spring of 

1902, prospecting for the precious metals becaje more aggressive; the occurrence _ 

of rich ores of gold and silver were reported, and at some places mining operations were begun. These activities resulted in civil disturbance~ between prospectors and homestead owners and made nece ·sary a thorough investigation of 

the reported ore deposits. The appended repo t of Doctor Bain is conclusive as 

to the occurrence of ore deposits of any value in the Wichita :Mountains. 

7800-No. 31-04-6 
REPORTED ORE J)EPOSITS OF THE vVIOHITA MOUNTAINS. 

By H. FosTER BArN. 

INTRODUCTION •. 

For many years rumors of the occurrence of gold and other ores in the 

mountains have been rife, and even previous to the opening of the country to 

settlement considerable prospecting had been done. When the reservation was 

thrown open to settlement many mining claims were staked _ out, and repeated 

announcement of the discovery of ore has stimulated prospecting throughout a 

wide territory. Local assayers have constantly reported gold and silver values, 

and occasionally assayers outside the district have found values in ores from 

these mountain8, or r~ported to be from them. On the basis of these reports a 

large number of people have located in the territory and attempted its development. There have been numerous conflicts as to title, and much litigation has 

arisen. 

The Wichita Mountains have been visited hy a number of geologists, but in 

all cases their investigations were eithm: hurried reconnaissances or were directed 

to general problems of geology rather than the study of the reported ores. 

Under- the circumstances it was thought advisable to make a special investigation 

of the ores, and this was accordingly done by the author in the month of 

October, 1903. 

The important mining camps in the area extending from Lawton to Lugart 

were visited and samples were taken from the leading mines in each camp. In 

every instance the effort was made to get samples from the prospects upon which 

the most work had been done, or where the most encouraging results were reported. 

It was felt that if even some of these prospects had a demonstrable value, 

others might reasonably be considered as worthy of further effort, but that if the 

best prospects had no value, the less encouraging ones were not likely to 

yield any pro-fit. 

MODE OF OCCURRENCE. 

The geology of the region has already been discussed in considerable detail 

by Mr. Taff. It is sufficient for present purposes to recall the fact that the 

82 
l 

REPORTED ORE DE:{JOSITS OF THE WIOHITA MOUNTAINS 83 

mountains consist of a core of crystalline rocks, including granite, a gabbro, 

granite-porphyry, and certain diabase dikes, the whole partially encircled by a 

fringe of Paleozoic limestones. The gabbro and the granite-porphyry at least 

are pre-Cambrian. The granite and the dikes, which include certain rare and 

petrographically interesting types, are eruptive through the older crystallines. 

Prospecting has been confined in general to the area of crystalline rocks. 

Within that area it was found that rocks in five modes of occurrence were being 

prospected: (1) Certain well-defined quartz veins which cut both granite and 

gabbro. (2) Diabase dikes which apparently cut indiscriminately all other igneous 

rocks. (3) Contact of the granite and gabbro, particularly where, as often ~appens, the granite sends off into the gabbro long apophyses, or dikes, usl).ally 

assuming an aplitic phase. (4) .Disintegration products of the gabbro. (5) Along 

simple shear zones in the granite. 

It will be at once apparent that, of the classes of occurrences above enumerated, some were of the sort which, in view of the relations of the rocks, might 

well be expected to warrant prospecting. For example, quartz veins very commonly carry gold and other metals in sufficient amount to make the material an 

ore, though it is also true that many of the ~argest and best-defined quartz veins 

known carry either no values or such low o_nes as to preclude the working of 

the vein. Shear zones in granite, on the other hand, very seldom have been found 

to carry ore, and then only in the immediate neighborhood of well-recognized 

ore bodies of other types and of considerable richness. Since, however, the 

miners reported assays to show values in all the sorts of occurrence noted above, 

samples were taken from both probable and improbable occurrences;. and in many 

cases, as noted below, where no reason was seen for suspecting the presence of 

any values, the owner or person in charge was in vi ted to select samples of what he 

considered his richest material. In all cases where the workings were accessible 

samples were carefully taken across the entire vein. Occasionally these were taken 

in duplicate, and usually, with hand specimens of the wall rock, specimens of any 

horses present, etc., so that the occurrence of the ore might, if necessary, be 

studied in detail. Having in mind the disappointment which has so often come 

from incomplete or inaccurate sampling, the utmost care was taken to get fair 

samples of the material which, in case mining was carried on, would be shipped. 

As already suggested, where any bias was introduced it was in the direction 

favorable to the miner, and arose from taking picked samples of the better grade 

rather than average samples of the vein. Whenever possible, with reasonable 

a In an earlier reconnaissance trip through the Wichita Mountains, made in 1899, the author studied this granite, 

and found, as he thought, sufficient evidence for considering it eruptive and post-Ordovician in age. (Bull. Geol. Soc. 

America, vol. 11, pp. 127-144.) Mr. Taff's fuller studies lead him to believe that the rock is pre-Cambrian. The author 

believes that the matter is still open to reasonable doubt, but with present knowledge is quite disposed to accept :M:r. 

Taff's determination as probably correct. · 
84 GEOLOGY Oli' THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHri'A MOUNTAINS. 

expenditure of time, the owner or his representative was invited to be present 

while the samples were being collected. All the usual precautions were taken to 

prevent possible mixing or salting of samples, and each package was personally 

opened and identified by the author in the Survey laboratory. In all, over 300 

pounds of samples were taken, and 71 assays were made, as detailed below, without in any case showing gold. 

LIST OF SAMPLES. 

MARY MACLANE MINE. 

The Mary Maclane mine is near Meers, a small mining camp on the north of Mount Sheridan. It represents apparently a basic dike cutting through the gabbro. This mine was full of 

water, and it was impossible to collect any other than the dump sample; 

W-1. ·Sample of vein material collected from dump. 

GOLD BLOSSOM MINE. 

The Gold Blossom mine is located in the NW. !- sec. 11, T. 3 N., R. 13 W. It is known 

occasionally as the Campbell mine. The workings include a shaft about 65 feet deep, with a tunnel at the bottom driven west a reported distance of 30 feet. As the lower tunnel was full of 

water it was impossible to collect samples of the vein, except in the short drift about 40 feet below 

the surface. In the case of each sample the surface was first picked clean and then material was 

chipped from the whole exposure of the rock. The material thus obtained was quartered down 

to about 5 pounds weight. 

W-2. The sample represents an average across a streak of granitic material cutting the gabbrO--

country rock. It lies next to a north-south dike of some basic rock from which the next sample 

was taken. 

W-3. Sample of basic dike from crosscut noted above. 

BUCKHORN MINE. 

The Buckhorn mine, in sec. 2, T. 3 N., R. 13 W., shows the usual gabbro country rock cut by 

a thin sheet or dike of an acid rock, probably related to the granite which forms the main mass 

of Mount Scott. In the gabbro near the contact with the acid dike are small crystals of pyrites 

and chalcopyrite. As the mine was full of water it was impossible to collect samples from the 

face of the workings, and a picked sample was accordingly taken from the best material found 

on the dump. 

W-6. Picked sample of pyrite- and chalcopyrite-bearing rock from the Buckhorn dump. 

ROSEDALE MINE. 

The Rosedale mine is located in sec. 3, T. 3 N., R. 13 W., and the material being worked 

represents the clays formed by the distintegration of the gabbro country rock. This material is 

known locally as a volcanic ash, but has nothing to warrant the designation, as it is simply 

residual material. 

W -8. Average sample from stock pile at Rosedale mine. 

THREE BOYS CLAIM. 

This claim is in sec. 33, T. 4 N., R. 13 W., immediately east of Meers post-office, on a dike of 

fine-grained dark greenstone about 3 feet thick, cutting through the ordinary gabbro plain. There 

are three small shafts along this dike, and assay values have been reported from all of them. 

W-10. An average sample of the material of the dike rock, Three Boys claim. 
REPORTED ORE DEPOSITS OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 85 

KECK BROTHERS MINE. 

This mine is situated near the Three Boys claim, on a cross dike. It shows on the dump 

shattered greenstone material cemented somewhat by calcite. There is also present a darker, 

bronze-colored rock which is said to carry values. 

W-11. Greenstone recemented by calcite. 

W-12. Bronze-colored dike rock. 

WILLIE HINTON MINE. 

This mine is near the Keck Brothers 'mine, and is somewhat similar. 

W-14. Sample of best appearing ore. 

BLACK LODE. 

This mine is situated in sec. 34, T. 4 N., R. 13 W. Apparently a big boss of granite in the 

gabbro country rock. 

W-15. An average sample across the face of the granite exposure. 

GEORGE WASHINGTON CLAIM. 

This claim is located in a saddle on Mount Sheridan. The general country rock is the 

normal red granite of the region. In the saddle is a dark, coarse-grained gabbro, which is itself 

said to carry values. It is somewhat cracked and jointed and carries a small amount of quartz 

in the seams. It is cui; by a dike of diabase about 12 inches thick, along the edges of which 

there has been some contact metamorphism, with the development of a red facies. At one point 

on this contact is a small vug, which, on careful examination, proved to be entirely calcite. This 

was pointed out as the rock from which was broken a beautiful specimen of white quartz showing 

leaf gold. Samples 16, 18, and 19 are from this claim. 

W-16. Average sample of coarse-grained rock. 

W-18. Sample of contact facies of dike rock. 

W-19. Sample of calcite from the vug mentioned above. 

MAUD S MINE. 

This mine is located in the gabbro plain, immediately south of Meers post-office. 

vV -20. Micaceous dike rock. 

SRA WNEE MINING COMPANY. 

The Shawnee Mining Company has a large group of claims located about ll to 2 miles south 

of Meers. These include the Lost Lead, Joe Dandy, Teddy, the Compton, Big Four, . and several 

others. They have been under development for some time, and at the Lost Lead there is a shaft 

72 feet deep, well timbered, and fully equipped with ,·all necessary machinery for sinking and 

general development work. The other mines show prospecting shafts of various slight depths. 

The claims are located within the gabbro plain, upon various dikes whieh cut through thE;l gabbro. 

W - 21. Average sample across the east wall of the Lost Lead at the bottom of the shaft. 

W-22. Average sample across the Lost Lead from the west wall at the bottom of the shaft. 

W -23. Average sample across the east wall of the Lost Lead about 15 feet above the bottom 

{)t the shaft. 

W-24. Joe Dandy. Sample of be3t material, picked from dump by Dr. S. I. Hardin, manager 

gf the property. 
86 GEOLOGY OF THE .ARBUCKLE .AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

W -25. Teddy mine. Sample of best material, picked from dump as above. 

W -26. Bismuth mine. Sample of best material, picked from wall of lead by Doctor Hardin. 

Thi~ material has been reported to carry bismuth, but up~n examination in the laboratory fails 

to show any metallic element. 

W-27. Big Four mine. Sample of best material, picked from dump by Doctor Hardin. 

W-30. John A. Logan mine, of the Madison Creek Mining Company, near the Shawnee mines. 

Sample from the wall, showing small quantity of molybdenite. Apparently not much material is 

present, although it is possible that additional work might develop more. 

CACHE MINING AND REDUCTION COMPANY, MONTE CRISTO MINE. 

This mine is situated in Nw·. t sec. 18, T. 2 N., R. 13 W. At this point there are three small 

shafts located in the midst of the red granite country rock. The granite is at this point cut by 

joints and seams, but not noticeably more so than at many other points in the district. Very 

small quantities of common pyrite can be found by careful examination. The samples were taken 

under the direction of the superintendent, and from places which he pointed out as representing 

the best ore. 

W -32. Sample across the south wall at the bottom of the shaft, including about 4 feet in 

width and showing only the normal granite. 

W -33. Sample of soft gouge about 3 inches wide occurring in the southwest corner of the 

-shaft. 

W -34. Gouge from the cracked granite, about 5 inches thick, in th~ northwest corner of the 

shaft, sampled about 4 feet from the bottom. 

W-35. Sample picked from the dump as representing the best ore . from the mine. 

FLORENCE MINE AT CRATERVILLE. 

This mine, which is equipped with a small whim and whose shaft is said to be 100 feet deep, 

is located upon a greenstone dike cutting across the normal granite country rock. The shaft was 

partly full of water, and it was impossible to collect samples from the bottom. A sample was 

taken from the material found in the shaft house and reported by the superintendent to represent 

<>re from the bottom of the shaft. It shows small stringers of quartz with a total thickness of 

perhaps 21- inches. This material is reported to have assayed irregularly, but to have occasionally 

given rather high values. 

W -39. Sample of vein material from the Florence, as above noted. 

ALBERTA MINING COMPANY. 

This mine is situated a short distance northwest of Craterville. The claim is located upon 

the greenstone dike cutting through the granite, and itself cut by some small veins of quartz 

having a maximum thickness of th.:ee-eighths of an inch. 

W-40. Sample across the vein at the bottom of prospecting shaft. 

PARKER MINE. 

This mine is located not far from the edge of the granite area lying north of Quana Parker's, 

in the granite country. There is no evidence of a vein. The granite shows small pieces of 

chalcopyrite sprinkled through the rock, but not in quantity. 

W-41. Sample of picked material from dump showing the most chalcopyrite. The assay of 

this sample gave 0.14 ounce silver to the ton, an amount not commercially important. 
REPORTED ORE DEPOSITS OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 87 

LEAD LODE. 

• This claim is in sec. 22, T. 3 N., R. 14 W. It is located on a granitic dike cutting across 

the gabbro. The sample was taken from the bottom of an assessment hole, at a depth of 10 

feet. This material from the same point is said to have yielded $8 in gold upon assay. 

W-42. Sample across the vein as above. 

GEM ·MINE. 

i 

This mine is located in sec. 16, T. 3 N., R. 14_,.. W. The working is located upon a greenstone dike, 4! feet across, sheeted and cemented with white quartz, and itself cutting through the 

normal granite country rock. 

W -43. Sample from across the vein on the west wall at the bottdm of the shaft. 

DIAMOND MINE. 

This mine is about 300 feet east of the Gem, and supposed to be located on the same vein. 

At this point it shows a noticeable development of quartz on both foot and hanging walls. 

W-44. Sample of foot-wall quartz streak, average wid~h 6 inches. 

W -45. Sample near hanging wall, shattered greenstone including one streak of quartz. 

CLARK AND BENNETT MINE. 

This is also known as the Galena mine. It is located a short distance northwest of the Gem 

and Diamond mines, and shows a greenstone dike about 2! feet thick cutting through the red 

granite. This dike has been faulted and considerably broken up. There has been a development 

of white quartz in the interstices of the broken rock. Accompanying the quartz is galena and 

some chalcopyrite. The sample taken from here (W-48) was from the dump and represented 

the best materjal which could be found. It showed on assay, as noted below, no gold, 0.92 

ounce of silver, and 3.63 per cent of lead. The silver value 'is"'uniinportant. The lead is . not 

enough to give the material rank as an ore. In its present form and in order to make mining 

pay, it would be necessary to erect concentrating machinery and produce an ore carrying a larger 

amount of lead. The development work so far accomplished does not show enough lead to 

warrant this, and while the matter is one- of personal opinion, it is not believed that further 

development work would give any better results. 

LITTLE BAR MINE OF THE BIG FOUR COMPANY. 

This mine is located a short distance east of Oriana. It has attracted a great deal of attention. 

It was from it that a carload of ore is said to have been taken and shipped to Denver for sale to 

Beam & Co. It is reported that this shipment gave a net return of $11.87 per ton. The mine as 

now developed shows a shaft about 40 feet deep, located on a greenstone dike running through 

the normal granite country rock. There are no quartz stringers or other signs of mineralization 

except a very small amount of pyrite along certain fault planes. The dike is 4 to 5 feet wide, 

varying slightly at different points. It had been suggested that the y ein proper pitched to the 

north and passed out of the shaft at a depth of about 12 feet from the surface, but an examination of the wall at that depth showed no vein or slip planes cutting the north wall, such as 

would be required by this hypothesis. 

W-49. Sample across west wall at the bottom of the shaft. • 

W-50. Sample picked by the foreman £1 >m the east wall about 6 feet from the bottom and 

said to have assayed $48 in gold . 

• 
88 GEOLOGY OF THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

W-51. Sample chipped from around the entire shaft at a point from which the ore shipped 

is said to have been mined. 

W-52., Sample pieked from the dump by the foreman and the b~acksmith as representing ore 

similar to that shipped. 

BLUEBELL CLAIM. 

This claim is in sec. 9, T. 3 N., R. 15 W., near Oriana. 

W--54. Sample of a small quartz stringer, 1 to 2 inches thick, found in a granitic dike. 

HALE MINE. 

The Hale copper mine is in sec. 9, T. 3 N., R. 15 W. It is located near the contact of the 

granite and the _gabbro, upon a granitic dike rock technically known as grorudite. This claim 

has been known for many years to show copper, and prior to the openiflg of the country was 

staked off and prospected. It is now in litigation, and , nothing but prospecting holes a few feet 

in depth are open to inspection. Small pieces of native copper haye been repeatedly found in 

the outcropping edge of the dike, and a number of them were seen at the cabin of Mr. Hale 

near by. Copper. stains are found, and occasional small pieces of chalcopyrite. The sample 

taken represents.. the best material that could be picked up from the dump. It is probably 

not so good as ha8 been obtained by others, since the · showy pieces have naturally beeri carried 

away. It represents, however, in all probability, far better material than could be obtained in 

contin~wus workings of the vein, and offer~; in the author's judgment, no encouragement for further 

development work. 

W-57. Samples of best material from the dump. 

MOUNTAIN PARK MINING AND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY. 

The Little Lead is located in sec. 5, T. 2 N., R. 17 W. This lead is a greenstone dike dippi~g sharply into the red granite country rock. It is said to show free gold on panning and to 

have assayed from a trace to $2.40. The dike is about 3 feet wide. 

W -58. Sample of dike material from east and west sides of the shaft at a depth of about 40 

feet. 

W-59. Red gouge and shattered rock on the hanging wall; sample both sides of the shaft 6 

to 14 inches across. 

W -60. General sample of the fine mine dirt for panning. This was not assayed, but repeated 

panning failed to show any gold. 

WHTTE QUARTZ LEAD. 

This lead is in sees. 16 and 17, T. 4 N., R. 17 W., near Wildman. It is said to be well 

developed for about 4 miles in an east-west direction. The general country rock at the point 

where the sample was taken is gabbro. The lead is marked on the su-rface by a broad belt of 

white quartz float. In sec. 16 a shaft has been sunk upon it to a depth of 10 or 12 feet and 

shows that the lead is made up of several different stringers of white comb quartz penetrating 

the gabbro rock. Several samples were taken from this point. 

W-61. Picked specimen of white quartz. 

W-62. A~erage sample of white quartz from both sides at the bottom of the shaft. 

W-63. Sample of the decomposed gabbro from between the quartz stringers. 

W -64. Material from dump, said to show copper and to represent material from the extreme 

bottom of the shaft. 

• 
REPORTED ORE DEPOSITS OF- THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 89 

I CLEMENTS MINE. 

This mine is in the NW. t sec. 21, T. 4 N., R. 17 W. It is located on a zone of shattere~ gabbro 

about 16 to 18 inches wide, cemented with white quartz. The development work consists of the 

usual assessment hole, 10 feet deep. Samples were taken from the bottom across the entire width 

of the vein. 

W-67. Sample across north wall. 

W -68. Sample across south wall. 

WILLIAMS MINE. 

This mine is in sec. 21, T. 4 N., R. 17 W. It is on a greenstone dike about 16 inches thick, in 

gabbro country rock. 

W-69. Average sample across the "vein" at the west end, a few feet below the surface. 

LONE STAR MINE. 

The Lone Star is in the SW. l sec. 14, T. 4 N., R. 17 W. Supposed to be the same lead 

as the "White Quartz lead'' mentioned above. It is a vein in the gabbro country rock showing 

numerous white quartz stringers with some yellow ocher. 

W-70. Sample from 8-inch streak of sheared greenstone with 2 inches of white comb quartz 

in the middle. 

LAST DRIVE CLAIJ\~ 

This claim is in sec. 7, T. 4 _N., R. 16 W. It is located out on the 'plain between Wildman 

and Cooperton. The development work consists of a small pit in a pasture, about 3 feet deep 

It shows disintegrated gabbro in the bottom. of the pit, with an iron capping, having a maximum 

thickness of 2 feet at the east end of the pit. There is no sign of a vein or lead of any kind. 

Th~ sample was taken by Colonel Meers and the material is said to have run on local assay $14 

in gold and copper. 

W -71. Picked specimen as above. 

BLACK DIAMOND MINE. 

Supposed to be on the same lead with the Last Drive and in similar material. Prospect 

hole 10 to 12 feet wide. 

W -72. Sample picked from dump by Colonel Meers and · said to show both gold and copper 

on local assay. 

KIOWA COPPER COMPANY. 

This prospect is in the SE. t sec. 7, T. 4 N., R. 16 W. lt is located on the open plain, 

lying northe3:st of the Upper Narrows of Otter Creek and in an area of decayed gabbro country 

rock. The shaft itself was full of water, and the samples were taken from sacked material which 

had been prepared f?r shipment by hand sorting. An examination of this material made it clear 

that the ore proper was included within a streak from one-half to 1t inches in thickness, which 

agrees with measurements given by D. A. Bressman, the land owner. While the assay shows a 

considerable amount of copper to be present, and small pieces of metallic copper have been 

found in the material, it is believed that the thin-ness of the vein as indicated by the samples 

seen precludes the possibility of the mine being profi~able. 

W-73. Sample of hand-sorted material from sacks as above. 
• 

90 GEOLOGY 01!' THE ARBUCKLE AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

HOMESTAKE MINE. 

The Homestake mine , is in the NW. t sec. 18, T. 4 ~., R. 16 W. This claim is in the 

gabbro country, and there are no indications of any vein material. 

W-74. Picked Eample from dump, said to represent the last bucket of material taken from 

bottom. 

TENDERFOOT MINE. 

On same quarter section with the Homestake. The development work consists of an assessment hole 10 feet deep. The material shown in the walls of the bole is a weathered greenstone 

with some white streaks of feldspathic material. In the southeast corner of the shaft there is a 

body of hard greenstone from which samples are said to have been taken which yielded as high 

as 4.40 ounces of gold and 5.44 ounces of silver. 

W-75. Sample from the hard greenstone noted above. 

OAKS MINE. 

T}:lis claim is in the NW. t sec. 23, T. 4. N., R. 17 W. It is located on a very :fine-grained, 

glassy, dark rock, forming a dike and cutting through the usual gabbro. There is a development 

of white quartz along the contact. 

W-78. Average sample of dike across the bottom. 

W-79. Average sample of white quartz from bottom of shaft . 

• 

BONANZA MINE. 

The Bonanza mine is in the NE. t sec. 27, T. 4 N., R. 17 1V. It is located on white quartz 

veins cutting the gabbro. Near the surface there are two separate quartz veins, which come 

together. at the bottom. 

W-80. Average sample across the bottom on the south side. 

TWIN ROSE MINE. 

This is on the same land as the Bonanza mine. It is located on white qua..-tz cutting the 

gabbro. At the surfa_ce separate. stringers extend through a width of about 10 feet. At the bottom of the prospect shaft, about 20 feet in depth, the thickness is about 2~ fe 

W-81. Sample across the vein at the bottom. 

FELAND MINE. 

This claim is in sec. 11, T. 4 N., R. 17 W. It is located in the gabbro plain, east of the Narrows. 

Th~ vein shows in the shaft an average thickness of 3 to 3~ feet. It includes several stringers of 

white quartz cutting through the gabbro. 

W-82. Average sample across face, east side, _at a depth of 16 feet. 

CREYCRAFT MINE. 

This claim is three-quarters of a mile northeast of Wildman. It is located on a greenstone dike 

cutting through the gabbro. 

W-83. Sample of material picked by owner . 

. TOSHU A LODE. 

This lode is in the SW. t sec. 15, T. 4 N., R. 17 W. It consists of thin quartz streaks cutting 

through the gabbro, with a total thickness of 4 inches at the bottom, spreading· apart to 6 inches at 

the top. The sample was taken from both sides of the assessment hole and from top to bottom. 

W-84. Sample quartz vein as above. 
REPORTED ORE DEPOSITS OF THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 91 

ARKANSA l\flNE. 

This claim is in the SW. t sec. 17, T. 4 N., R. 17 W., on a well~d<#fined greenstone dike, 4 feet 

wide, cutting through the gabbro. 

'V -85 . . Average sample across dike at bottom of assessment hole. 

GLEN RAVEN MINE. 

This claim is in sec. 12, T. 4 N., R. 18 W. It is located within the · gabbro area and upon 

the greenstone dike cutting through the gabbro. Near both foot and hanging walls there is a 

development of pink feldspathic rock. 

'V-86. Average sample across dike. 

SNOW BIRD MINE. 

This mine is on the same land as the Glen Raven. It is located on a quartz lead cutting 

through the gabbro. The sample was taken from the bottom of a 10-foot hole and across a width 

of 3~ feet, showing quartz and pinkish decayed feldspar developed along the contact of ·a ·finegrained intrusive ,rock cutting the gabbro. 

W-87. Average sample across face. 

LUGART MINING COMPANY. 

The Lugart Mining Company is engaged in the development of a number of properties lying 

·near Lugart post-office and known as the Devils Canyon District. These include the Grubstake 

claim, from which ordinary blue bottom-land clay is being taken and treated by a new secret 

leaching process which is supposed to yield "from 20 to 30 per cent more than is shown by 

fire assay." The average yield of treatment so far is represented to be about $60 to the ton. 

Samples were taken from the face of the cut in \the presence of the assayer and inventor of the 

process, C. F. Lawrence, and were considered by him to represent a fair average of the material 

treated. On the same claim a shear zone in the granite is being worked. On the Black Diamond 

·claim, near by, is a big dike of greenstone about 8 feet across and running through the granite in 

a north-south direction. Higher up the hill is a development of pegmatite and a small cave 

showing quartz crystals. 

W -90. Average sample taken from the face of pit and showing blue clay with occasional small 

balls of pyrites. 

vV-91. Duplicate sample taken from same pit. 

W-92. Sample of sheared granite from assessment hole on Grubstake claim. 

'V-93. Average sample across the south wall of assessment hole made on the greenstone dike. 

W-94. Sample picked by W. J. Gilbreath, superintendent of the company, and representing the 

best material from the Black Diamond claim. This material is reported to have yielded, in assays 

made by Lawrence, $3,300 to the ton. 

W -95. Sample from the pegmatite dike, picked by Mr. Gilbreath and including crystals of 

quartz. 

• 
92 GEOLOGY OF THE .ARBUCKLE .AND WICHITA MOUNTAINS. 

REPORT 01!~ ASSAYS FOR GOLD, SILVER, COPPER, AND LEAD. 

By E. T. ALLEN. 

Gold assays were niade of 71 ·samples, numbered as follows: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 

11, 12, 14,-15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 39, 40, 41, 

42, 43, 44, 45, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 54, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63, 64, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 

73, 74, 75, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, and 95. Most of 

the samples were granite, quartz, or other siliceous material, which was readily 

fluxed by the charge, which was as follows: 

1 assay ton ore. 

1 assay ton sodium bicarbonate. 

2.5 assay tons litharge. 

0.5 assay ton borax. 

1.5-2.0 grams argol. 

Salt cover. 

A few milligrams of silver were also added to the charge in order to 

collect the gold, except where silver was sought. 

Although the prescribed charge gave satisfactory fusions with most of the 

samples, it · was modified wherever the composition of the material required; e. g., 

No. 19, being nearly pure calcite, required a large quantity of borax, and Nos. 67 

and 72, which were for the most part oxide of iron, required about 2 assay 

tons of borax and 4 grams argol. 

After the usual cupellation and parting, gold was looked for most carefully, 

but not a trace was found in any of the samples. 

Ten of the above samples were examined for silver as prescribed for gold, 

except, of course, that the silver was omitted from the charge, brit _no silver 

was found except in Nos. 41 and 48, which showed 0.14 and 0.92 ounce per 

ton, respectively. 

Nos. 57 and 73 were also assayed for copper, and No. 48 for lead. 

No. 57 gave 0.35 per cent copper; No. 73 gave 10.81 per cent copper; No. 48 

yielded 3.63 per cent lead. 

CONCLUSIONS. 

In view of the precautions taken in collecting the samples, and the great care 

with which they were assayed, the absolutely uniform absence of even a trace of 

gold and only the occasional presence of a small quantity of silver, copper, or lead 

allows but one conclusion to be drawn, namely, that none of the prospects examine9. shows any ore in the proper sense of the term, nor does any one of them 

• 
CONCLUSIONS. 93 

have any present or probable future value. The possible exbeptions In the case 

of copper and lead have already been discussed in detail. I 

Whether future prospecting may reveal other occurrences which do have 

value can not, it is true, be stated. It is believed, howeverf that the prospects 

examined were fully representative and have, in many cases j t least, been developed enough to allow a proper judgment as to their value to be made, and in no 

case do they offer any encouragement whatever for . additiona~ prospecting. 

In the granite mountains near Lugart there are certaiJ coarse pegmatites 

showing crystals of quartz 3 inches or more in length. Wit~ the quartz crystals 

are some small, black, semivitreous crystals recognized by IDoctor Hillebrand as 

belonging to the columbite-tanta~ite group. It i.s hoped tha~ further investigations may show the presence of some of the rare earths. 

While the results of the investigations were disappointing in so far as they 

failed to show the. presence of the expected ore bodies, he_ region is one of 

other valuable resources. The granite, which is so abundant, ts suitable for building purposes, and is at many points excellently situated for quar!'ying. The 

limestones are available for the manufacture of lime, and re of suitable composition for the manufacture of Portland cement if fuel and ·r'ndustrial conditions 

ever change so as to warrant investment in that industry. The small asphalt 

springs found near the east end of the Foi·t Sill Reservation are possibly indicative 

of larger deposits of oil or gas, and the excellent soil of the !prairies and valleys, 

combined with good water resources, afford the basis for 3l large and thriving 

population. 

, 
• 

' 
INDEX. 

Page. 

Adams, George I., acknowledgment to .......... ..... 13 

cited on "Red Beds" . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . ........ .. . 72 

JEgirite, occurrence and description of .............. . 

Alberta Mining Company's mine, rocks at..... ....... 86 

Allen, E. T., report of, on assays . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . .. 92 

Anorthosite, occurrence and character of............. 60 

Anticline, Arbuckle, description of ................... 43-46 

Belton, description of ............................. 40-41 

Hunton, description of............................ 39 

Tishomingo, description of........................ 42 

Aplite, dikes of, occurrence and character of..... 18, 19, 

46, 61,62 

Aporhyolite, occurrence and character of. ......... 20, 63-64 

Arbuckle anticline, description of ..................... 43-46 

Arbuckle limestone, fossils of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

occurrence and character of. ....... _ ..... 22-23, 48, 69-70 

Arbuckle Mountains, age of........................... 11 

definition of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

elevation of. ....................................... 11, 14 

erosion in .......................................... 14,16 

folding and faulting in ............................ 37-46 

geologic history of. .......................... 14-15, 37-38 

geology of. ......................................... 11-50 

igneous rocks of ................................... 17-21 

location of ......................................... 11-12 

ore deposits of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

peneplain in ....................................... 16-18 

physiography of ................................... 13-17 

sedimentary rocks o£ .............. " .......... , . . . . 21-37 

stratigraphyof. ................................. 11,17-37 

structure of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37-46 

topography of ..................................... 13-14 

Arbuckle Plateau, development of .................... 15-16 

Arbuckle region, geologic map and sections of........ 20 

work in............................................ 13 

Ardmore basin, description of......................... 50 

Arfvedsonite, occurrence of........................... 67 

Arkansas mine, rocks at............................... 91 

Arkansas Valley, mountains in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . 17 

Asphalt springs, occurrence of........................ 93 

Assays, report on.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 

Bain, H. F., cited on Wichita Mountains ... ... ... . ... 66 

reconnaissance by .......... ! . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . • • • . 52 

report by, on ore deposits of Wichita Mountains .. 82-91 

Ball, Sydney H., work of....................... . ...... 13 

Belton anticline, description of ....................... 40-41 

Bennington limestone, occurrence and character of . . 36 

Black Diamond mine, rocks at........................ 89 

Black Lode mine, rocks at...................... ..... .. 85 

Blue Creek, faults at................................... 79 

Bluebell claim, location of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 

Blue River Valley, rocks in . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Bokchito formation, occurrence and character of. . . . . . 36 

Bonanza mine, rocks at .............................. . 

Bragger, W. C., cited on grorudite .................... . 

Buckhorn mine, rocks at ......................... .' ... . 

Caddo limestone, occurrence and character of. ...... . 

Camarocrinus horizon of Hunton limestone .......... . 

Page. 

90 

67 

84 

36 

30 

Cambrian rocks, occurrence and character of. 14, 21-22, 68-69 

Cambro-Ordovician rocks, occurrence and character 

· of ................................. 14, 22-23, 69-70 

Caney shale, fossils of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

occurrence and character of .................... 33-34,48 

Carboniferous rocks, occurrence and character of .... 13-15, 

33-36, 49-50, 72-76 

Carlton Mountains, description of........ ... .......... 55 

rocks of. .................. .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 

view of Medicine Bluff in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 

Chert. See Woodford chert. 

Clark and Bennett mine, rocks at.. ......... .......... 87 

Clements mine, rocks at. .............................. 89 

Coal-bearing rocks, occurrence of..................... 35 

Comstock, T. B., cited on Wichita Mountains ......... 51-52 

Conglomerate, occurrence and character of........... 34 

Conglomerate, "Red Beds," view of contact with 

granite-porphyry.......................... 74 

Copper assays, result of.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 

Cretaceous rocks, occurrence and character of ....... 13-17, 

36,47,50 

Creycraft mine, rocks at .............. : ................ 90 

Criner Hills, geographic positi()n of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 

geology of ......................................... 47-50 

stratigraphy of ........... , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 

structure o.f ............................ ............ 48-50 

topography of _________ . __ . ___ ....... _______ . __ . ___ 47-48 

Cummins, W. F., work of.............................. 51 

Delaware River Valley, rocks in .. , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Devils Canyon group of mountains, description of .... 57-58 

Devonian rocks, occurrence and character of..... . . . . 31-33 

Diabase dikes, oecurrence and character of.......... 17, 

20, 21, 46,64-65 

minerals in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

Diamond mine, rocks at ................... _........... 87 

Dikes, occurrence and character of . . . . 20-21, 62, 64-65, 66, 67 

Diorite, occurrence of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 

East Wooded Hills, faults near ........................ 43-45 

rocks a:t ............................................ 20-21 

Erosion in Arbuckle region .......... ......... 14-17,37-38,47 

Faults at Blue Creek, description of................... 79 

See also Folding and faulting. 

Feland mine, rocks at................................. 90 

Florence mine, rocks at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 

Folding and faulting in Arbuckle Mountains ...... 15,37-46 

in Criner Hills ..................................... 48-50 

in Wichita Mountains ... _ ............... ~ ......... 77-79 

Fossils, collections of. ........... : . ...... _.... . . . . . . . . . . 13, 24 

95 · 
96 INDEX. 

Page. Page. 

Fossils of Arbuckle limestone......................... 22 McClellan, Capt. George B., mention of............... 51 

of Caney shale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

of Hunton limestone .............................. ·30, 31 

of Reagan sandstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

of Simpson formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24, 25 

of Sylvan shale.......... .......................... 28 

of Viola limestone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26, 27 

of Woodford chert................................. 32 

Franks conglomerate, occurrence and character of... 34 

Gabbro, contact of granite and........................ 62 

dikes in............................................ 64 

occurrence and character of. .......... 56-57,60-61,76-77 

Galena, occurrence of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 

Gem mine, rocks at ... ....... .'........................ 87 

Geologic history of Arbuckle Mountains ........ 14-16,37-38 

George Washington claim, rocks at................... 85 

Girty, G. H., acknowledgment to . ... . .... ..... ..... .. 13 

fossils collected by. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Glen Raven mine, rocks collected at..... . .. .... ...... 91 

Gold assays, result of.................................. 92 

Gold Blossom mine, rocks at.......................... 84 

Goodland formation, occurrence and character of . . . . 36 

Gould, C. N., work of.................................. 53 

Granite, contact between gabbro and................ 62 

dikes in............................................ 64 

Marcy, Capt. R. B., mention of.......... . . ............ 51 

Mary Maclane mine, rocks at .................... .. . : ... 84 

Maud S mine, rocks at................................. 85 

Medicine Bluff, view of. .............. ... .............. 66 

Medicine Creek, rock exposures on and near . . . . . . . . . 7-1-75 

Mill Creek syncline, description of. ................... 4.1-42 

Mines, samples from, descriptions of .............. .... · 84- 91 

Mississippian rocks, occurrence and character of ... :. 33-34 

Monte Cristo mine, rocks at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 

Mount Sheridan, view of ............................. _ 56 

Mount Scott, granite bowlders on, view of............ 60 

... granite of ............................... _ . . . . . . . . . . 61 

view of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 

Mountain Park Mining and Development Company's 

mine, rocks at............................. 88 

Oaks mine, rocks at................................... 90 

Oil and gas, occurrence of.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 

Ordovician rocks, occurrence and character of.. 23-27,70-71 

Ore, samples of, list of ............... ; ................. 84-91 

Ore deposits of Arbuckle Mountains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 

of Wichita Mountains .... ....... .................. 80-93 

samples of ..... ....... ............................. 84-91 

valueof .............................. : ... ..... ..... 92,93 

Otter Creek, flow of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 

occurrence and character of .......... 17-19, 57, 58, 61-63 · Parker mine, rocks at ..................... ,............ 86 

value of............................................ 93 Peneplanation in Arbuckle Mountains, description of. 16-17 

weathering of, view of............................. 62 Pennsylvanian sediments, occurrence and character 

Granite-porphyry, age of.............................. 66 of ....... : .................................. 34-35 

contact between granite and...................... 62 Permian rocks, occurrence and character of .... 35-36,72-76 

contacts of, view of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Petrography of igneous rocks.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-21, 60-67 

dikes in........................................... 64-65 Physiography of Arbuckle Mountains, discussion of .. 13-17 

occurrence and character of .......... 17-20,46,55,63-65 Pleistocene (?) gravels, occurrence and character of .. 76-77 

Gravel deposits, occurrence and character of ...... 16,76-77 Porphyry, occurrence and character of . . .. 18,20-21,58-59,63 

Grorudite dikes, occurrence and character of ......... 66-67 Precious metals. See Ore deposits. 

Hale mine, rocks at............................ . . . . . . . . 88 Prospecting, extent of .............................. 81, 82,83 

Headquarters Mountain group, description of . . . . . . . . 58 Quana Mountain group, description of................ 55 

Hill, R. T., cited on Wichita Mountains............... 52 Quartz-monzonite, occurrence and character of....... 18 

Homestake mine, rocks at............................. 90 19, 65-66' 

Howe, Ernest, work of ................................ 19,60 Quartz Mountain, view of ........................ ;. ... 58 

Hunton anticline, description of...................... 39 Quartz veins or dikes in Wichita Mountains . . . . . . . . . . 66 

Hunton limestone, fossils of ...... · ..................... 30,31 Quaternary:'rocks, occurrence and character of ....... 76-77 

occurrence and character of ........... 14, 29-32, 48-50, 71 Raggedy Mountains, location and description of ...... 56-57 

sect~on of ... . .............. ........................ 29-30 Rainy Mountain, view of.............................. 60 

Igneous rocks, evidence of disturbance in . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Reagan sandstone, faulting in..................... . ... 68 

faulU! in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 occurrence and character of ................. 21-22, 68-69 

jointing in ............. -.......................... 78 sections of ......................................... 21, 69 

occurrence and character of. ................ 17-21,60-66 "Red Beds," occurrence and character of............. 14, 

of Arbuckle Mountains ....................... __ ... 17-21 15,35-36,50,55,69-70, 72-76 

of Wichita Mountains .......................... 60-66, 77 plain formed by ................................ 56, 57, 77 

Jointing in igneous rocks .............................. 77-78 views of........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 

Joshua lode, rocks at.................................. 90 Rhyolite, occurrence and character of................ 55 

Keck Brothers' mine, rocks at......................... 85 Richardson, G. B., acknowledgment to................ 13 

Kiamitia formation, occurrence and character of..... 36 Rock Creek, rocks on .................................. 19-20 

Kiowa Copper Company's prospect, rocks at.......... 89 Rosedale mine, rocks at............................... 84 

Last Drive claim, rocks at............................. 89 Sandstone, east of Blue Creek Canyon, view of........ 74 

Lead assays, results of....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 See also, Reagan sandstone. 

Lead Lode mine, rocks at.............................. 87 Section of Arbuckle Mountain region................. 20 

Limestone. See Arbuckle limestone; Hunton lime- of Hunton limestone .................... _ .. _ ... _.. 29 

stone; Sycamore limestone; Viola lime- of Reagan sandstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

stone; Wapanucka limestone. of Simpson formation............................. 23 

Limestone hills of Wichita region, description and of Wichita Mountain region....................... 58 

origin of ................................ 58, 59,70 Sedimentary rocks, occurrence and character of...... 21, 

Limestone, value of................................... 93 37,67-79 

Little Bar mine of Big Four Company, rocks at....... 87 folding and faulting in ............................ 78-79 

Lone Star mine, rocks at ............................. ·. 89 Shale. See Caney shale; Sylvan shale. 

Lugart Mining Company's properties, rocks at........ 91 Shawnee Mining Company's claims, rocks at.......... 85 
INDEX. 97 

1 Page. 

Shumard, G. G., cited on Wichita Mountains.. . ...... 91 

Silo limestone, occurrence and character of . . . . . . . . . . 36 

Silurian rocks, occurrence and character of ........... 28-29 

Siluro-Devonian rocks, occurrence and cha,racter of .. 29-31 

Silver assays, results of ....... .. ............. :. . . . . . . . . 92 

Simpson formation, fossils of .......................... 24, 25 

occurrence and character of ... __ . . . . . 23-25, 48-50, 70, 71 

section of ... _ ... _ ............... _ ........... _ .. . . .. 23 

Snow Bird mine, rocks at.............................. 91 

Spencer, A. C., cited on determination of rocks........ 52 

Stratigraphy of Arbuckle Mountains .................. 17-37 

of Wichita Mountains._ ......................... _. 59-77 

Streams, imposition of. .......................... 16,47,57,59 

size and character of .... _ ................ ...... 47,75-76 

Structure of Arbuckle Mountains._ ................ _ .. _ 37-46 

of Criner Hills .. _ ... __ ............................. 48-50 

of Wichita Mountains ___ ...... _ .. _ ......... __ ..... 77-80 

Sycamore limestone, occurrence and character of . . . . 14, 

32-33,48 

Sylvan shale, fossils of ... _ .................. _. ___ . ___ .. 28 

occurrence and character of ....... _ ..... __ . _ 14, 28, 48-50 

Syncline, Mill Creek, description of. .................. 41-42 

Wapanucka, description of .. _ ......... _ .......... _ 39-40 

Washita, description of. ........................... 42-13 

Taff, Joseph A., work of............................... 82 

Tenderfoot mine, rocks at.. ............. _ ..... _........ 90 

Three Boys claim, rocks at ...... _ ........... _......... 84 

Tishomingo anticline, description of.._ ...... _._ ..... _ 42 

Trinity formation, occurrence and character of....... 36 

Trinucle1tS beds of Viola limestone, occurrence and 

character of .. J. • . • . . . . . . . . . • . . • • • • . . . . . . . . . 26-27 

Twin Rose mine, rocks at .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . .. . 90 

Ulrich, E. 0., acknowledgment to..................... • 13 

workof ...................................... ~ .. 13,37,53 

fossils collected by. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

7800-No. 31-04-7 

Page. 

Vaughan, T. Wayland, igneous rocks collected by..... 52 

Viola limestone, fossils of. ............ _ ........... : .... 26, 27 

occurrence and character of. ......... . 14,25-27,48-50,71 

Wapanucka limestone, occurrence and character of... 34 

Wapanucka syncline, description of._ ................. 39-40 

Washita River, imposition of .......................... 14,16 

rocks near ...... _ .. __ ........ _ .· .... __ . . . . . . . . 28, 29, 30, 33 

section of Hunton limestone near .. _ .............. 29, 30. 

section of Simpson formation near . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 

faults near ............ _ .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. .. . .. . .. .. 42-45 

Washita syncline, description of .. _ ... _ ... _ ............ 42-43 

West Wooded Hills, faults in ___ .. __ . __ . __ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 

rocks of. _ .... ~ . _ . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. 20-21 

White, David, fossils determined by ............... , ... 32 

White Quartz lead, rocks at. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 

Wichita Mountain group, geographic position of...... 5! 

view of northwest end of.......................... 58 

view of northeastern face of. .. .. . .. .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . 56 

Wichita Mountain region, geographic position of .... : 54 

Wichita Mountain uplift, age of....................... 80 

Wichita Mountains, geographic position of............ 11 

geologic map and sections of...................... 54 

geology of ......................................... 51-94 

igneous rocks of .... ___ . _ . _ .. _ .... .. .. :. . . . . . . . . 60-66, 77 

location of, map showing ....... _.................. 12 

ore deposits of .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. . 80-93 

physiographic features of. ......................... 54-58 

stratigraphy of ................................. 11, 59-77 

structure of ........................................ 77-80 

workin ............................................ 51-53 

Williams mine, rocks at .............................. - 89 

Willie Hinton mine, rocks at.......................... 85 

Woodford, faults near .... -... .. .. .. .. .. . . .. . . . .. . .. .. .. 46 

Woodford chert, fos!;lils of._ . ___ .:...................... 32 

occurrence and character of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • 14, 31-33, 49 

0 
' 

f 
PUBLICATIONS OF UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 

[Professional .Paper No. 31.] 

The serial publications of the United States Geological Survey consist of ( 1) Annual Reports, ( 2) 

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B 33. Notes on geology of northern California, by J. S. Diller. 1886. 23 pp . . (Out of stock.) 

B 39. The upper beaches and deltas of Glacial Lake Agassiz, .by Warren Upham. 1887: 84 pp., 1 pl. (Out of stock.) 

B 40. Changes in river courses in Washington Territory due to glaciation, by Bailey Willis. 1887. 10 pp., 4 pls. (Out of 

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B 45. The present condition of knowledge of the geology of Texas, by R. T. Hill. 1887. 94 pp. (Out of stock.) 

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B 57. A geological reconnaissance in southwestern Kansas, by Robert Hay. 1890. 49 pp., 2 pls. 

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B 104. Glaciation of the Yellowstone Valley north of the Park, by W. H. Weed. 1893. 41 pp., 4 pls. 

B 108. A geological reconnaissance in central Washington, by I. C. Russell. 1893. 108 pp., 12 pls. (Out of stock.) 

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B 144. The moraines of the Missouri Coteau and their attendant deposits, by J. E. Todd. 1896. 71 pp., 21 pls . 

. B 158. The moraines of southeastern South Dakota and their attendant deposits, by J. E. Totid. 1899. 171 pp., 27 pls. 

B 159. The geology of eastern Berkshire County, Massachusetts, by B. K. Emerson. 1899. 139 pp., 9 pls. · 

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PP 11. Clays of the United States east of the Mississippi River, by Heinrich Ries. 1903. 298 pp., 9 pls. 

PP 12. Geology of the Globe copper district, Arizona, by F. L. Ransome. 1903. 168_pp., 27 pls. 

PP 13. Drainage modifications in southeastern Ohio and adjacent parts of West Virginia and Kentucky, by W. G. Tight. 

1903. 111 pp., 17 pls. 

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· 1903. 229 pp., 8 pls. 

_/ 
! 

j 

II PUBLICATIONS OF UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 

B 209. Geology of Ascutney Mountain, Vermont, by R. A. Daly. 1903. 122 pp., 2 pls. 

WS 78. Preliminary report on artesian basins in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon, by I. C. Russell. 1903. 51 

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PP 15. Mineral resources of the Mount Wrangell district, Alaska, by W. C. Mendenhall and F. C. Schrader. 1903. 71 pp., 

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B 217. Notes on the geology of southwesern Idaho and southeastern Or'egon, by I. C. Russell. 1903. 83 pp., 18 pls. 

B 219. The ore deposits of Tonopah, Nevada (preliminary report), by J. E. Spurr. 1903. 31 pp., 1 pl. 

PP 20. A reconnaissance in northern Alaska in 1901, by F. C. Schrader. 1904. 139 pp., 16 pls. 

PP 21. The geology and ore deposits of the Bisbee quadrangle, Arizona, by F. L. Ransome. 1904. 168 pp., 29 pls. 

WS 90. Geology and water resourc~:>s of part of the lower James River Valley, South Dakota, by J. E. Todd and C. M. Hall. 

1904. 47 pp., 23 pls. 

PP 25. The copper deposits of the Encampment district, Wyoming, by A. C. Spencer. 1904. 107 pp., 2 pls. 

PP 26. Economic resources of northern Black Hills, byJ. D. Irving, with contributions byS. F. Emmons and T. A. Jaggar, jr. 

1904. 222 pp., 20 pls. 

PP 27. Geological reconnaissance across the Bitterroot Range and the Clearwater Mountains in Montana and Idaho, by 

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PP 31. Preliminary reportl on the geology of the Arbuckle and Wichita mountains in Indian Territory and Oklahoma, by 

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SERIES C, SYSTEMATIC GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY. 

B 3. Fossil faunas of Upper Devonian, along the meridian 76° 30' ,_from Tompkins County, New York, to Bradford County, 

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B 31. Systematic r~view of our present knowledge of fossil insects, including myriapods and arachnids, by S. H. Scudder. 

1886. 128 pp. 

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B 37. Types of the Laramie flora, by L. F. Ward. 1887. 354 pp., 57 pls. 

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B 69. Classed and annotated bibliography of fossil insects, by S. H. Scudder. 1890. 101 pp. 

B 71. Index to known fossil insects of the world, including myriapods and arachnids, by S. H. Scudder. 1891. 744 pp. 

B 77. The Texan Permian and its Mesozoic types of fossils, by C. A. White. 1891. 51 pp., 4 pls. 

B 80. Correlation papers-Devonian and Carboniferous, by H. S. Williams. 1891. 279 pp. (Out of stock.) 

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B 85. Correlation papers-The Newark system, by I. C. Russell. 1892. 344 pp., 13 pls. (Out of stock.) 

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B 87. Synopsis of American fossil Brachiopoda, including bibliography and -synonymy, by Charles Schuchert. 1897. 

464 pp. 

B 88. Cretaceous Foraminifera of New Jersey, by R. M. Bagg, jr. 1898. 89 pp., 6 pls. 

B 93. Some insects of special interest from Florissant, Colo., and other points in the Tertiaries of Colorado and Utah, by 

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B 97. Mesozoic Echinodermata of the United States, by W. B. Clark. 1893. 207 pp., 50 pls. 
PUBLICATIONS OF UNITED STRTES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 

ll 98. Flora of the outlying Carboniferous basins of southwestern Missouri, by David White. 1893. 139 pp., 5 pls. 

B 101. Insect fauna of the Rhode Island coal field, by S. H. Scudder. 1893. 27 pp., 2 pis. 

B 102. Catalogue and bibliography of North American Mesozoic Invertebrata, by C. B. Boyle. 1893. 315 pp. 

III 

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B 124. Revision of North American fossil cockroaches, by S. H. Scudder. 1895. 176 pp., 12 pis. 

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B '133. Contributions to the Cretaceous paleontology of the Pacific coast: The fauna of the Knoxville beds, by '£. W. 

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B 142. Brief contribution to the geology and paleontology of northwestern Louisiana, by T. w: Vaughan. 1896. 65 pp., 

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B 163. Flora of the Montana formation, by F. H. K:p.owlton. 1900. 118 pp., 19 pls. 

B 173. Synopsis of American fossil Bryozoa, including bibliography and synonymy, by J. M. Nickles and R. S. Bassler. 

1900. 663 pp. 

B 179. Bibliography and catalogue of fossil Vertebrata of North America, by 0. P. Hay. 1902. 868 pp. 

B 191. North American geologic formation names: Bibliography, synonymy, and distribution, by F. B. Weeks. 190:l. 448pp. 

B 195. Structural details in the Green Mountain region and in eastern New York (second paper), by T. Nelson Dale. 1902. 

22 pp., 4 pls. 

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B 205. The Mollusca of the Buda limestone, by G. B. Shattuck, with an appendix on the corals· of the Buda limestone, by 

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1903. 112 pp. , 5 pls. 

B 210. The correlation of geological faunas; a contribution to Devonian paleontology, by H. S. Williams. 1903. 147 pp., 1 pl. 

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. and David White. 1903. 123 pp., 4 pis. • 

PP16. Carboniferous formations and faunas of Colorado, by G. H. Girty. 1903. 546 pp., 10 pls. 

PP19. Contributions to the geology of Washington, by G. 0. Smith and Bailey Willis. 1903. 101 pp., 20 pls. 

PP 21. The geology and ore deposits of the Bisbee quadrangle, Arizona, by F. L. Ransome. 1904. 168 pp., 29 pis. 

PP24. Zinc and lead deposits of northern Arkansas, by G. I. Adams, assisted by A. H. Purdue and E. F. Burchard, wi:h 

a section on the determination and correlation of formations, by E. 0. Ulrich. 1904, 118 pp., 27 pls. 

PP31. Preliminary report on the geology of the Arbuc.kle and Wichita mountains in Indian Territory and Oklahoma, by 

J. A. Taff; with an appendix on reported ore deposits in the Wichita Mountains, by H. F. Bain. 1904. 97 pp., 8 pls. 

Correspondence should be addressed to 

' THE DIRECTOR, 

JUNE, 1~04. 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 

WASHINGTON, D. c. 
.. 

• 
LIBRARY CATALOGUE SLIPS. 

[Mount each slip upon a separate card, placing the subject at the top of the 

second slip. The name of the series should not be repeated on the series 

card, but additional numbers should be added, as received, to the first 

entry.] 

Taff, 1 oseph A [lexander J ... Preliminary report on the geology of the Arbuckle 

~ and Wichita mountains in Indian Territory arid Okla- ~ 

~ homa, by Joseph A. Taff, with an appendix on reported 

ore deposits of the Wichita Mountains, by H. Foster• 

Bain. Washington, Gov't print. off., 1904. 

97, v p. ill us., 8 pl. (incl. maps) 29t x 23cm. (U. S. Geological survey. 

Professional paper no. 31.) 

Subject series: B, Descriptive geology, 40; 0, Systematic geology and 

paleontology, 67. 

"Report of assays for gold, 'silver, copper, and lead, by E. T. Allen", p. 

92. 

Taff, 1 oseph A [lexander J . . . Preliminary report on the geology of the Arbuckle 

~ and Wichita mountains in Indian Territory and Okla-

~ homa, by Joseph A. Taff, with an appendix on reported 

ore deposits of the Wichita Mountains, by H. Foster 

Bain. Washington, Gov't print. off., 1904. 

97, v p. illus., 8 pl. (incl. maps) 29t x 23cm. (U.S. Geological survey. 

Professional paper no. 31.) · 

Subject series: B, Descriptive geology, 40; 0, Systematic geology and 

paleontology, 67. 

"Report of assays for gold, 8ilver, copper, and lead, by E. T. Allen": p. 

92. 

U. S. Geological survey. 

Professional papers. 

no. 31. Taff, J. A. Preliminary report on the geology 

of the Arbuckle and Wichita mountains 1n 

Indian Territory and Oklahoma. 1904. 

U. S. Dept. of the Interior. 

see also 

U. S. Geological survey. v