The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-08-27
Geology Of ,he Rocky Mountain.

IN his elaborate papers, read at the late
meeting of the Scientific Association, to
the rock formations of the region ab3ui
Santa Fe, until the visit of DR.. Wislize.
nus, and of Lieuts.. Albert aud Peck, in
1846-47. Their collections and observa.
tions served to show the presence of Gre.
taceous formations in the valley of the
Rio GraDde, but were not sufficient to de.
t-rmine the ages of other formations. In
1853-54, Mr.. Jules Maroon crossed the
mountains, and made known the exist
ence of formations of the carbonifsrous
period, on the eastern slopes of the Santa
Fe range. Mr. Blake made tour of ex
ploration through the region in 1857, and
here presented some of his observations.
The Santa Fe mountains are part oi
the great Rocky Mountain system From
few isolated points or knobs which
scarcely appear above the general level Of
the broad plateau, a few miles south oi
Santa Fe, they gradually rise to majes-
tic altitude-frem 10000 to 1900 fee,
and extend nofthward in a succession
of lofty ranges and peaks, to the head
waters ofthe Arkansas.
The city of Santa Fe is situated at the
eastern base of the range, at an altitude
of nearly 1000 feet above the sea. AT
this point, the central axis of the noun
tains is formed chiefly of metamorphic
rocks, probably silurian and eambrian and
older, consisting of gneissore and mica
ceous states, with large numbers of inter-
secting graDitic veins, in which pink or
red feldspar is very abundant. A ridge
near Taos is not so highly metamorphosed,
and the rocks are very slaty. A horn
blendic slate, containing garnets very
similar to that found at Hanover, New
Hampshire, occurs here. On the western
slope of the chain, the metamorphic states
are overlaid by strata of the carboniferous
period, and possibly by Devonian beds.
The low hills and ridges directly east oi
the city, and at the base OF the high
ridges, are composed of carboniferous stra-
ia, oyerlsid by deep red soil and depos-
its of detritus or drift from the mountains.
1t is possible that strata of Permian and
Triassic age also occur. In an arroyo (rs-
vine) one mile east of the plaza, the stra-
ia are exposed, and consist of alternating
beds of gray sandstone, with beds of blue
ish gray and reddish limestone, of vary.
ing thicknesses, and coarse, ferruginous
red sandstone at the base. The limestones
are fossiliferous, containing procueli, spir-
ifers, althyris and encunities character
istic of the coal measures. The stratii-
cation is very regular, and inclines TO the
ha ha1o arfa ah0u
The action Of varying and rapid currents
at the time of their deposition, and the
surface present fine ripple marks of large
size. A short distance south of this ex
-posure, there is quarry in the limestone,
from which blocks for the construction oi
the new ball of the Territorial Legislature
were obtained. The limestone is very
hard, and full of upper carboniferous fos-
sils. atH
A quarter of Q mile east, the carbon.
ferrous strata are seen to rest upon the up
raised edges of the metamorphic states
at an angle of forty degrees. Here we
find an alienation of strata of sandstone
shales and limestone, with bituminous
layers, and probably, in some places, seams
of coal. The limestone beds are highly
charged with encimites and corals. Al
another point, near by, in an exposure
OF less extent, similar succession of stra.
ia were found, and with them bed O
impure bituminous coal, from one to two
feet thick. Beyond, in the same ravine
is great body of blush and black shales
with coal seam at the base. Several o
the out-crops have been dug into, to OBJ.
tain coal, but it had not been found in {
seam thick enough to be worked with
profit. The shales and coal are so much
broken down at the exterior, that it wa
not possible to obtain correct measure
ment of the thickness of either TIL,
coal is scanned and divided by thin plate
of selenite, and the shales are stained By
oxide of iron. and strong sulphureout
odor indicatesthe decomposition of py,
rites. A large number of fossils were OBJ
tanned here, and ia the shales, Mr.. Blak'
iound beautiful impressions of ferns al,
coal plants. Specimens of these had beef
examined for him by Prof. Leo Lesque
reaux, who identified two species, Corda
ties eordssitolia and Sphenopteris laltolid
both of which Indicate the synchronisn
of the Santa Fe coal beds with the an
thracite and Illinois coal, placing its hori
zon with the Freeport or Pomeroy coal o
Ohio, or the first below the Mahaip
sandstone. 1t thus becomes pro5abl
that in the sandstone beds of the section
Z; observed, we may have the equivalent Q
the Mahoning sandstone.
ANTHRACITE COAL.
i About q miles southwest of SAINT
Fe. on the tanks of the Placer or Col
Mountains, there are workable beds q
coal. and specimens from which he pro
cured an excellent anthracite. Sewers
tons of it were taken out few yeal
since, and carried to Santa Fe, but il
characters and the methods of igni:in
and burning it not being understood,
was not liked. The quality is excellen
and it cannot but be very valuable in ths
region, where timber is scarce. 1t is {
especial importance to the country for il
bearing upon the question as to the locs
ton of railroad route to the Pacific
Here is, in all probability, an inexhaust
BILE supply of the most appropriate fu,
for locomotives. The strata with whie