The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-03-02

package breastpin My love to Mrs
g and tho children. l have many
times, since left your roof, thought O
them, and longed to see them.
The package l send to yor
hope will entirely clear you of debt, anc
make you independent in life.
"Tell AL Blackford / will send him q
splendid Manton fowling piece by the
next steamer He has my likeness, which
q" ours, as ever,
"JoHN NORTH FENwICE, Bart"
For the Free Trader.
Geologic al Paper--No. ).
GEOGRAPHY OF THE ROCKS.
1t would be impossible for me to give q
complete and accurate description of the
mineral masses which compose the globe
in one paper; however, | hope to present
such an account of their general structure
and extent, and principal features, as will
make them readable All rocks are di
vided into two great classes, stratiiied and
unstratifed The stratified are those
which are divided into beds and layers by
nearly parallel planes, and are the result
of deposition by water, which gives them
| their stratified structure. The unstratified
are those which are not divided by paral-
lei planes, and will not break into regular
| shaped blocks and masses. The latter
/ class do not probably cover one tenth part
/ OF the earth surface, and including those
/ only of volcanic origin. They make up
/ the principal part Of the mountlins and
/ occur III the shape Of injected veins among
/ the stratitied rocks. Since they We're
raised to the surface Of the earth by yolca-
mic eruptions, we learn from them the IN
/ ternal nature of the globe. " learn that
the informal parts consist Of GRANTEES, sye-
mites, ard porphyrics, destitute Of organic
remains The boulders OF a granitic or
tiuty character which we see scattered
over the fields and prairies are examples,
and which, being detached from the
mountains. came 10 their present positions
by means Of iceber-s and glaciers. They
are often found hundreds Of miles from
the places Of their origin; and hence We
may suppose that 1t some period vast
ocean covered the northern part OF this
continent filed with floating iccbergs.
which brought along with them detached
masses Of rock. Humboldt mentions six
mountainous islands which were raised
suddenly from the deep by volcanic
eruption Such were Ielos, and Rhodes.
1871 an island arose in the AzoTc group,
which was 800 feet high and a mile in cir
cuntercucc Another island arose near
the Aleutiau Group, in 1896. which was TX
miles round. and shortly after, peak D.
coo feet high appeared. / might point
out hundreds OF such instances given By
history. out | only wish 10 d.-pr! amy
doubts that may arise IL the minds OF
some. as 70 the origin Of the mountains
The .t!ati.ieG rocks as | said before. were
produced by dcrOsitious in water, aad CON
stitute the fgssin!srous strata, or those
containing organic remains Their thick
ness has been ascertaiued to be about eight
miles They are divided by geologist= into
three classes, called in an ascending series,
the primary. secondary, and tertiary stra-
Ia each distinguished by the difference Of
their pelrifed remains. 1t must not be
inferred that their thickness Is uniform
throughout the world. IN some parts il Is
greater or less than in others. The lower
part Of the primary strata Is nearly desti-
tUte of fossil remains, and consists OF sye-
mite, granite and sJccharinc lIucstOues-
The valuable marbles are obtained from
these limestoues Iron i found in all the
formations from the primary 10 tho tertia-
~. The only valuable lead mines exist in
the primary The precious stones occur
/ only III the highly crystalline rocks Of the
primary. The rich coal strata are also
/ confined TO this formation, although they
/ occur in all the rocks above. The primary
/ strata is again divided into four subdiv!-
{ sions. called respectively the Camtrlan,
upper and lower Silur;an, and Calboniter-
! Gus systems. These ] shall describe more
particularly in my next paper. The lower
! Silurian contains few petrifactions. The
| sandstone around Ottawa belongs TO tins
( formation. II extends down the river as
/ far as Little Rock, where there is sudden
break or sink in the strata. The Silurlan
disappears and IS succeeded by the newer
rocks. The Mountain Limestone. which
in the Northern part OF the illinois coal
fields lies far below the surface OF the
. ground, reappears in the middle and
southern portion of the State. 1t i found
in this county underneath the third vein
of coal, and has been reached at La Sale
at 4 depth OF nearly 400 feet All the
stratifed rocks consist Of sediment carried
down by rivers, which being deposited III
lakes and oceans. consolidated by action
of carbonate of lime and silica, and were
then raised TO the surface by subtcrrancar
movements, again TO undergo similar
change in process OF time. The yellow
river in China brings down 100000 cubic
feet Of mud every hour; the Mississippi
still more, and other rivers in proportion
Yet supposing all this sediment Were
Spread equally over the bottom OF the
ocean, it would take millions of years tc
raise bed equal TO the thickness OF the
fossiliferous strata. What countless ages
then must have elapsed since the first de
posts were made-since animal life first
/ a,Dearad in the waters and trees and We
eetab,es ilourished on the land Well did
the poet sing
Ages have rolled their course, and Time grown grey
/ The earth has gathered to her womb again,
And yet gain, the myriads that were born
OF her uncountei, uDrerneInbered tribes.
The seas have changed their beds-th' eternal hil
have stopped with age.
Aud solid continents have left their place"
w. W. c.