The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-09-20
.4notac,' U,estc,a U-oaIer.
\ FOSSIL PAIN TREE ~ coLoEADo.

Twcnty-une miles south OF Denver lie the
remains OF palm tree preserved in stone.
1t is on the hillside locking down upon
Cherry Creek. and 100 feet more above
the level of the valley of that stream. Ihr
soil is similar TO that of most OF the up.''hu
Ilaiu II Colorado, and covered az prSH' ht
with a thick Cr~p OF grass ana Nct'H.
lunches OF currant bushes laden Win IFui
cluster about the wooden rocks aiu ai'O\e
to the top OF the ridge and along It's crest are
scrUbly young plies aIId lar-e trees. At
tn, loot OF the hill, 3UO yards 10 the west
ward masses the old stage road from Denver
t. santa Fc The traveller looking mp
could see ledge or mass of rough-!o"Sihg
rocks, rising ten or twelve feet above the
surface OF the ground and about forty feet
in length CaInp-fircS have been built
against il and campers have doubtless sought
shelter from storm or sun under its project
NJ front, little dreaming that they rcchncd
in the shadow Of a palm tree The pupils OF
sgh0ol-huuse near by have played i'll II
many a day. Last winter hunter Tor
curious specimens stumbled upon It and
guessed irs true character. Specimens were
brought TO Denver and pronounced by the
best authorities Icuitird palm-wood. But
the mass was reported 50 ltrgr that the story
cccmcd incredible. y careful examination
reveals the following facts:
The monster tree evidently grew where IL
lies and there has been very htt!e change
in The surface of the ground ~ that puIiit
since its fall. The first, or hut section, Is
1hirty-uiuc feet long, and it has apparently
rolled about hatt over, down the nail Us
near as can b,' determined without eNCavat-
iug the aG Giusent earth, The diameter. OF the
tIec at its base is twenty-five feet. The Sc
saud section - twvury-ouC feet long, and
evidently lies where il fell. Its outlines are
hard to determine without digging, bat at
midway, or fifty feet from the stump, it IS
certainly nine feet in diameter. The two
sections, as described, must bc sixty feet III
length. Above that point the body OF the
tree fcll into Cuiyh, which has been since
nearly filled mp by The wash from the hills
above. Digging would doubtless reveal
much more OF the trunk.
\ nd all this immense mass of wood has
turned TO stone, hard and fiinty as porplIy.
Some OF it looks like agate, finely ycincd
itud delicatviy tinted. Others with opalinc
lIstrr; some ~ VI hite as the driven snow
. with the polished surface of chalbedony.
I'ortiOItS OF The trUHIS must have been rotten.
Ipr its stony remains are hOncy-combcd,
:tnd the cavities filled with delicate crystals
that sparkle in the sunlight like real dia-
Inouds. breaking into the knots with heaV y
blows Of the slcdGe hammer reveals Inini;t-
Ture caves aud grottOcS ClirteriuG with
staluctitcs and StalagmiteS of real crystal.
Specimens OF Tie bark can be Chippou of.
looking "a natural, doubtless as when its
own greer lc;tvrs Wavcd III TIE brcrZes and
Ia, IA = Inchuafc man gaIuiOlC0 among
their .riuut stems. It il useless to speculate
upon the time when that giant OF the forest
tluGIIanrd OF tire huudredS of thousands of
ygals during which = turvid sun kissed It's
shining leaves; It's fail and Immersion III
thn sul.cious bath that changed its every
fibre 20 flint. II is history In stone, telling
If chang" ut the OTditlon and climate Of this
part OF the world that may well make one
~uivrr n hr expects 10 Stop here fifty or :
hundred Thousand years longer. Meanwhile
il r:u supply material Tor the walls oi ;
cOur. house, window sjlls and caps for al
%. Denver, or ceutre-t;IUle tops for the West
rru States. Iris the v,ry biggest thing
stouc-aud among trees il takes the palm
Dsit,cr Ltty NctCS.