The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-01-25

is clearly defined and understood, and then
transferred himself to New England, and traced
the course of these wonderful actions over our
mountains and along our valleys and plains
Close observation and study show that the
course of these movements have been directly
from North to South. If we examine the re-
suits we perceive that the transported material
runs south and gradually diminishes into the
plains Mounts Washington and Katahdin
show no transported material and have no
marks of erosion, which indicate that the ice
field was of great depth. The Berkshire hills
in Massachusetts are parallel ranges, running
southwest, and the glaciers crossed them at
| right angles with their direction and deposited
| upon their southeastern slopes. If we go south
to the valley of the Connecticut we find the
lodges composed of sandstone, through the fs-
sures of which trap rock, an eruptive or melted
| material has been forced. The sandstone, be-
ing soft, has been worn away by the glacial
| progress, leaving the hard trap unaffected, and
1 giving peculiar shapes to the eminences, which
are illustrated in the Hanging Hills of Meridian
and New Haven. The icebergs of the North
| em seas, the speaker sad are but fragments of
glaciers, broken off by their southern progress
| fresh water and not salt water ice. The next
| question is, how far did the glaciers go. The
| further South we proceed the lower the hills
| are and the less evidence of erosion. In eluc-
| dating this point Prof. Morse combatted Agas
| siz's theory that the whole earth was once COW
| cred by ice. Another evidence of glacial action
| is obtained when we dig into our clay-banks,
where we find remains of animal life belonging
to a cold climate. As the ce-field receded these
of iad IN, tbo hos of he
hills where they died, but those left on the
submits live and thrive. At the base of the
mountains of Sumatra we find tropical vegeta-
ton and tropical life, but on the SUBMITS are
found life of the frigid zone.
Following out the effects of the movements
of the ice-feld, the Professor referred to the
peculiar formation of the lodges at Niagara;
composed of strata of hard and soft rock The
Table Rock is of exceedingly hard material,
while the under lodges are soft, and the latter
are affected by the friction of the water and
crumbles, leaving the hard shelf above, which
in time falls fer want of support, and in the
progress of time this magnificent cataract will
deteriorate to succession of rapids. If we go
fourteen miles down the river we find evidences
that the cataract once fell over the rocks there;
the shores are full of little bowls, worn in the
hard trap rock by small stones under the power
of the waterfall, and we can safely estimate
that this process has been going on from 100000
to 400, 900 years-the fall gradually wearing it's
way back to it's present location. The Albany
Basins in Oxford county show by deep circular
holes that a torrent once rushed through that
depressed region. The result of the erosion by
the glaciers is the grinding up and distribution
of the mineral formation as alluvial earth If
we examine the chain of lakes and connecting
rivers of which Sebago is the great reservoir,
and the face of the outlying hills we find that
this basin was once the water-course of glacial
river. An obstruction at the foot of Sebago
were pressed up in time into dam, and should
this ever break away devastating flood would
follow.
In compliance with requests, Prof. Morse
then gave very interesting account of the
probable history of the Presumpscot river. The
outlet of the Presumpscot was once OH the front |
side of the city, through Fore river. Subsequent
ly by land slide from Bramhall Hill, the evil |
dences of which are abundant ON the low land at |
its foot, numerous objects having been found !
recently while preparing the foundation for the
Portland & Ogdensburg engine house, which |
came from the top of the hill when the slide oc-
curred) the course of the river was turned through
behring's Oaks and the Back Cove. Another |
slide at Saccarappa, filling up the old channel,
forced the river into substantially the course it
now runs. The level land at Saccarappa vii |
lage, with its peculiar soil and vegetable mat
ter found at considerable depth, was the re-
suit of this action The recent slides in 1889 |
and 1869 at Cumberland Mills were also alluded
to.
Prof. Morse's next lecture will be given this
evening at the same place, on 1.-THE Art of Il
lustration"
THE action of the common council, on Tues
day night, in so summariy disposing of
measure that was unanimously commended to
their consideration by the School Committee,
has excited much unfavorable comment This
action was the more surprising since the co-or-
dinate branch of the city government gave the |
subject respectful consideration, and referred it
to the committees of the city council for the
purpose of obtaining information. The educa-
tional interests of the city are too important to
be treated in this off-hand way. f.I.,f
INTERNATIONAL STEAMSHIP CoMPANY.-At
the annual meeting of this corporation, held
I. C. Hersey, President; ii. j. Libby, Secre-
tary and Treasurer; J. B. Coyle, S. E. Spring,
A. Nc L. Seeley and Rufus e Wood, Directors
The Company has paid fair dividends the past
year and has handsome reserve fund.
A PLEASANT GATHERING. On Monday |
evening last, about seventy members of the |
NJ e. churches in this city and a delegation |
from Browns Hill NJ. E. church met at the
residence of E. T. Nutter, Esq, in Cape Eliza
beth The evening was very pleasantly spent
in social converse and music, and after partak
ing of bountful collation. provided by the
host, the meeting was called to order by E. G.
p. Smith, Esq, and committee consisting OF
E. T. Nutter, Cape Elizabeth, S. r. Leavitt, |
Portland Chas. Nutter of North Conway,
George Stanley of Keazer Falls S. L. Norton of
Conway Centre, Leonard Andrews of Bidde-
ford, Paul Chadbourne of Saco, III. c. Lowell of |
Kittery Roscoe G. Harding of Gorham, Will
liam Larrabee of Bridgton, and Jas. M. KIM
ball, C. A. Walden, +. A. Smith and Jas. G.
Turkey of Portland were appointed to arrange |
for an excursion to the Martha'S Grove Camp
Ground at Fryeburg about the 9Th of July next. !
This beautiful grove, in which the meeting was
held last year, was purchased and presented by
Mrs. Nutter to the Association which bears her
name, and is one of the most beautiful spots to
be found in the State. Situated on the banks
of the Saco, the river and mountain scenery is
most magnificent and we predict that this is
destined to be the camp ground for this State.
AS the company from Portland left the door on
their return it was the unanimous verdict that
the proverbal hospitality of MI. and Mrs. Nut
ter was never more manifest than on this occa-
sion. The evening was spent most delightfully."-
and the pleasure of the Portland delegation
was enhanced by their very pleasant ride to
and from the city with Robinson in his spacious
boat-sleigh May he long continue the favorite
of such parties
1t is intended that the excursion planned for
next July shall be one for all the Methodist
churches in this section, and the grounds are
to be formally opened on that occasion to all
who wish to secure society or family tenting
lots.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES.
LTCHFIELD, at his establishment in the Fox
Block, Exchange street, is constantly supplied
with the choicest fruit and confectionery
C. r. CHISHOLM & Co., at the Grand Trunk
depot, have received all the periodicals for Feb
ruary and ara constantly Sunnlied with all the