The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1873-10-09
Our National Park.

Our National Park.
The reservation which Congress has
wisely made on the Yellowstone River for
the purpose of National Park, is likely
to be ranked as one of the wonders of the
world. Between the Yellowstone and the
Gallatin the divide is formed of volcan-
ic conglomerate, which has been worn by
the action of the weather into a dense
mass of columns and pinnacles, beyond
number. Little streams wind their way
through these conglomerates; and here
and there deep gorges, cut down to the
metamOrphic rocks, intervene. Every
where opalized or silicified wood abounds,
and one instance is recorded where the
stump of tree, thirteen or fourteen feet
in diameter, may be seen entirely inclosed
in the breccia. The question has been
suggested by the Government biologists,
from whence these breccia came, and un-
der what conditions they were deposited
since they are sometimes from four to five
thousand feet thick, and lying in perfect,
ly horizontal strata. 1t concludes that
they were thrown out by volcanoes into
water; thus assuming that at a compare
lively recent date the mountain ranges of
the Northwest were submerged. This
latter supposition is shown by other evil
dence to be sound, and we may suggest to
Mr.. Hayden, that the explanation he fur
nishes of the deposition of the breccia
may be seen illustrated from time to time
in Hawaii. During the great eruption
from Kilauea, in 1859, vast quantities of
breccis thrown into the sea fell
upon q bottom of similar material
that had probably been many
years in accommodating; and in
one instance flood of molten lava fol
lowed, completely filling up small bay,
and at the same time engulfng native
village. Any subsequent elevation of the
land round this great volcano of the
Sandwich group would probably present
at future day much the appearance
which we now see preserved to us in the
region of our National Park, and in a
more marked degree than could be had in
any other volcanic region, thus fully cor
roborating Mr.. Hayden's theory.
One of the most curious features of
this region is to be found in the hot
springs. On the border of the Yellow
stone Lake are often to be seen elevated
mounds, which jut out from the shore
into the water. These contain pools filled
with heated water, SO that it is possible
for person standing on the mound to
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fishing-rod, and to cook them in the boil
ing spring without taking them off the
hook. The water in these springs varies
much in temperature, from 1O4 degrees to
about 1872 degrees, their elevation above
the sea-level ranging from $3.50 to OTTO
feet, at least those which have been more
closely examined. The springs of the high.
est elevation are usually those in which
the water is of the highest temperature.
The gas given off from them is most fire.
quently sulphuretted hydrogen, though
from some half dozen of them carbonic
acid only is detected. 1t would seem
that they are constantly undergoing
changes, old springs drying up and new
ones coming into existence.
There is evidence that these springs
were once much more numerous then they
now are, and a probability that they will
one day become extinct There is an
other variety found in the neighborhOOd
which, although less picturesque, arc
otherwise as interesting. These are mud
springs or salses. The temperature of the
water in these is often below that of the
surrounding atmosphere, and sometimes
as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit. In one
instance they cover the entire hillside,
bubbling and steaming from top to bot
tom. The mud is of various colOrs-black
and red from the deposit of iron, and yell
low from the presence of native sulphur,
while in consistency it varies from thick
pasty mass to inky black water. 1t bub-
bles and boils necessarily from the escape
of steam and sulphuretted hydrogen,
which fill the air, and this, together with
the splashing Of the water, the heavier
bubbling of the thick mud, and the throb-
bing and trembling of the whole hillside,
combine to form a,scene not readily to be
forgotten.
Some of the most beautiful features in
the scenery, apart from these geological
curiosities, are the falls of the Yellowstone
River. The lower of these, at the had of
the Grand Canyon, is found to be 397 feet
in height, and the depth of the canyon at
its foot CTS feet, increasing rapidly to
1000 feet. Before the fall the river sud-
denly narrows, becomes very deep and as
sumes a remarkable green color. Large
powders are sometimes carried over the
bles yet so great is the height that be-
fore the water reaches the bottom it has
resolved itself into dense cloud Of
spray, which, gathering itself together
again, soon after rushes between Its
mountain walls, battling against the in
tervening rocks, as bright emerald green
stream, dashed only at intervals with q
wreath of snow-white foam. The upper
fall is distant from this not more than
half mile, and is 40 feet high, but
chiefly. remarkable for the peculiar form
which the water in its descent assumes in
meeting with number of great project
ing rocks. More picturesque again than
this are some beautiful falls on Cascade
Greek, near by. The stream, after pass
ing through deep, gloomy gorge, makes
leap of about twenty-one feet, and then
falls again in three streams a distance of
over fifty feet into q beautiful rounded
basin, in which the water is perfectly
smooth and quiet, but out of which it
takes yet another leap ere it flows away
into the river.
The beauties of our National Park are,
in fact, SO great, so numerous, SO marvel
Gus, that our care must be, not how to inn
prove the place by art, but how to pre-
serve the treasures which nature has so
lavishly bestowed.-NeW York Times.
The Birch Canoe.
A YOUNG gentleman of Concord recent.
ly received the present of birch bark
canoe; and the following evening he
launched the frail craft, and invited few