Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-07-22

here. What made it so cold during
the drift period? [ do not know. |
have no means of knowing. There are
many theories, but they fall to the
ground. The Professor here explained
several theories relative to the drift
phenomena. The earth is 100000
miles nearer the sun in Winter than
in Summer, yet that is the coolest
season. Two hundred and ten thous-
and years ago the earth was 13,000, 900
miles further from the sun in Winter
than in Summer. There were great
and instantaneous changes in that pc
riod, causing trees and animals of one
cline to be found by people of alto
gether different climates. These drift
beds formed in the cold period
are interesting from the fossil
remains deposited therein. Mon
ster animals then existed - deer
whose antlers were twelve feet long
and weigh eighty-five pounds. These
deposits embrace the bones and works
of man with the remains of animals.
Man is here discovered for the first
time. These were animals of our pc
riod. Man must have been rude
barbarian-a cannibal. Flint knives
and arrows and mans carcasses have
been found beneath animal remains.
We can't tell the age of these deposits
its mere conjecture, some put it at
$50, 200 years ago and some at 100000
The old theory that the earth was
thousand years ago and in its present
not go into the origin of man in this
Lor ri 1p nd
ibalistic. Geology has taught many
valuable lessons relative to our race,
and is now teaching US much which
of the changes going on at present,
and we need not leave our own
country to observe wonderful changes
has taken $4,000 years for the Mag
ara Falls to work their way from
Queenstown, seven miles below, to
their present position. The time will
come when they will reach Lake Erie.
They are moving one foot per year
now. A man with geologic eyes and
geologic brains behind them can see
wonders where the unlettered man
sees nothing. The islands of our own
country are being cut down. Long
Island will one day be short island.
England is being taken away fast.
The sea is making a conquest of Great
Britain. Think what millions of years
will accomplish at the slow rate of the
change making now. There is more
land surface on the face of the globe
now than ever before. While in some
parts the earth is sinking and is
stripped off, in other parts the land is
being lifted up, as in northern Europe.
Rivers effect the greatest changes.
The Mississippi river has formed
delta at its mouth of 1900
square miles. In 1900 years it
will fill up the Gulf of Mexico. Cuba
will be annexed by very easy pro-
cess, if Uncle Sam will let her alone
till then. We, and all we have, will
be preserved in these deposits now
being formed, for the wonder and
amusement of the ages to come. Riv-
ers all over the earth are filling up the
sea, and eventually these formations
will be lifted up. The earth is not
cool yet by any means. Gas is escap-
ing, the inside is cooling. We only
realize the convulsions when earth
quakes take place. These convul-
sions squeeze out the asphaltum.
What will the ten thousandth gener-
alton see? The earth is advancing,
perfecting, becoming better fitted for
mans use, and man is advanc-
ing-is rising higher and higher
in the scale of being. His high
d, stiny cannot be realized .now.
The lecturer brought the house down
frequently by his eloquence and mirth
and aptness of illustration.
At the close, Judge Charles Lindley
arose and made some remarks regret
ting exceedingly that the Professors
lectures had not been more highly APP
preciated by our citizens, but felt that
the people were just getting walked up
to their interest and Importance, and
moved that this meeting express its
views thereon and SECURE, if possible,
further lectures.
Professor Denton stated that next
Monday and Tuesday evenings are the
only ones he can devote thereto.
On motion, Gen. Volney T.. Howard
was called to the Chair, and Dana G..
Pearson was elected Secretary.
The Chairman made some appro-
pirate remarks, when, on motion of
DR.. Edgar, a committee of three was
appointed to draft resolutions express
sive of the sense of those who have
listened to Professor Denton, and TO
make arrangements for the future lee
lures.
Dr. Edgar, Mr. Mourenhaut and
Geo. Hanson were appointed said com-
mittee.
On motion, the committee was in
structed to publish the results of their
action in the three daily newspapers
of this city.
Professor Denton announced that the
subject of his lecture on Monday
night will be "The Origin of Life and
Man." That for Tuesday night "rhe
Races of Mankind and their Destiny"
or else the following subject: "Scien-
tific Evidences of Mans Future Ex-
istence.
On motion the meeting adjourned.
V f. HOWARD, Chairman.
DANA G. PEARSON, Secretary.