Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-05-20
Geology of Wisconsin-The First
Dry Land on the Globe.

icn1 surveyors ol w WISCONSIN,. AHe
day after hearing him a gentleman
happened to sag to me inquisitively:
You are going clear back TO tell
us all about the first settlers, are your"
"Yes, back of that" | replied.
"About the Indians, too?
"Still earlier"
"Ah, going to say something about
the mound-builders, are your"
"Farther back yet"
"Indeed Why, who lived before
them? You'll have to go behind the
flood"
Eyes; I'll go behind the flood"
"How?"
swell, | have authentic facts show
ing that Grant county was field of
such beauty and majesty as is now
never seen, before Adams garden was
planted.
This is enough of the conversation,
and its explanation will be found in
what is said of Prof. Chamberlain's
lecture on the Geology of Wisconsin.
The professor went far back of this
back to a time before the foundations
of the earth were laid. Of course he
had to, to get foundation for his lec-
ture. The world was chaos the
word used in the Bible That is, its
atoms, small beyond measure, occu-
pied vast space. Movement brought
them together-taking circular mo-
ton. A central body (the Sum would
form, and rings would be thrown off
around it. The rings would condense,
break, still condense and become re-
volving planets, as the earth. They
again would throw off other rings
which would condense. break, and be-
come moons. With this as starting
point for the foundation of the earth,
il then consisted of--1st, a solid
center; I'd, surrounding layer of
molten rock Sd, crust of "rock;"
4th, complete envelope of water
5th, atmosphere. Still cooling and
condensing, the solid center becoming
more solid, would draw down the
crust. AS some parts were drawn
down others would be pressed latter
ally, and in yielding would be forced
upward. In this way some portions
of the earth must have come above
the water before others. Biologists
have satisfied themselves that the first
appearance above the water was
either in Wisconsin or New York.
Prof. q. gives his vote for the former.
1t was that portion which lies
next the western half of Lake
Superior, extending south nearly along
where the Mississippi now isto near
the Chippewa, east and northeast
some distance above Green Bay, and
taking in part Of that country which
Michigan stole from Wisconsin to
offset what Indiana took from her
This first appearance was rock--graD-
itic, azoic. Vegetation could not
grow upon it. The water washed
over it and tho rains carried the pull
verified rock back to the sea. Pull
verified rock was also driven upward
by the waves of the sea. Thus
around the south shore of this VIE
consin island rock, was formed
belt of sand deposit. In the sea she'll
fish lived. These trsulted in calcar-
ious deposits and the next belt was
limestone. Then there was belt in
which were the scattered formations
of galena-the age OF the world at
which Grant county came to the sur
face. A belt of clay rock sue
ceeded, and then one of Niagra
limestone and still another of
Racine limestone. There were no
fishes until now, when some fossils of
them are found in what was then
little bay about where Milwaukee now
is. Just at the time Wisconsin was
all brought to the surface plants be-
gan to grow. Grant county was
doubtless soon covered with dense
forests of cryptogamia--fernlike plants
which grew more than hundred feet
high. This was before other parts of
the world had come out of their sea
bath.
The Professor exhibited maps il
Illustrating these progressive stages.
He also showed pictures of fossil
animals found in this region, describ
ing their habits. The trilobite is
one. The orthoceratus is another,
found abundantly. 1t is made up
of disks Probably those pieces OF
round stone, which look as if they
were made of gray lczengers CO.
mented together, of which all of us
have found some, are orthoceratite
fossils. We may imagine what ugly
looking animals they would be 6
inches in diameter and Is feet long.
Others were named. A picture of
the "fatber of the frog family" was
uncovered. 0aiu Iatner was as large
as an OK. Wonder if his flesh was
such delicacy as frog eaters now
regard It'll Certain Lizards had
eyes as large as mans head. A
very large picture of whiskered
monkey was uncovered. The only
thing said about it was, 'and here IS
your ancestor. He is not much
changed at the present day. He has
lost his tail, but his whiskers are OF
the latest CUT This was spoken IN
way as bland as heather Chinee.
People laughed, and laughed hearth
est when the wbiskers were spoken
Of There was an evident resemo-
lance to somebody's.
Three times the Bible was quoted
very aptly in confirmation of geology