The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-08-23

nrcted with the late food in Elk river,
I notice circumstance and develop.
ment made by tho action Of water. that
is fraughs with speculative thought Of
a remarkable and highly interesting
character A gradual advance upon
the town, BY tho river, has been OBJ
scrvablc for years. steady, slow and
sure approach. which. il not checked.
will in timo blot out all dis,inguisha-
bic features Of the place, with the river
occupying the place it occupied per-
haps thousand years ago for each
and every food develops tho fact that
We are dwelling upon or above the
original bed of Elk river, though some
distance from it now. As tho banks
give way and expose the water level,
timber and drift.wOod, Of all kinds. are
found in perfect state representation,
having been buried, in all probability.
for thousands Of years. I say thousands
of years from tho calculation. as it is
we'll known that the bed Of q river,
when shutting. always leaves a fat bar
on the side from which it reccdes that
bar springs up in vegetation of various
kinds, that soon protects it from the
wash, then gradually rises by the de-
post of sediment. until it gets an clio.
walton equul to the highest water mark.
All bottoms are formed by the action Of
the water. and do not nor never can
rise above the lerel Of foods, conso-
quen,ly. the growth of all bottom land
is comparatively rapid at FIRST. When
a protected bar first appears it is over
flowed frequently in a. single year !;
and as i; rises. by the deposit of the
sediment. it is less frequently over
flown. and goes on gradually rising.
until it acquires au elevation Of some
Is or 20 feet, when floods come but
seldom. and it is ages going tho next
Is or 90 feet. Within tho inhabited
history of this place, extending back
one hundred years. We have had but
three remarkable foods, aud but one
of them Tin 1851 that GOV cred all the
bottoms So feet. These floods. on an
average, leave. perhaps, sediment Of
an inch in thickness, which gives US 4
basis for the following local calculation.
At ono iimc Elk river flowed through
the town; by the action Of the water .
bar was formed aud the river bed com.
menced shifting aud rcceding from the
said bar and some idea Of the time
required for those formations may be
gathered from the following:
inch to the tides in the year
for 1st 8 years, 2 feet formation.
inch to the tide-4 in the year
for next 6 years, 2 feet formation
inch to the tide in the year
fer the next As years, s feet forma ton.
inch 10 the ,ide-1 in the year
for the next As years, 1 fee. formation.
inch to the tide in 2 years
for tho next 96 years, 4 feet formation.
inch to the tide-1 in 4 years-for
1872 years. 4 feet formation.
inch to the tide in 12 years
for next 240 years. . fees formation.
inch to the tide in IS years
I next 423 years. 2 feet formation.
inch to tho tide-1 in q years
for next $40 years. 2 feet formation.
inch to tho tide in 4S years
for the next l ESQ years, 2 feet forma.
ion.
Total number Of years. 2.073.
Total formation. 80 feet.
Thus it will be seen that a natural
formation of 80 feet requires the long
time Of 2.973 years; and actual expcr-
iinent aud observation will show our
tabular statement to be worry nearly
correct. taken as a whole. 1t will BE-
observed that the rapid formation conf
meuces with low and frequent tides. and
gradually falls of I'd the number d.
understanding 81 years to make
an elevation Of II feet; then as but
ons - foot tide year can be looked
for. it will take 4S years longer to
make an carthen deposit Of 4 feet.
After that tho tides arc less frequent.
on. until wo find but one 81 foot raise
in 4S years. requiring 1880 years for
loan deposit Of too feet; and as the
banks and bottoms arc on IN average
here about 50 feet above the level Of the
river bed. it would seem by the fore.
going calculation that some 5000 or
1000 years longer were necessary to
complete. as now found, the formation
of those bottoms-ugreeing almost cx-
actly with tho scriptutal record Of the
ago Of tho world. These arc very
suggestive thoughts, aud 60 to show
the slow but suro and wonderful
changes that are taking place in ma
turc; aud though this is the result of
local obser walton and calculation. yet
in the main it will apply to other 10.
calities with equal force. Those mighty
rivers all over tho land arc constantly
shifting from ono side to tho other
gradually wearing awuy obstacles and
gaining point, only to turn again aud
drift in tho opposite direction-cver
reSllcssly moving to como unknown
destiny. Thus. the inhabitants Of this
globe aud country Gf such there boy
1000 years hence. will find but feeble
marks, if any, Of the civilization Of this
day and ago. G, +. 7.
SUHo, du1v,I 10