Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-05-17
ORRGON'S WONDERS,
The Discovery OF the Crater of an
Extinct volcano. al

The Discovery OF Ibe Crater OF an
Extinct Volcano.
New York Eun.l
JORDAN VALLEY, April 27.-
Near here, in Baker county, there
exists an extinct crater, which has
been noble and terrible agent of
nature. This crater is situated
twenty miles north of the stage
road running from Boise City,
Idaho, to Winnemucca, New.
Securing the services of Mr..
Samuel Martin, a fine gentleman
and competent guide (he is sub
scriber to the Sum on the 25th Of
this month, we went out to visit
and take scientific notes. At 25
o'clock we reached the rim of the
crater, and looked down into its
dizzy abyss. The length of the
crater is 5000 feet, and it will safely
reach $500 feet in width. The
depth of the present cavity is esti-
mated at 1900 feet. The entire
crater is burned out, but the ashes
and the cinders have accumulated
on the west side for 200 feet above
the rim, and still remain. On the
bottom, huge powders are lying
over the lava crust.
A little vegetation grows on the
west side. The formation of the
sides shows a wall of granite, and
a stratum of wash gravel under it.
The circumference of the crater at
the present is one mile. The eleva-
tion at the base is about 5000 feet
above the sea level. Close estima-
ton gives the fact of the former
hight of the crater at 10000 feet.
Seventy yards north is a deep hole,
$50 feet wide, and 80 feet deep.
The hole has been blown clean out.
If you get into it by accident you
cannot get out, unless by ropes, as
the walls are perpendicular. Thirty
yards east Of this is another hole,
about the same in proportion and
appearance. On the northwest side
a chimney has been built out of the
lava slabs, which is fifteen feet high
and eight feet at the base. NY
theory is that it was built for the
purpose of a landmark, and per-
haps by some tribe of Indians now
extinct, as a place Of burial. The
last eruption must have taken place
at least 500 years ago.
From good authority | find that
only four men, have entered the
crater before us. Mr.. Martin has
lived where he does now for seven
years, and is a trustworthy man.
An arm Of lava rock extends back
into the hill west, but had no
time to examine it. The vast
amount OF lava proves that the
volcano was one of gigantic pro-
portions. The field covers an area
of twenty-five miles in length, and
ranges from half a mile to ten miles
in width. Its thickness ranges
from eight to one hundred feet, 1t
is fretted and curled, sunkeu and
elevated. In the lava, about a mile
and a half from the crater, is auoth-
er small crater, and around it on
all sides are slides which appear as
though old Oloyen Foot had been
using it for the purpose of dump
ing the lava. Other places resem-
BILE a race-track. Some Of the seems
are from six inches to five feet in
width, caused by the lava cooling,
no doubt. There is no vegetation
on the lava, excepting here and
there o little bush struggling for
existence. A volcanic scent per.
meates the entire region, and it is
u scene Of desolation.
There is no running water nearer
than four miles from the crater, but
there are several fine lakes in the
vicinity. -0ne of them is called
Cow Greek Lake, and is two miles
wide by three and a half in length.
Its average depth is about ten feet.
In some places it is thirty feet.
Fine fish abound in it, and the hills
around the lake are even in outline.
Cow Greek canon is about six miles
long, but very deep and rocky. In
some places it is one-qnarter of
mile wide, and the walls tower up
ward for several hundred feet.
In a narrow gorge l examined
some human bones that have
turned to fossil and are now some
what decayed. The skull has dis
appeared; so | cannot tell whether
they belonged to a white man or
an Indian. This whole country is
wild, full of new curiosities, but an
excellent stock range. The settle
ments are very scattering, and in
fact but little is at the present
known Of it, / am positive that
this crater and this vast field of
desolation have never been present.
ed to the world before.
,,PRoF. GEO, +. HOLLIS.
An English and American Park.
Courier Journal
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