Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-05-20
Richmond and Western has its parties In the
field seeking an eligible route to the blue grass

field seeking an eligible route to the blue grass
country, and TO pay Its way out by the timber
and minerals. He says much PENNSYLVANIA
capital Is quietly coming into these mountains
In advance, fact quite apparent and an evil
dence of wise forecast in the iron and coal men
OF the keystone state.
Leaving our pleasant friend with regret. we
ascend another mountain-masses of heavy
oeited sandstone, usually light gray ana stained
with iron. abound. In some We observe very
distinct and beautiful fossil plants They are
the impressions Of gigantic reeds, climbs. MOSES
ana other ancient tropical plants which formed
the coal OF this geological period. In some
cases these impressions are scaiey and resemble
huge fishes as they are at times supposed to be.
lhe rock is often full of these plants. When
railroads reach this region the collectors of
geological wonders will find a rich field here i'm
fossil botany.
CoAL.Is SEEN OrT-CRoPPTNG
in cut by the wall side beneath the sand-rock.
We know that these formations, now nearly
5000 feet above the sea. were deposited under
Its waves. The sandstone came from the wear
ing down Of granite and other rock The plants
grew on the adjacent shores They were washed
into the sea and buried by the accommodating
sands Just as masses Of driftwOod now accumu-
late in the delta of the Mississippi By chemical
changes their substance is converted into coal
more or lesSperfectly. These sand-stones, with
their enclosed stems and impressions Of scaly
bark. represent similar operations of an ancient
river flowing through tropical forests millions
OF years ago. That river flowed from lands to
the westward into a sea that then stretched
over the sites OF Virginia. eastern Kentucky
and pennsylvania. So these rocks on the top
OF the Alleghanies tell their unmistakabe story
Today TO the Intelligent questioner. They bear
In their own strata the clearest evidence of these
mighty revolutions. But the KEY of these HERO
glyphs must be learned to decipher them Cecil
ogy gives that and restores the past to US re-
placing these forests Of oak and poplar and all
the modern flora by a wealth of strange and
gigantic forms such as the tropical forests only
now present in their most perfect development
Like the modern peat MOSES, gigantic aquatic
plants formed the body of the coal on low-lyng
lands which were sunk by vast subsidences be-
meath the sea. And these changes Of level and
successive grOwths are recorded by unimpeach-
able evidence in the existence of q thousand
feet or more Of sandstone states and seams OF
coal. Each seam of coal shows a surface above
the sea and growing aquatic plants. The beds
OF SANDSTONE with broken plants through it
SHOW period Of violence and subsistence of
the land. The states are only hardened clays or
fine mud deposited in still water, and show the
period of rest. So the grand succession is re-
corded here which fills the intelligent mind with
wonder. We descend into a quiet valley and
find farmhouse and beautiful flower garden.
Here lives Mr.. j. T. Chase, who came over the
mountain from Tennessee when young man,
who has been merchant and is now q farmer
He is regular
ANDREW JACKSON LOOKING MAN,
having wonderful resemblance to old Hickory
In style and character. We were well enter
tained there. Mrs. Chase presides at the table
with grace that would excite admiration any
where.
Leaving Chases we crossed the stream which
waters the little valley and began the ascent of
the Cumberland range at Pound Cap A few hum
dred feet ascent brought US to the summit. We
stood on the top of the Cumberland mountains.
Here, also. we are on the line between Ken
lucky and Virginia. Upon the smooth sides of
two large rocks which rise above the summit
some artist has inscribed i'm bold script ken
lucky Virginia" We climbed these rocks.
baited the horses and INDUCED in proper refec-
tons There is, properly speaking,
NO GAP HERE AT ALL.
There is practicable road over the noun
tains, but no peak with lofty walls, as at Cum
berland Gap. Moving forward little over the
level summit, with its stunted trees, a magnifi-
cent panorama suddenly unrolls before US. We
are upon the precipitOus wall Of table land and
80 high as to secure an unobstructed view as
far as the eye can reach;in vast waves of billowy
green stretch away to the horizon the magnif-
cent forests of southeastern Kentucky. We are
three thousand feet above the sea- and the view
is impressive and grand beyond description. No
sign OF man, nor Of his works breaks the ma
jestic solitude. Here and there. above the ocean
of soft verdue. with its varied tints Of green,
rises sharp peak, in rugged contrast with the
repose around it, and two immense eagles are
soaring over our heads. Into these mysterious
forests this wilderness Of mountains our path
leads When we come out we will tell our
friends what we saw there. E.. d.