The Benton weekly record., 1882-11-24
NEVADA FOSSILS.
) uot pri.s of Enormous Animals
PEE rifich TFees-An En-
TT. inzs S~.ctiou. .....

Now that so nuch is being said about
the tracks OF antedeluvian elephants and
prehistoric lnAn III the S,ate Prison QUAR-
ry, near Carson, it ulay be that some of
the scientists Of the Pacific coast will think
il worth while to take a look at the tracks
bpvond Dayton, near the mouth Of Fl
Dorado canon. These tracks are In rock
that is dentided. W. have never exan-
jneI them, but have frequently heard them
spoken of by Prof. w. F. Stewart {now
dead) who thought them very remarkable
and O! much scientifi" inn ortance. The
tracks are described as much the same as
those found at TIE State Prison quarry
Though Prof. Stewart said nothing Of the
cracks Of human beings, he had good
sir"l 10 say of tracks 1t mammoth horses.
Thrst. may have b~,i. tie tracks Of ele-
4,Ilants or Ut. tlIr l.s:t:. III .;, He also spoke
0t g.c4t quantities Of p"trifi"d weed that
were s reN0 about the surface Of the
ground.
This would >erm 10 Indicate that tn"
ground wis OlIc= at the bottom Of lake.
indeed ulI The low ground in this part Of
Nevada shows signs OF having been COW
cred by water in ancient times, and also
some plats OF considerable altitude. In
1860 we found a petrifed log Of pine some
thirty feet in length and eighteen inches
in diameter, on the side of a hill to the
southeast Of American Flat. Strewn
over Spring Valley there was also at that
time much petritied cedar, fir, pine, and
other kinds Of wood. The prospectors
were in the habit OF ''sledging" these logs
sap In order to get at the knots, pieces Of
pitch and other parts that would make
handsome specimens for cabinets. These
logs were no doubt the truAks of trees that
had tloated about on the ancient lakes un-
tiI they became water-logged and sunk to
the bottom. The random way in which
they we're f0nnd scattered about seemed to
Show this.
Ia The year 1861 big food washed cut
tt great number Of petritied trees along a
rAvine running from near the old Dancy
II an, Spring Valley, down in the Carson
river. These appeared to be the stunps
at cott0nwoods, alders, aud such trees rs
grows along streams. The roofs and all
s,nrts or these stumps were perfectly pei
gifted.
In this region, however, nothing rnore
interesting is likely to be found than ap-
o,, hxt P,,rtEa~ r1ouy,, tf,a
Carson, and to the eastward Of the Sink, is |
section Of country that would be likely |
to yield mucI, Of value to the careful
scientific investigator. There 10 in that
region large area Of recent sand-rock Of
coarse, loose texture and granite-gray
color. ~w.#-"
Some four miles east Of the Sink Of the
Carson an upheaVal of granite has 30
raised this sedimentary formation ~ to
show it to be about 500 feet In thickness.
IN many places large canons have cut
through this formation, leaving nearly
walls. III passing along
the cAnons without making any special
examinations, We have found sticking il,
the walls, bones Of small ANIMALS and
birds, bits Of wood, twigs, and the like,
I'll black as though carboniZed.
On the bank Of deep canon, northeast
If shat is known as the Lower Sink Of
the Carson, is place where is to be seen
a great quantity of petrihed wood Of all
kinds. A stratum Of this wood, some Ave
Eeet thick, and exposed along the canon
for distance Of over 100 yards, appears TO
have been great drift. All Is so thor
oughly petrifled and SO natural In appear
ance that at distance it seems to be lot
cE cordwood stacked up on the bank Of the
canon. Mingled with this petrifed drift
wood may perhaps be found the bones and
OF animals, birds, and reptiles.
The bed of petrifled wood is covered to 8
depth of from three 10 i've feet with earth
md gravel. Virginia City (Nov.) Eater
)rlSe.