The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1883-05-10
AND THE WATERS REcEDED.
Giles Once the Bottom of a Lake
How and What Made Our Soil.
BY W. T. MANN.

TILES county belongs to the
southern portion OF the natural di-
vision of Tennessee, called the
Central Basin" This division EN-
braces an area of $500 square miles,
81 one fifth of the area OF the state.
In its topography it might he COM
pared to an oval dish surrounded
by q fat brim. The surface of this
basin, or natural depressiOns slopes
slightly to the northeast. Its
greatest length is in the same direc
ton, extending from Giles to jack
son county, about Iz5 miles. The
toposrap y of tn section presents
many evidences of having once been
The bottom of an ancient lake.
AS we are just ON the edge of this
basin, we can find many evidences
To support this theory. There is at
the spring hack of the residence of
Mr.. j. q. Smithson, about three
miles west of Pulaski, some very
interesting remains of an ancient
shore line There are large bOwld-
ers belonging to line of low cliffs
with as distinct wave markings as l
have ever seen. There are some
tall pillars OF hIniy limestone with
holes washed through them and
distinct wave marks, showing that
it must have once been on the shore
line of a large body of water. This
locality is just at the edge OF the
geological formation helOr ging To
The tOphOgraphIcal feature repre-.
scented by The Hat rim of the dish,
spoken of above. This highland
rim, which we will supp Sc to mark
The shore line of the Old lake, covers
Il considerable portion OF the south
western part of the county anu
fOrIus an irregular boundary in the
western part; extending near the
center to the Lawrence county line,
and on the north il is represented
by Elk Ridge, which juts out from
The rIin between Maury and Giles,
forming u peninsula In oar imagIn
ary lake. The rim then exteI. DIS
through Maury, Williamson and
Davidson, where it takes turn 10
the east through Sumner and Trous
dale To jackson. 1t then returns
ia south easterly direction through
Smith; De-kaib, Rutherford, Bed
ford and Lincoln to Elk River in
The south eastern corner of Giles.
There Is another portion of high
iaud OF less elevation than Elk
Ridge extending rom Marshall To
wards the center of The county
IlIis high land might he considered
AS an OfshOOt or extension of the
Elk rdg pla eau, which forms the
uivide between the waters of Duck
river in MaurY and the waters OF
Elk river. This high land has
pretty much the same character.
Istics as the 'briIn" formation, and
prObabl y once formed an elevation
In the bottom of the old lac. IL
is probable that it once presented u
comparatively level surface, but il
has been 50 thoroughly diesecled
10y the numeI Gus streams of the
county that IL is now represented ny
many narrow ridges with fiat top.
These ridges are from 200 to 5UO
feet higher than the valleys ami
represent he highest geological
formations i'll the county. Suppus-
ing IT to h. true that the county
was once a part of the bottom of the
lake, covering the central basin,
This land on the tops Of the ridges
must have been the lake bottom,
and our valleys have since been
worn down to their present depth
ny the streams. The waters of the
AXE of the basin found three out
ets through the high lands sur
rounding it, one on the nor h
the Cumberland river; an
Jther in the center through Duck
lver; and a third at the south |
Elk river. These outlets
Il first probably CARR 4 off only the
surplus waters, but afterwards as
heir channels deepened they began |
. drain the lake; and as it sank it |
eft its shores To be washed by rains |
mi iniowing streams until gOrges |
md valleys were scooped out, wear
ny through the higher formations
ntO lower ones AMI depositIng the
.rutled ma ter in the eys. This |
'r0cess has been going on until the
AXE has been drained aud the hot
ON been dissected by thousand
mail streams, which are still do
ny their work in wearing down the
ills, deepening their bells, or form
NJ rich deposits for future corn
eldS. Or course The soil of all the
JwesG parts of The basin is made
p of matter erOded from The higher
mingled with the soiI
eriYed from the formation of the
oLton jLseif. 1t is therefore neces
AIRY to knog something of the ma
are of these sources Of supply in
der To understand the compost
ON of our soil. This will he Con-
lfs.raI ,ayt Uaak