Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-10-17
A THEORY OF GEYSERS.
4 Description Of the Wonders Of the Vel
s$54tss{4 1owstous Park. 55assi

& Z eshapS as rational a general tneOry
as any, in regard to the present condi-
ton Of things in the. valley of the Gard
ner river (for the western part Of the
National Park is the valley Of the Gard
ner, which enlpties into the Yellow
stone river near the northwestern cor.
ner Of the park, is this: The geologi-
cal formation Of this region was o bed
I OF magnetism limestone, either resting
upon or superinposed by a bed OF
silicate rock. The theory Of details is
modified by position and conditions.
By volcanic action this bed Of lime
stone was changed to quicklime, which
now, through the chemical action Of
water, is producing the effect witnessed
IN the form of geysers, boiling springs
and the like. For 80 miles or more
tthe distance from the Mammoth Hot
Springstto the upper ,geyser basin), the
surface, to greater or less depth, is in
the main geyserite; that is, lime, sag
nesia and siicate. III
The heated water, thrown up from
great depths below the surface, holds
in solution large proportion Of these
materials, which upon coming in con-
tact with atmospheric air, are deposited
in strata of greater or less thickness.
In some places hundreds of feet Of lime
stone and magnesia, mixed with slick,
are already deposited. And still the
action goes on. Mostly the deposits
are in the form of carbonates, the rim
edges of springs and the bases OF geyser
craters being of marble. The forms
of these deposits are beyond ex-
preston varied and beautiful. Every
form Of scalloping and corrugating may
be seen. At one place immense smooth
bosses, arranged laterally or heaped up
on each other in vast masses; at another,
whole fields Of huge caulifower fornla-
lions, crowded thickly together; and
again, masses like heaps of wool feeces.
These surface corrugations are likened to
honeyconnb; to me they much more re-
senble the inner Innings of the stomach
OF an OK. Sometimes they are like fish
scales or like the markings on the back
of an alligator. . Sometimes of perfect
Wilderness, more frequently of grayish
white, but not unfrequently most har-
monious blending of colors, in which
arsenic, sulphur, iron and oxygen are
probably the main ingredients. I may be
quite wrong, but the green's and browns
seem to be Of vegetable origin. The
surface deposit is sometimes granular,
though often fbrous, like the frog"
slime" seen in stagnant pools, so that
when hardened it takes on every imagin-
able structures form. Often masses
present q coralline form so exact that
even experts in these matters might be
quite excusable in mistaking them for
the work Of Polyps. D. These forms
must be seen to be realized; no words
alone can create an adequate idea in the
mind in the delicacy of structure and
beauty of coloring. I think I can see in
this mingling of colors and material the
manner OF formation of variegated mar
BILE. In what are called the Paint Pots,
the material is not held in solution in
the water, but is mixed of about the
shade of the particular coloring ingre-
dent prevailing in the mixture. Side
by side are pots of various colors. When
this mixture, which is now like seeth-
ing, bubbling, and steaming paste, in
innumerable caldrons, hardens, it forms
variously tinted rocks Of any magma
BILE pattern. r
In the pools and ponds Of unfathomed
depths, the watar of a temperature pro-
badly much above 200 degrees, the
sides are lined with pure white magne-
sian formations, initiating foliage of
delicate forms, leaves, flowers and
fruits arranged after the grandest arch
itectural patterns, which seen through
the deep waters, rejecting blues and
green's Of every imaginable shade, pro
,duces most fairy like scene. Indeed
no fairy grotto was ever imagined to
equal this reality. These structures
are so frail and the tracery so delicate,
that rough handling and even exposure
to che air, causes them to crumble to
dust. We're the waters Of these pools
to suddenly disappear, the arabesque
formations Of the sides would disappear
almost as soon, and instead o. charming
surface decorations remaining to greet
the eye, the beholder would pro badly
see only heap Of fine oalcareous sub
stance IN the bottom of huge bowl.
\ In another short time other earthly
materials would mingle with these and
I thin vegetation would cover the whole.
. At least that is what ] saw in many
cases Such bowl like depressions are
of no infrequent occurrence; always one
side of the rim lower than the others,
as marking the side from which the
boiling water overfowed and escaped.
%. Geysers build up their own cones, and
not till they are OF sufficient length to
contain column Of water, the weight
OF which shall hold the constantly form
s ing vapor imprisoned, until its own up
ward force shall overcome the down
ward pressure Of the water, Will spout
ing geysers be formed, Under other
conditions they are boiling springs.
4 To what depth these shafts extend be-
} low the surface I have heard of no
means Of estimating; they are some
times 10 or Is feet above the surface,
aud Of almost as great diameter. OF
course this is the measure OF those only
& Of the largest geysers. Others are mere
playthings geysers in miniature. .
iii T have never seen q cone entire; al
WAYS one side more or less mutilated,
and that the side opposite to the great
est spouting force. Neither have / ever
seen geyser nor q boiling spring where
b the agitating force was perpendicular,
direct, or from the centre. Almost in
5 x,a,.;ahiv Aha water and yar,Or issue al