Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-05
GLACIAL PERIOD III AMERICA.

In the columns of the Independent for
March 4, 1850, and March 10, 1881, q
somewhat detailed account was given of
the Investigations of the Rev. G. Frederick
Wright, of Andover NOW Professor in
Oberlin), relating to the chronology of the
glacial period. Since that time Mr.. Wright
has been busy collecting further informa.
sion bearing upon the subject. In connec.
ten with Professor Lewis, of Philadelphia.
he has accurately traced for the Pennsvl.
vania Geological Survey the southern
boundary of the glacial region across the
State, and during the year past, under the
auspices of the Cleveland Historical Soci.
ETY., has followed it across Ohio and Ken.
lucky to the Indiana line.
The southern boundary of the glaciated
area Of America crosses the Delaware river
at Bslvidere, few miles above the mouth
of the Lehigh river; thence its course is
through Northampton, Monroe, Luzerne,
Sullivan, Lycoming, Tioga and Potter coun-
ties, in Pennsylvania. 1t Just touches the
southwest corner OF Allegsny county,
New York, and reaches its northern limit
in Catsraugus county, few miles nortl of
Salamanca. Thence 1t turns southwest,
running through Warren. Nenango, Bat.
A
sylvania, and entering Ohio in Columbia
county few miles north OF the Ohio river
Thence its course leads through Stark and
Holmes to Knox county, where it takes a
sudden turn to the south through Licking,
Perry, Fairfield, Rose, Highland, Adams,
Brown and Clermont counties, crossing the
Ohio river on the line between Campbell
and Pendleton counties, Kentucky, and re.
. l. E
Dearborn county, Indiana.
Down to this line the whole country is
covered with unmistakable signs of glacial
act on. Granite powders from the far
north are numerous, both on the hilltops
and in the valleys; stones of various kinds
are mingled together in the unstrstihed
clay deposits, and are stristed as in the
ground moraine of Switzerland. South of
this line these signs disappear In the
river valleys water has often transported
powders much further, but the action of
water soon grasses the peculiar marks Of
glaciation and leaves only strahfed de-
posits.
This boundary line is remarkable, both
fer It's indifference to latitude and elevs.
ton above the sea. In Monroe county,
Pennsylvania, it rises > 600 feet above the
sea without being much d. hected from its
general course. In like manner it descends
l,500 feet to cross the Susquehanna at
Beach Haven, and ascends to >, 200 feet
again IN Lycoming county, and continues
nearly to that elevation until it approaches
Ohio. It's sudden turn to the southwest in
New York, and to the south in Knox
county, Ohio, is not due to any change in
elevation. The highest land in Ohio
about l. 900 feet is in Logan county, north {
of the point where the ice is extended
farthest south. The gradual descent into
the valley of the Mississippi may have had
something to do with the extreme southern
extension, but the sharpness of the fixtures
in Cattaraugus county, New York, and
Knox county, OHIO, show that the southern
boundary was determined largely by the
irregularity of the force pushing from
behind. If, for example, SHOWS had fallen
in excess over the region of the upper
lakes so that the ice was a thousand feet
deeper than to the east, the effect would
be to push lobe of ice in the line of the
least resistance to the southwark of the
ordinary boundary.
South of New England through Cape
Cod, the Elizabeth Itlands, Long Island,
Staten Island and across New Jersey, the
southern boundary OF the glsciated regions
is marked by very large accumulations of
glacial material, forming hills from 80 to
200 feet in height along the whole line.
West of this the terminal accumulation is
not always so marked, but the boundary is
everywhere sharply defined, and through
good portion of the distance the excessive
marginal accumulation continues. Nots-
worthy points at which to observe this
feature are IN Pennsylvania, on Pocono
Mt, Monroe county in the valley of the
Susquehanna, at Beach Haven Of Como
wango creek, twelve miles north of War
rem, and near French creek. a few miles
west OF Franklin also in New York. south
of Randolph, and in Ohio, near Canton,
Stark county; Thornville, Perry county,
and Adelphia Ross county.
The distance to which powders found in
Ohio and Kentucky have been transported
Is noteworthy. Ohio is covered through
out the larger part of its territory by the
nearly horizontal strata Of caTboniferou
and devonian formations. Not only are
there no native granite rocks within its
borders, but none are to be found IN place
to the north short of the shores Of Lake
Huron. Yet a granite bowlder lSxl2X6
feet in dimensions occurs near Lancaster,
in Fairfield county, OHIO, which must have
come from northern Canada, 400 miles
away, and conglomerste powders contain.
ing pebbles of red jasper, characteristics of
the hills about Lake Superior, are found in
Boone county, Kentucky. That the ice
sheet of the glacial period crossed the
Ohio and entered Kentucky a few miles can
no longer be questioned.
The effects of this extension of the ice
sheets into Kentucky are very interesting.
The OHIO river occupies narrow valley
about one mile wide and from 300 to 500
feet deep, cut previous to the glacial period
through the horizontal strata of the coal
measures. Hence the passage of the gla-
clal ice across the channel of the river
must have formed a dam from 500 to 600
feet high. This must have raised the water
in the upper portion of the channel high
enough to have submerged Plttsburg $50
or 800 feet deep and formed large lake
covering the junction of the Allegheny and
MonOngahals rivers with the Ohio. Very
likely this may be the key to unlock the
mystery of the extraordinary terraces both
above and below PittsEurg We shall
soon know the exact boundary of the gla-
cisted area, and be able TO etudy at great
number of points the streams which break
through this boundary.
TALMA AND NAPoLEoN.-I once heard