The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-10-26
CGMMINS AT CARRlzO
MAKING GEOLOGICAL RESEARCH
To Secure Texas Mineral Specimens fer
Exhibit at New Orleans-How His
Efforts Have Been Rewarded
Ancient Footprints.

CARRIzo, Oct. % Editor HERAbp.}-.
A week ago l left Dallas for the west,
over the line of the Texas A Pacific
railroad, for the purpose OF making OBJ
seryations on the geology of the state
and to collect geological and mineral
specimens for the Texas exhibit at New
Orleans. ! had previously explored the
country as far west as Sweetwater. At
this place I met number of the citi-
zens at night at tho opera house, and
after explaining the object of my visit,
and the advantages to be derived from
the county being represented at the
worlds fair, | organized All auxiliary
society, composed of some of the lead
ing citizens OF the place. who assure me
they will have everything in shape by
the lat OF November to fully represent
the economical resources of the country
The country here belongs to the
Permian period, oyerlaid on the
south by the cretaciOus. AT this
place is the eastern edge of the great
gypsum belt of Texas, which runs from
here in q northeastern course to the
state line and beyond through tho In
dian territory. Plaster of paris has
been manufactured here to a consider
able eItent, but for the present, work
has been suspended, | mot here, my
old friend, Capt. Ii. G. Lyon, Ho volun-
teored to so with me into the field and
assist in collecting geological speci-
mems. We obtained some very fine
lmples of crystalized gypsum, which
,le people here call petrihed
roses. These crystals very much re-
semble roses in form, and some Of them
are beautifully colored and make hand
2Ome cabinet specimens.
4 f,tttn faRtr mill 1, Cf kNtrps
water q stratum of flint in the crotace-
GUS limestone, from which tho Indians
in past ages have manufactured stone
implements, which fact is evidenced by
great number of stone axes, arrow
heads and spear heads being found in
the immeChayo vicinity, in all states Of
completion. They seem To have blocked
out the implements roughly in the
quarry, and carried them u few miles
away, to the vicinity OF spring, and
there completed their work, where the
fragments Of broken flint now lie in
heaps.
The soil of this county is generally Il
reddish sandy loan, and is evidently
very productive. The courthouse il
built ofsa dstone, found in tho immadi-
ate vicinity of the town.
| next stopped AT Colorado Citv,apros-
porous town, situated on the bank OF the
Colorado river. The town has suffered
feartully from fires. They have no
water for eNtinguishing fires, and hence
when a fire once starts lt burns up whole
blocks ~ time. An effort was made to
bore an artesiau well, but tho work was
abandoned at the depth of 400 feet.
The machinery used for boring has
been burned, and ii is doubtful il
the undertaking will he resumed.
In boring this well, lat a depth of SIS
feet, bed % salt twenty-four feet thick
WAS found, and again at a depth of $40
ieet, another bed was struck, which is
iorty-siN feet thick, making in all bed
seventy feet thick of pure salt Wheth-
or this immense bed Of salt will ever be
utilized or not, is question that cannot
now be solved.
! visited The seven wells fow miles
below the city. These wells are in q
soft, sand stone, and some Of them are
said to be more than 100 feet in dOpth
Some of them are flowing wells.
Similar wells arc known to the geOlO-
giSt as "pOt holes and are made by the
action of running water. These wells
have been puzzle to many, from the
fact that they are several miles away
from any strcem of water, but when we
take INTO consideration that the sur
rounding country has boon donudpd to
the depth of 500 feet, we can readily see
how the old river channel may have
been filled up and caused to find new
outlet. 4. thorough examination lof
this country 10y the geologsts will no
doubt give us the true solution. Tho most
peculiar thing al these wells is the trail
leading over the solid sand stone to the
wafer evidently made 10y buffalo. ! had
heard before visiting this locality that
the tracks were there and that they had
been made at the timo of the deposit of
The sandstone, hut this ! had disputed
Tor the reason that these rocks were de-
posted ut an age when thOrn wore no
land animals. Tho tracks have been
made by artificial means, long since the
original sandstone was deposited, and
are probably the result of tho animals
stepping repeatedly In tho Same place.
soQe of the tracks arc worn 10 the
depihOi tour or five iuchos. There IL
sufficient regularity about them TO show
OF nature, and q sufficient irregu-
larity about them tn show
that they are not tho work of human
hands. Tho trails are worn In some
place, several inches below tho surface
OF the rocks, whore the distinct foot
prints are not preserved. What is re-
markahle about the distinct tracks *
that they all have been made by tho aui-
mails going in the direction of The wells,
and none away from them. This may
be accounted for by the fact that the
rocks terminate very abruptly no the
water Whi,o thu other side of the gulch
is mot so steep, and the animals after
going down to the water would Ice more
likely To 20 out 10y tho sasicr route
rather than ASCEND an almost porpeu-
dicular blum. More anon.
Yours,
w, f. CvHNfSe