The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-09-18

the Bad Lands, one of which, when
seen at night from the Northwestern
Pacific train which passes near, has
the appearance of volcano in active
erupti,n There is another fire farther
back in the Bad Lands which has
been smouldering ever since the coun-
try was known TO the whites, and ac-
cordng to Indian tradition from the
time when the Great Spirit upheaved
the land with great earthquake.
The truth of the matter is, the Bad
Lands are one vast bed of Ignite coal,
which runs through the buttes and hills
in solid veins from four to ten feet
thick. This Ignite was probably ig
nitel by fires that sometimes prevailed
over the plains, set by Indians, and
the coal being in continuous veins, has
been burning, no doubt, uninterrupted
ly beneath the surface for years. Per
haps long ago dense forests existed in
these Bad Lands, which accounts for
the extensive beds or Ignite found
here. There are certainly evidences OF
primeval growth In the endless pct
rfrations of tree stumps, and Mr..
Winser speaks of fine specimens Of
fossil leaves of the Pl;ocene age,
changed by the heat of the burning
Ignite into a brilliant scarlet, but
retaining their reticulations perfect
The various round topped mounds
made up Of ink black clay, argillace-
Gus. limestone, friable or pulverzed
sandstones, raw and pottery clay and
veins of impure lignites, the burning
Of which has fused and mixed their
materials in one confused Stag, are to
be seen in every conceivable form.
Between the mounds are raviues,
gulches and meadows, many of the
latter carpetcd with the rich nutritious
bunch grass so much sought out by the
bison when they dwelt upon the buttes
and roamed over the valleys
GOOD SOIL.
The soil of the Bad Lands possesses
fert lizing properties in excess. AS
before remarked the name of Bad
Lapds is misnomer, for the country is
well watered by numerous streams
although barren of trout and tainted
with alkili-grows numerous and lux
uriant grasses (some thirty-three vari-
cites have been classified), and is a
veritable paradise for stock-raising
and sheep growing Cattlemen
were not long in finding out
the true. worth of the Bad
Lands as grazing region. Soon after
tn" conquest of Sitting Bull and the
opening up of the country to the
whites, it began to dawn on the minds
of stock men that section once sought
by the buffalo as tavorite stamping
ground must be good pasture fields for
herds of cattle and sheep
Tho Marquis de Mores, young and
enterprising French nobleman, was the
first to seize the opportunity by turning
loose thousands of cattle and sheep
among the multitudes of buttes border
ing tne Little Missouri, and his exam
pie and success has caused many other
| wise and learned stockmen to do like
wise. The cattle shifting for them
selves have done well (the alkali ans,
werins the purpose of salt and with
out care or feeding have come out each
season in fine, fat condition, ready for
market Thus we see Pyramid Park,
the grandest and sublimest spot on the
American continent. not excepting the
Yelio Sstone National Park, turned in
to a grazing field for the raising of
cattle and herding of sheep. 1t is a
grca pity that the government has
never taken steps to preserve this re-
gion If natural wonders from destruct-
ion.