Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-12-17
AHott 6E0Loef.


AHott GEOLOGY.
Geology Is that branch OF natural
science which treats OF the structure
Of the eArths crust and the mode oil
formation Of is rocks IL = peas
ant and profitable study. and TO the
man who has married .ich aud does
not need to work, the amusement oil
busting geology with the Bible, or
busting the Bible with geology, IS
indeed great boon.
Geology goes hand in hand With
zoology, botany, physical geography,
and other kindred sciences Taxi
dermy, ehIropody and theology are
not kindred sciences.
Biologists ascertain the age OF the
earth by looking at Its teeth and
counting the wrinkles on its horns.
They have learned that the earth Is
not only of great age. but that II Is
still adding to its age from year TO
year.
IL Is hard TO say very much OF q
great science In SO short an article,
and that is one great obstacle which
I am constantly running against ss q
scientist. once prepared q paper
on astronomy, entitled, Chronology
cal History and Habits oil the
spheres. II was very exhaustive
aud weighed four pounds. | sent 1t
to a scientific publication that was
supposed TO be working for the ad-
vancemens of cur race. The editor
did not print it, but wrote me crisp
and saucy postal card requesting me
10 call with dray and remove my
stuff before the board OF health got
after il. In five short years from
that time be was q corpse. AS l
write these lines learn with i'll con-
cealed pleasure that he is still corpse.
An awful dispensation Of providence
in the shape of large, wilted Gu.
cumber laid hold upon his vitals and
cursed him with an inward pain.
He has since had the opportunity by
actual personal observation to see
whether the statements made by Inc
relative TO astronomy were true.
His last words were: Friends, 10
mans and eountrymen. beware OF
the q.cumber. II will w-up." II
was not original, but it was good.
The four great primary periods oil
the ear,h's history are Us follows, viz
to.wit:
|. The Eozoic. or am OF life.
ii The Psleozoic, or period oil
ancient life.
Ill. The Mesozoic, or middle
period of life.
Nv. The Neozoic. orrecent period
of life.
These are all sub-divided again
and other words pore difficult Il
spell are introduced into science
thus crowding out the vulgar herd
who cannot afford to use high priced
terms In constant conversation.
Old timers state that the primitive
condition of the earth was extremel,
damp. With the onward march oi
tine, and after the lapse of millions
of years, men found that they could
get along with less and less water
until at last We see the pleasant
blissiul state of things. Aside frou
the use of water at our summer re
sorts, that fluid is getting TO be les,
and less popular And even her,
at these resorts 1t is generally flavor
ed with some foreign substance.
| The earth's crust is variously esti
mated in the matter OF thickness
Some think it Is $500 miles thick
which would make il safe to run
heavy trains across the earth any
where on top Of second mortgage
while other scientists say that il ",
20 down one-tenth of that distanc,
we will reach place where the worn
dieth not. do not wish to express
an opinion as to the actual depth oil
thickness OF the earth's crust, but
believe il is none too thick TO suit me-
Thickness of the earth's crust is |
mighty good fault. We estimate tn,
age of certain strata of the earth'i
formation by means OF union Of GU
knowledge of plant and animal life
coupled with our geological research
and a good memory. The older sci
entists In the field of geology do no
rely solely upon the tracks of th'
hadrasaurus or the cornucopia TO
their data. They simply use thes'
things 10 refresh their memory.
wish that had time and space Il
describe some OF the beautiful bac
terra aud gigantic worms that for
merly inhabited the earth. Such al
aggregation of actual, living Siluriar
n onsiers. any one OF which woult
make man a fortune to-day, IL |
could be keat on Ice and exhibited
for one season only. You could TAX
q fullgrown mastodon today, an,
with no csliope, no Autographs. n,
bearded lady, no clown with four pill
lows in his pantaloons, and no iron
jswed woman, you could 10 acros
this Continent aud successfully com
pete with the skating rink.
There would be but one difficulty
Your expenses would not be heavy
The mastodon would be willing {,
board around and no one would fee
like turning . mastodon out Of door
IL he seemed to be hungry, but b.
might get away from you and froli,
away 80 far in one night that yo'
couldn't get him for a day or tw'
even II YOU sent detective for him.
IL had q mastodon would rathe
take him when he Is young. and thel
! could make q pet Of him 50 that b
would come and eat out of my han,
without taking the hand of at tn
same time A large mastodon weigh
ing a hundred tons or 50 Is awkward
tao. suppose that nothing Is nor
painful thai 10 be stepped on BY Al
sdal, msstedon.
| | hope al some future time to writ
paper for the Academy Of Scienc
90 the suhjecs Of Deceased Fauna
F0ssiliferons Debris aud Extine
Jokes, showing how. when, and " h,
these early forms Of animal life cam
to be exiiDct--Bsll Nye, In Nes
York Mrrcury.
TEE Ftsx-An alarm OF ere "a
sounded fren Eosins- h0sse Ne. yes
ssrdsy rsarninS ., 80 o'elock. eAass'
os veiazsss Of smeke sung froO ID
residence Of Thomas Ceeser. 90 IN
s~arn.r 81 S~cond and Virginia street.