Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-09-25

nOHG III biC jaw anu - 49, 5000
ty in the skull where language brain
cells are found. The basis of these
conclusions seems exceedingly mar
row If not actually mystical, but it
indicates poverty of evidence that
man, rs we know him, has been very
long a denizen of the earth Exact
" to what kind of beings those de-
fective jaw-bones and skulls belong
ed may not be apparent, but it is
quite certain they did not belong to
the present race Of men.
The discussion which excited the
deepest interest of all was on the
gorge of the Niagara. Friday was
largely devoted to it. Saturday, all
hands went down to study it on the
spot and on Monday the discussion
was concluded. The chronology Of
recession was the engrossing ques-
ton. 1t was quite generally agreed
that the fall really began in the Vi
entity of the whirlpool about three
miles below the present fall that
the gorge below was made during or
before the glacial period that the
rock has receded not less than four
feet year; that there was formerly
much more water than now, and
hence more rapid wear that there
was also more ice and gravel, which
increased the rapidity of recession
that the river was only about halfas
wide rs at present, and hence the
water deeper, heavier and more de-
structive to the rock than now that
the limestone was not so thick and
the shale thicker, and hence more
rapidly worn than at present, and
that the limestone lower down the
river was scanned and cracked so
that water distintegrated it rapidly,
so that the rate of recession must
have formerly been much more rapid
than it now is, and that from five to
seven thousand years are ample for
the work done From surveys in
1912, 1875, and 1886 it is ascertain
ed that Horse Shoe fall is reeeding
over fourfeet year, and the height
of the fall increasing. In a few
years it will be sixty feet higher
than now. But as the limestone |
grows thicker and harder above the |
present crest, it will soon recede |
more slowly and will not reach Buff
falo yet for ages.
A curious fact was stated during
the discussion as to the relations of
Buffalo and Chicago. The devide, a
few miles from Chicago, is only 20
feet above the falls of Niagara.
Now if some those Chicago men,
who have figured in many great en-
terprises, had CHANGED to have
been on hand before the water
broke through the mountain above
Lewiston, they certainly would have
pushed channel through this mar
row divide of only twenty-five feet in
height and turned the mighty tide
to the south and secured a great
navigable river from the lakes past
their own door, and Buffalo would
have had no river and the world no
Niagara. How narrow the escape!
A great change has come over
scientists in the last ten years re-
specting religion. Since Tyndall
failed to fulfill his promise to findin
nature every force necessary to pro-
duce all forms of existence and life
they have been more modest and
now are generally even reverent.
The temper of the vast body of men
and women who have been in Buffalo
for week has been as respectful to
religion as one could wish. Among
the nearly five hundred present not
dozen could be found Of the ag
gressive school of unbelief, while a
great number were devout Chris
tains. On the Sabbath they attend
divine worship in the churches and
in the afternoon large body of
them held prayer-meeting in the
Y. NJ G. A. hall and sang and pray
ed and spoke with all the tenderness
warmth and gladness of consecrated
disciples. Il need thee every hour
IL a L IL