Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-01-27
A VOLCANO IN NEW JERSEY.
How the Trap Rock CT Orange Noun
tain was Formed.

On the summit of Orange Mountain.
a ten minutes walk from the town of
| Orange, y. J. is an extinct volcano. For
several years past pOwerfulstOne break
ers, driven by steam engines, have been
breaking the hard basaltic rock of this
mountain by the hundreds of tons every
season for the purpose of macadamiZing
public streets and private drives and
walks. The work of demolition has
advanced so far that the scrutiniZing
eyes of some geologists perceived the
distinct outlines of 4 huge crater that
was once filled to OyertlOwing with
melted stone, similar TO an immense
caldron full of iron III a molten condi-
tiOn. To appearance nearly One-half of
the rock that composed the crater has
been so far removed by working toward
the middle, from the east side. The
outline of the rocky crater appears to
be several hundred feet in diameter and
of unknown depth. The very summit
of the crater is said to be about 600 feet
above tide water at New York city.
The mind of the geOlOgist runs back
ages upon ages ago, when the believing
of this extinct volcano could be heard
distinctly for many miles around and
when the lurid flames darted hundreds
of feet in the air like the terrific flames
of EeSuviuS; and from this new cold
and silent crater large streams of lava
once flowed in every direction. which
eventually cooled and formed the
immense deposit of trap rock of which
Orange Mountain is chiefly composed
Then there came time when this huge
cauldrOn ceased to overflow and the i'm
mense furnace began TO burn with less
and less feTyOT.
After the internal fire began to burn
out the molten stone began to cool, and
as the cooling process progressed the
liquid and half-plastic mass assumed
regular cOlumnal forms, as true and
smooth in many places as II the huge
blocks had been dressed out and neatly
fitted to each other by the planes. rule
and plumb line of Il master builder.
But in some places the formation IS
quite irregular and of great variety of
curved and rectangular forms. Thou
sands of curiosity seekers and deyOteeS
of pleasure have Travelled a long distance
to see this wonderful curiosity, and
many can perceive nothing but vast
deposit of dirty rock, like worthless
elephant standing in full view be-
fore their enraptured sight. The eXte-
rior of the columns is of dirty slate
like color, while the surface of any
portion newly broken presents blush
black appearance, somewhat tinged
with a green shade. At one time the IN
terest and excitement OF certain persons.
rcsa 70 sach a pit.l, the /; was pf07 d.,
~ ftifcnsise tfidt portion OF the moun-
tain embracing the extinct volcano, and
TO hold it in statu quo for the benefit
and satisfaction of those who might
exist in ages TO come. But the mer-
cenary owner fixed valuation of $50
000 bn the rare curiosity, which fabu-
lOus amount will prove to be most
effectual quietus on all further efforts
To preserve this American cauSeway.
This trap rock IS of ingeniUs origin. |
One theory of scientists is that when I
the volcanic fires We're raging in the !
bowels of old earth, all the OleaginouS |
flowed into immense reservoirs, |
where il is now found in the form of /
petroleum, while the molten reSiduum
continued TO roll slowly over and over |
in the crater until all the carbOnaceOus /
matter had been driven out by the /
intense heat. after which the material
that now forms the baSaltie columns
began to cool: and as the plastic mass
began to pass into solid state, rect
angular and poly gOnal crystals or blocks
were formed. How many long ages
upon ages passed away before the
fires had gone out, and
before this vast mass of red-hOt rock
became cool, is quite beyond the ken of
Finite creatures, as We are,
AN grasp a few hundred, and even
few thousand years. but when we be-
hold terrestrial phenomena which suggest
millions of ages, the mind is bewildered
1t the contemplation of the immeaSlr-
lble extent of the vast eternity behind
Is and the bOundleSs vista of duration
hat stretches out before the most vivid
No doubt there are along this noun
ain range other extinct volcanoes, which
IL ages to come will be mearthed, and
will present geological phenomena Of aS
much interest to scientists who may
hen be dwelling on the earth as We Of
he present age perceive in the fOrma-
ion of this cold and extinct miniature
\ NeSuyius.