The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1886-11-27
idaho VOLCANOES.


Az V<AtsAAOAAlAdAy VOINuAIAC CI uR'
tons in New Zealand have given
an impetus to the study of such
phenomena in our own country
and elsewhere. Besides the tech.
nical interest which these outbreaks
of nature have aroused, the masses
have been profoundly impressed
by the published accounts of them,
and the volcanic centers have been
the subjects of much speculation in
regard to the probability of SINH
lar eruption. Fire Hole basin, in
the Yellowstone National Park, has
been the main cause of this solicit
fude. Here the physical condi-
tons are counterpart of those at
the antipodes. We have similar
geysers and boiling springs, en-
bryo craters and mud pots in all
stages of action and all the varied
results of a slow but long-continued
aqua-volcanic disturbance. What
ever may be the probability of a
serious Outburst in this locality in
the future, the evidences of past
eruptions are not wanting. Some
of these must have been stupen-
dous, for, gagged by the outpour-
ing of volcanic matter. the late
eruptions in New Zealand sink into
insignificance. Within radius of
500 miles the evidences of severe
commissions of nature are every
where abundant, and extending to-
ward the west as far as the Sierra
Nevada mountains a volcanic strip
may be seen, following the natural
declivity of the continent, and al
though of varying depth and area,
possessing the same igneous char
acteristics throughout. That these
flows have proceeded from different,
though closely allied, sources is
unquestioned, and that the Fire
Hole basin has been the central and
most active of these seems equally
certain.
The area Of disturbances have
been proportionately large, and in
cluded the surrounding bad lands,
which may be said to have scarcely
cooled. Here the springs still re-
tain their warmth, becoming occa-
sionally agitated from below, and
the variegated soil, of soft volcanic
mud, is still under the influence
of subterranean volcanic action.
These bad lands are experiencing a
steady and often a sudden change,
a lake sometimes marking the spot
where hill stood the day before,
the whole having apparently sunk
into the bowels of the earth and its
place filled by the subterranean wa
tiers. Horse and rider have been
engulfed while pursuing their jour
ney through this region, and many
of those who have mysteriously dis
appeared have been traced to the
bad lands, where all signs were lost.
The region about the headwaters of
the Madison, Jefferson and Wind
rivers, in Montana and Wyoming,
offers, in addition, the most favora-
BILE conditions for fosilization, the
amorphous strata being primeval
geological paradise.
This wonder land is too well
known to need any description here
Passing west over the Rocky noun
tains we come upon the headwa-
tiers of the great Snake river.
Here, beyond the granite AXIS of
the main range, we encounter the
same volcanic conditions. First as
scattered lava powders which grad
ually become more numerous until
they form a thin lava sheet through
which the streams have cut their
way deep into the country rock.
The overflow, however, is in patches,
until the bend of Snake river is
reached. BY n reference to the
map it will be seen that this bend
begins at Eagle Rock, Idaho, and
extends through the southern part
of that Territory as far as the
mouth of Burnt river, in Oregon.
Within this bench is the largest
lava field on the globe, known as
the great Snake river lava desert. |
Occupying a surface area of over
10000 square miles it covers the
entire country with a lava blanket
varying in depth from 10 to 100
feet. The region, however, is not
entirely desert, as its name would |
imply, but, on the contrary, large |
portions are as diversified as the
fertile valleys of California. Sew
eral rivers which take their rise in
the snow-capped Sawtooth range,
course through the country, into
which they have cut deep gorges,
and finally disappear from view.
These "Lost rivers" as they are
called, are the oasis of the desert,
and after their disappearance they
may be heard rumbling beneath
the lava for many miles.
The general aspect of the country
is weird in the extreme. The lava
rises to the view, taking every con-
ceivable form, the fantastic in ma
ture being exemplified without limit.
Deep assures intersect it at frequent