The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-06-02
A Bone Yard of Nature.

something 10 nelp US pass IHe tltbe
away we were directed to the social
ed bone yard. We went as directed,
and / am constrained to say that
among the innumerable natural Curl
osities of this strange and curious
country none possesses deeper in
terest than this place. Here is the
rarest and finest geological display
l have ever seen. The little stream
through whose canyon we approach.
ed the now famous fell leaves in
many places the formation cut CLEAN
~ down three thousand feet. show
Ing all the qualifications. The whole
country for many miles around is
much broken, and the dip or inclina-
ton of the rock is such that in tray
cling from Canyon City to this
strange and interesting quarry, we
pass over the exposed edge of all the
formations from the tertiary to the
silurian periods. But the exposure
only becomes of more than usual in
terest as we enter the canyon of Oil
Creek, where the walls rise sheer and
clear cut above you, showing the
qualification through many geologi-
cal periods. The Bone Yard proper
but seven or eight miles out of
Canyon City, but the interest contin-
ues for the student of nature. espec-
ialy if geologist, for many miles
beyond. We found the superinten-
dent, Captain Felch, at the base of
the cliff. and in answer to our inquiry
as to the location of the mine from
which they dug mastodons and many
other curious fossils, he pointed to a
dizzy height up the perpendicular
side of the canyon where sandstone
strata cropped out. Looking up we
saw stretch of white sail-cloth that
protected the redeemed treasures
from the dislntegrating action of the
elements. Eyes," said the superin-
tendent. "this spot and in fact all
about here is perfect geological
mine. but. as a matter Of fact, these
saurian remains in. the Jurassic ex.
posures about here are found in great
er abundance and perfection than any
other place vet discovered. Some
thing like twenty millions of years
ago this spot without doubt was the
mouth of an old Jurassic river, and,
therefore, natural feeding ground
for semi-amphibious creatures whose
remains are now being excayated.
This sandstone is perfect mass of
bones and the variety of animal re-
mains is greater than at almost any
other place in the world. Many of
them, too, are highly specified.
To explain Some of the animals
whose remains we find had become
known to.the scientist. but occasion
ly some are found having such well.
marked speeialties THAT is. individ-
ual features as to require new or
revised classification. And now and
then we find some things that, when
they become known, will startle the
whole scientific world. We think
that we have found link here that
will connect two classes of animal
life to all appearances more distinctly
separated than man and monkey"
The superintendent took me up to
the edge and showed me the sand
stone quarry where the bones were
obtained. The journey was worth a
pilgrimage to any one of those who
see earth's history in rocks end read
the tablets of the qualifications which
are the sepulchers that hold the bones
of her dead self-all who have visited
this spot have been wonderfully in.
terested. Although the place is un.
known to the millions, there are but
few spots in Colorado that have re-
ceived the attention of distinguished
scholars equal to this.
After some moderately hard climb
ing we arrived at the quarry, and,
distinctly yisable in the soft gray
sandstone of the Jurassic era in which
they had become mired and persisted
are the petrified forms of huge mon.
sters fifty feet in length. The utmost
care is required in getting them out
and the labor of three men has been
engaged in this service for three or
four years. This is all done for the
museum of Yale college and paid for
out of the Peabody fund. The scieD-
tific interest of this museum has been
materially increased by the remains
taken from this quarry and the work
will no doubt continue so long as new
or special forms continue to be found.
We find in working over this field
and its products that the forms of
nature change, but her methods are
continuous. The work that went on
here at the mouth of this ancient
river millions of years ago, is now,