The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-08-20
A PETRIFIED WONDER.
Tho Great Forest of Petrilied Wood Near
FlOrlssant, Col.

re Killed WONDER.
Tho Great Forest of Petrlfed Wood Near
Fl0rlssant, Col.
The petrified forest at Florissant is
located in a green valley mile and
half from the station. The road to it
leads south from the railroad, rising
over the rolling hills in gentle slopes
and disclosing new and beautiful views
at every turn. TO the east and north
rise the green slopes of the divide, cul-
minating on the east in the snow-capped
summit OF Pixies Peak. TO the north,
about five miles, Crystal Peak stands
out, sharp cone, from cluster of
wooded hills rising in round terraces to
Its base. Far to the west, over the in
tervening mountains and park, may be
seen the snowy range, a perpetual wall
OF snowy white on the horizon, MAX
Ing the backbone of the continent.
Everywhere along the road may be
found little chips of petrifed wood,
either dropped there by curiosity hunt
ers or scattered from the remains of
some stump in the immediate vicinity.
After going up and down through
several little valleys, the road decends
rather steep grade to the valley
where the forest" is located. The
valley is broader here than elsewhere,
and here and there, scattered over the
bottom and on the lower slopes of the
surrounding hills, are little mounds of
white petrified chips, marking the
spots where the tops of the stumps
reach the surface. Only one of the
stumps has as yet been entirely uncov-
cred, and to this most of the visitors go
first. 1t is on the edge of small
grove on the west side of the valley.
over it is rough scaffolding.
from which are suspended several saws,
still deeply imbedded in the stump.
Several years ago, when the Midland
was first opened, some one conceived
the idea of transplanting the stump to
Manitou, but it was found that it could
not pass through the tunnels on the
road. He then commenced to saw it in.
to vertical slabs, which he thought
could be put together afterward. Tho
saws sank easily in the top of the
stump for about two feet, when they
encountered hard silica, to which, the
outside air had not penetrated, and
there they stuck
The stump is about forty-fve feet in
circumference and twelve feet high.
Its shape is perfect; the buttressed
roots. the knots and the Irregularities
of the bark are all there, as distinct as
those on any of the pine trees close at
hand. The wood varies greatly. While
all OF it shows distinctly the grain and
peculiaties of pine wood, there are
some pieces which are as hard as flint
and white as marble, while others are
soft and almost like natural wood. BY
pulling off pieces of the petriied wood
here and there are found little fibers
| which the silica did not for some reason
reach, but these crumble to dust when
touched. The tree has been Unidentified
as belonging to the same family as tho
giant trees in California.
Across the valley from the large
stump is another one almost as peculiar
1t is large bluish-black stone which is
made Of thousands of pieces of petrified
charcoal, conglomerated in asolid mass.
None of the pieces are over an inch in
length, and how they became knit to.
gether is likely to remain geological
mystery.
The place in its present condition will
fully repay visitor, but the expendi.
ture of a few thousand dollars by the
town of Florissant in securing title te
the land, digging out the stumps and
grading the grounds would make it a
very great point of attraction for curios.
ity and pleasure seekers. The forest is
reached BY a ride of thirty-six miles on
the Colorado Midland, over the divide
-COlOradO SnriNpS Gazatta