The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1893-12-08

we have met is lost here SO other fields
must be sought for comparison to un-
rave1 the new problem meeting US.
While the same formations relatively
exist in California and Puget Sound.
| there is difference in the fossil remains
| between the two. Fossils in the coal
| bearing formations at the Sound are more
| in harmony with fossils found in the Lar
annie group of rocks, Wyoming, than
with the fossils of the same age in Cali
fornia. So, too, we find that while the
strata of the Puget group is eminently
fruitful in coal, the strata of the same
age in California is barren, but in the
next recent (eocene) group of rocks a
meagre supply is met with.
DR.. White, of the archaeological
department, Washington, while compar-
lug and writing on these groups of rocks
says: '"The co-Tejon' series is one
great continuous succession of marine
strata" This condition operating in Cal
ifornia was doubtless the cause of the
barren strata in that state, while under
conditions previously suggested, brackish
water, which operated during the forma-
ton of the Puget group, was the cause Of
the fruitfulness of the strata of the latter
group.
We have in the preceding indicated
two groups of strata in our territory, one
being difference in sedimentary depos-
its and new forms of fossils; the other.
clean, hevy, bedded sandstone. The fos-
sils of the latter group have been recog-
nized by the department at Washington
as eocene, marine, in harmony with the
same formation, Tejon, in California and
probably Puget Sound. The first of the
two groups, from its deposits of rock and
indications of coal, together with its beds
of fossils, in which are corbiculas, are
more in harmony with the Puget group
than the Chico of California and doubt
less will be so placed.
From the above it will be seen and
doubtless it is the true position, that if
there is to be coal found in the William
cite valley and of paying quantity and
quality, it will be found in the formation
above indicated rather than in strata Of
more recen age. Coal deposits of re-
cent age have not generally the qualifi-
cations which are common to strata of
older formation.
As yet, little is known as to the extent
of this older formation in this valley,
but one word of encouragement to the
prospector in this field may be given.
1t is, there are none of the difficulties
here which meet the prospector on the
Sound, where he has to go through hun
dreds of feet of sand and bou1ders, be-
low which is lava, before he can strike
the regular formation. !.
A SUGGESTION
In writing on subjects of this character
there is so much difficulty and waste of
time in getting words or terms to convey
a meaning. To cover this and give the
necessary aid in the various states, local
names are applied to the various groups,
from this fact, differences exist in the
same groups at long distances and the
meaning wished to be conveyed can be
better done under local than a general
term. To meet this exigency in this
state we suggest for this older group of
rocks, if it should prove of sufficient ex-
tent the ''Willamette Group" equivalent
to the "Chico" of California and puget"
of Washington groups of those states.
As this formation is not only in the
Willamette valley but also in Willamette
precinct its appropriateness will be ad-
tnitted