The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1893-10-27

which is the decomposed metamorphic
rock containing hornblende or pyrox-
enc. These minerals containing iron
give or stain the clay red or chocolate
brown, which is the color of the clay, on
the upper portion of the hill. According
to eminent authority this disintegration
has taken long time to effect. Then
taking into consideration the Hematite
pebbles in the conglomerate, besides
which large body of brick-red crystal
line Siderite is found in this formation.
It will not be difficult to imagine that in
the course of time a body of such de-
composed material lay on the hill side
and was swept off by heavy rains.
Age of Older Formation.
In naming the strata of formation or
period the science of geology exacts evi-
dence of animal or vegetable life exist
ing during the formation of such
strata, in the shape of fossils. These, un-
fortunately, we have not in a shape or
condition suitable for use in this way;
the reason for this will be seen when
looking at a situation which existed and
which almost obliterated everything of
this kind. 1t is true we have few frag-
ments, but many fragments may not
make one fossil, no more than one COM
p1ete fossil would be sufficient to deter
mine the age of formation. In this
emergency we turn to Mr.. Becker, who,
while not approving of age determination
by the appearance of rocks, suggests I'm
California great use can be made OF re-
semblance" This suggestion is forced
through the difficulties. encountered in
the similarity in the California forma-
tons and the lack of fossils such as
We meet here. But he further maintains
$50 far as is known, therefore, no beds
in the Coast ranges of California younger
than the Knoxville group have expert
enced the peculiar .magnesian and sill
cious metamorphosim so characteristic of
these ranges.
Besides the resemblance in metamor-
phic rock another similarity exists be-
tween the older Tertiary and Cretaceous
formations in California and our own.
In California the strata of these groups
lay in and east of the older Coast Ranges.
This is precisely as we find it here, and
so, no doubt, it runs in this manner
wherever found, from California to Can
ada,
Therefore, with the exception of the
Breccia at Vineyards the strata at Kings
Valley show sthey are composed of the
older material above them. We have
piece of dolomite attached to the Resi-
dual clay, similar to what is in the grits
and conglomerates at Kings Valley, and
that this strata has againi nibeen broken up
into small fragments which have made
up the next 1owest. strata in the Valley,
which, as found, is of spots1of two shades
of green, yellow, brown. light drab and
white, with brilliant green sand OCCASION
ally. This material is--too large to have
been long in the water, or had much
securing before ibeing deposited. We
have, then, with our fragments of fossils
our more perfect fossils of recent Gre
taceous Eocene and Miocene forma-
TONS the metamorphiciwith dolomite at
tached with other material showing
close relationship to the latter. With
these we have every reason to believe
that the geological formations in this
county are not much different to the
Older Coast Ranges of California, as well
as the Chico-T TETON in close proximity
thereto, and that these older Ranges will
doubtless be where Mr.. Becker places
them, between Jurassic and Cretaceous.
1t is not to be understood that the geo.
logical formations given in this paper are
confined to Benton county, for, while the
writer has not visited other counties in
the Valley, fossils sent to him from Polk
county (south of INDEPENDENCE are un-
doubted1y more Cretaceous than any yet
found in Benton. But our object was and
has been to rescue, if possible, these grand
Ranges from the pretentious but rickety
elevations of Miocene time. To restore
the title belonging to them which has
been ruthlessly given to their less deserv-
ing neighbors. How he may have sue
ceeded those learned in the science of
geology will best be able to determine,
but he is conscious of this, that the opin-
ions formed have not been hastily
adopted, but the result of extended ex-
aninations and study. If our object has
been accomplished the knowledge of
which will be a sufficient reward.
,c THE.GLAcIAL DRIFT.
Another feature of geological in