The herald., 1894-06-22
THE DEVILS TOWER.
MOST REMARKABLE NATURAL
FORMATION IN THE WORLD.
Graphic Description of wyoming's su-
perlAtivc Wonder - Tho Msteo
Topee of Indian super
stition.

We copy the following vivid deecrip-
ton of what may justly be termed the
greatest wonder of the world, from Mr..
BuePs famous "Glimpses of America"
the HERALD's premium gift to sub
scribers.
Continuing our way southwark to
the junction of the Wyoming division,
in Fall River county, We turned north
on that email branch whose temporary
terminus is Merino, at which point a
team wac engaged to take us to what is
truly one OF the seven wonders of the
world. Ia our trip OF several thousand
miles through the mountainous regions
OF the great weet. we had seen aud pho
togrsphed many extraordinary and
startling prodigies of nature, 60 that all
sentiment of awe. surprise and admira-
tiOn had been aroused, but we were now
to be confronted by a miracle in stone
that COMPOUNDED and mingled all feel
ings OF wonderment and fascination
into stupefactlon OF bewildered senhes.
1--WE had to travel about 20 miles
across fairly level stretch OF country
before reaching the Belle Fourche river,
a main branch of the Cheyenne, on the
west bank of which is located the mar
velous monument of the agen, which for
it's astounding size and unaccountabl BILE
formation ia called the DEVILS Tower.
Among the Sioux Indians. who have
always regarded it with superstitious
dread, it is known as the Mateo's Tepee,
signifying the Bears Lodge, and wac by
them supposed to be the haunt ct a
were-animai, who possessed the power
OF becoming bear or man at pleasure.
The country within a radius OF 80 miles
is slightly broken by high table lands,
but there ie nothin to indicate any
special spasm of nature by which 30
great freak might have been formed /;
yet out OF this undulating expanse OF
landscape suddenly rises stupendoue
obeisk of vitr6ed stone, to the
amazing height of eight hundred
feet. The base, which measures 1926
feet at its longest diameter, is 400 feet
above the river bed, which in turn is
800 feet above the sea level. Thus
measured, the peak of this amazing
tower is 100 feet above the sea; no sur
prise, therefore, that it 10 Visible for
distance OF 40 miles. But the wonder
which such a colossal shaft naturally
exctes 10 immensely increased by the
fact that the DEVILS Tower is compo-
sition of huge crystals OF basslt, or vol
canic rock, which lie in columns some
three feat in diameter, and continue I'M
broken from the base to the peak, giving
to it fibrous appearance. The walls
are almost vertical, with slightly
vertical slope, to give it a more graceful
ntour, and though there are occasional
riffs in the sides. no human being, how
ever skillful as spire climber, can ever
accomplish its ascent.
''The inquiry is irresistible: What
wcndroas iorce created this petrified
mcnster of the Wyoming table lands p
One plausibls answer may be built upon
the theory that here, at one time, was
the bed OF the ocean, a suppoEition sup
ported by such evidences "a the finding
OF sea shells and bones OF extinct sea
creatures all about over the ground, and
deeply imbedded in the earth through
out the section. When the waters re-
eeded, this inequality, which might
have existed as an island, was left ae
the product of volcanic action. But
yet more reasonable cause may be
found IN the superstition that along
the Belle Fourche was the center
of intense volcanic energy somo time
during the very remote past, during
which period the spot occupied by the
tower WAS a volcano.vent out of which
poured lava in such slow aud steadv
flow thet it deposited in basatic COL
umnar crystals at tho apex. Thus grad
ually it grew in size and height, like
many of the formations in Yellowstone
park, until the volcano had expended its
force and lett this vast monument as an
everlasting evidence OF its persistence
through centuries of activity. But how
over it was formed, the DEVILS tower
takes a place in the fret list of the
worlds greatest natural wonders, and it
deserves to be much better known than
it is"
Part IS of Glimpses is ready for de-
livery today.