The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1894-12-05
WEDNESDAY. DEC. 5. 1894.
A BIG WHALE ON LAND
STRANGE DISCOVERIES MADE IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

skeleton of the Big Fish Unearthed In q
Street In Los Angeles-The Old Pros.
pector's Dlscovery-HIstory Written In
the Hills and the Rocks.
Once while watching the excavation
of street through one Of the steep hills
that constitute feature of the city of
Los Angeles saw something project
ing from the soil, which, when uncov-
cred by the workmen, proved to be the
skeleton of whale that had been lying
there for untold ages. It's huge length
stretched across the street, its tail lost
beneath the fashionable houses Of the
vicinity.
There was something irresistibly fas-
cinating in this idea-walking up a
street and running foul, as the sail
ors put it, of whale, and whenever l
passed that way almost expected to
hear some one shout, 'There she blowsP'
and could see in my minds eye the
giant rising from the deep water that
once flowed over the now populous City
of the Angels and the surrounding hills.
Having had this slight experience
with whales on dry land, Twas not sur
prised when friend related similar
experience to me and the establishment
its discovery produced. He was an old
resident and in former years had been
prospector, and at times the old fever
FOR discovery came upon him. upon
which he would wander off ON the edge
Of the desert or up among the noun
tains Of southern California In search
Of color.
On ono of these expeditions he fol
lowed up dry wash, which in winter
was roaring torrent, and which for
ages had sent down the rock and gravel
Of the adjacent mountains to the val
ley below. finally turning into branch
canyon, which gradually grew narrower
and narrower until he found himself at
the top Of the range near the divide
overlooking a deep amphitheater On
the north side the mountain had been
out down vertically, and from where he
stood 1t looked as though gigantic
knife had cleft the mountain side, leav
ing the edge bare and the red earth
filed with great powders ready to roll
down after each winter rain.
This ledge and the deposit at its base
attracted tho attention of the prospect
or, and coming to the latter he found
among the heaps Of stones a huge bone,
which might have passed for the limb
Of tree imbedded in the soil. Follow
ing up the slope, he raised his eyes to
the cliff and saw protruding from il
other bones. Gradually, to his amaze
ment, they took shape, and he saw the
skeleton of q gigantic whale stretched
along the side of the mountain, stand
ing out in strong relief against the RED
earth. Some of the bones had falle1
down, but the greater number stood ii
the natural position, as the monster hat
died, and the whale that had once swan
over this spot and exposed its enormou
length to the hot sun now lay stretched
along the ancient sea bottom 1t ha'
been lifted by some mighty cataclysn
1850 feet into the air, the roots of tn
great trees clasping its bones, the win
ter rains undermining ii, while the sc
that was once Its home had receded an
lay blue in the summer haze go mile
away.
ize for moment that the skeleton @
the monster was before him. Then. tax
ing his pick and attacking 1t, he beoam
. whaler literally among the pines o
the southern Sierras
/ have since seen portions of an
other whale in a branch OF the coas
range near San Juan Capistrano. an'
not far distant. In q quicksand. wa
discovered the remains OF O large ele
plant allied to the mammoth, while to,
miles from San Juan visited n bed O
large shells that covered acres of coun
try, 30 closely packed together that they
were shoveled out in solid masses ant
ground up into lime.
Along the southern Sierras. especial
ly in the coast range. 1t is possible to g
whaling. fishing and she'll hunting from
1, 200 TO O., 600 feet above the present
level Of the ocean and with n positive
assurance Of finding the remains OF
some OF these stranded animals. That
this extraordinary convulsion OF nature
did not occur so very long ago is evil
dent from the good preservation of the
bones, and on the seashore shells are
found 40 feet above high water mark
almost identical with those living be-
low them.
Several thousand years ago came the
birth Of the coast range Of mountains.
them Tho entira coast was elevated
Previous to this the ocean undoubtedly
plowed over the orange groves of south