The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-30
THE AGE OF NIAGARA
SCIENTISTS ALLOW THE FALLS FIVE
THOUSAND YEARS MORE.
In Time the Great Northern Lakes
May Again Seek an Outlet Through
the Mississippi Valley.
New York Commercial Advertiser.

New York Commercial Advertiser.
For the last fifteen years biologists have
given attention TO certain problems con-
nected with the drainage OF the chain 81
great American lakes. and incidentally
with the probable age OF the gorge Of Nj
agara- a week was devoted TO them al
the Buffalo meeting OF the American Asso-
citation for the Advancement OF Science.
including an exploration OF Niagara river
by a party OF thirty biologists. The con-
ciusion then arrived at was that while the
lower lakes may have always been drained
through the valley OF the ST. Lawrence
river, the upper lakes had probably found
an outlet at one time by way OF the Mis-
sissippi valley, and that the whole chain
might do SO again. should there ever be
a barrier. natural or artificial. across the
inlet of the Niagara near Buffalo. il WAS
thought that a dam twenty-five feet high
might bring about this result and cause
a grander river than any now on the con.
tinent to flow out from Lake Michigan
near the city of Chicago.
As TO the age OF the Niagara gorge, the
conclusion was that 1900 years met all
requirements; while a few deemed AGO
sufficient. AS the age of Niagara has been
regarded as a kind Of geological yardstick
for measuring off the age OF the human
race, Importance was attached to the con-
illusions. Biologists. however. have since
then been making further study Of the
problems indicated. And while some OF
them adhere to the ground Just stated,
others materially modify their opinions.
This fact gave special interest to three
papers read at the recent meeting OF the
A. A A. S.
In one paper Professor ]. w. Spencer
stated the case and reported progress. The
story Of these remarkable lakes tells Of a
former high continental elevation. The
present bottom Of Ontario is 491 feet below
sea level; Of Huron. les feet; Of Michigan.
22 feet, and of Superior, 40 feet. If these
were once erosion valleys, they must have
been at an altitude such as to allow their
drainage to flow down TO the sea- In keep
Ing with this theory We find that the lower
ST Lawrence river is a submerged channel,
increasing from a depth OF Loo feet 10 $50
feet, and with deep tributary canyons. The
i II0m6 6sgsfns w -39eScri5ed OF nr6 5ns Existing b5 :
valleys that connected them The glacial
ton of the region was not in the line OF
walls SHOW signs Of having been shaped by
glacial action. Between the Georgian bay
and Lake Ontario lies a deeply buried vail
ley, as found 10y a series OF bOr1ngs,
through which the ancient Laurentian
river must have flowed.
FORMER OUTLETS.
There was a southern branch crossing
the Michigan peninsula and the Huron
basin. TO which the name Huronian river IS
given. Through the Erie basin flowed a
now submerged river, named the Erigian,
which crossed to the great canyon at the
head OF Lake Ontario-the Niagara river
not then being in existence. These ancient
valleys were broader than the modern
-.oo-.. -~Az.L H. -l g.
new channels, instead Of reopenIng the old
ones filled with drift.
In certain instances, indeed, the river
drainage has been actually reversed. Tnis
was shown by the studies OF DR.. New
berry, Il. Sterry Hunt and Mr.. j. r. CarIl.
The theory is confirmed by recent investi-
taries flowed into Lake Ontario, while the
Ohio river, above Pittsburg, flowed into
dRs nrie S %as obs Ar ehld i by drift' OF ann aho ain6
by the warping or the earth'S surface, as
shown by deserted beaches, terraces and
sea cliffs, some of which have been followed
for hundreds Of miles. The open water
within these contracting beaches has been
ter" which may be regarded as the mother
OF all the lakes, and which at one time
must have covered 10000 square miles.
est lakes were inclosed in what might be
called algonquin water" while lakes
water" A further subsistence of three
hundred feet brought the waters TO what
is termed the IroQuoiS level, after which
episodes of movement and repoSe formed
the modern lakes.
The highest deserted strand near Chicago
is forty-five feet above the lake level. Ac-
cording to the canal survey, the divide is
forty-fiye feet above the lake level. and IS
only eight feet above the lake. From
beaches the depth TO which they are de-
pressed can be calculated. The Indications
are that the sqbsiding waters Warren;
Algonquin and Huronian) were drained
through the Ottawa valley for about "a
600 years. This outlet was closed 10y the
rim being raised so as 10 turn the over
flow into the Erie basin, whose outlet was
also affected by the same uplift. so as TO
drain all the upper lakes into the Aissis-
lowered the lake level sufficiently TO turn
the volume through the Niagara But as
the terrestrial uplift OF the Niagara region
is about one foot and a quarter a cen
fury, the drainage OF the upper lakes viii;
in about hve thousand years, be diverted
back again into the valley OF the MiSsls-
The Niagara river came into existence.
according to Spencer, upon the dismember-
ment of the "Lundy water" and for one
thousand years drained the Erie basin with
out a cascade. AS the Ontario basin slowly
sunk the falls were made, until the total de-
scent was 4o feet. there being at one time
three cascades and afterward one grand
united fa,. Finally the Ontario waters be-
gan to rise again and reduced the height
of the falls, at first to So feet, and then
1900 YEARS OLD.
Mr.. Spencer computes the entire age or
Niagara river at about 32,OOO years. This
computation is based on the rate Of recess
sion and the amount Of work done in each
of the episodes as discovered in working
out the history of the lakes. In 1872 Pro-
fessor James Hall made the first instru-
mental survey OF the falls: the coast sur
vey made the next in 1875, a third was
made in 1856 by Professor r. 5. Woodward,
and in 1880 the last was made by DR.. A. ).
Kibbe. From these four surveys the mean
elongation of the gorge is Al feet a year.
Hitherto most OF the con1ectures as 70
the age of Niagara have been based on the
rate of recession alone. In lg Lilies
calculated IL as 5000 years; Lyel. IN 1911,
lowered the estimate TO 5000; IN 1870, AFTER
three surveys, Woodward reduced IL 10
1900. and later still, Gilbert showed tnat
the duration of the falls should be oaIy
about 1000 -years-though he Is SAID 70 nave
since modified his opinions
Snencers method differs from others, IN
that ne takes into consideration the chang
ing episodes OF the river as well as the
rare of recession through said episodes.
He denies that the buried valley OF 81
David. hitherto regarded as an extension
of the pre-glacial river from the Whirlpool
ON. IS such, and afiirms IL 10 be a branen
of a buried valley outside the Niagara can
Won and much shallower than IL. The rate
Of the modern recession has been oeter-
mined under changing conditions of erosion.
so that each episode has 10 De treated sepd-
rately. - "a g.. ht~A