The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1895-08-29


the Cascade mountains are Of recent ORR
gin and the region now covered by Wash
ington, southern British Columbia and
northern Oregon was at one time great
glacial plain, where smaller upheavals
had been planed off by the ice sheet,
making a comparatively smooth surface.
Draining this plain, as the glacier melted
back, was a tremendous river, and the
probable outlet OF this stream was the
straits Of San De Fuca. This theory OF
the rivers outlet is substantiated by the
existence at this day of tremendous sand
bars between the head of the sound and
Chehalis, and also the bars thrown up on
the sandy foothills throughout the whole
of western Washington.
The doctor is of the opinion that the
Cascade mountains are of very recent
origin, from geological standpoint, prob
ably not over 5000 or 10000 years old.
The erosion of the rock formation of the
mountain bears out this theory. The
range was upheaved, cutting of the
river, breaking it in two and forming an
immense dam. The channel of this
great glacial river can now be traced
through both eastern and western Wash
ington. The old channel is found in
Moses Coulee and in various places in the
mountains and foothills Of the Cascades,
notably at SalaI prairie. Here the gravel
is $50 feet deep and could only have been
deposited by the action OF great stream.
The old channel again is in evidence on
this side of the mountains along Cedar
| river, Cedar lake and several minor
streams. These recent streams ran the
old channel at right angles. The old
| river bed is found again in the middle
fork of the Snoqualmie river, and can be
traced for two miles, each way. 1t then
crops out again along Green river, and is
plainly in evidence near South Prairie.
The upheaval OF the Cascade mountains
came about accompanied by great COM
motion and the eastern portion OF what
is now Washington was covered with lava
beds, principally basaltic. The damming
up of the great rivers formed q lake ex-
tending from British Columbia to eastern
Oregon, as is proven by the sandy plains
and shores OF those regions. The lake
finally broke through the barrier o. moun-
tains at the Cascades and ever since then
the Columbia, which river was created at
the time, has drained the area. During
this and the previous period the prevalent
| western winds carried the volcanic ash,
| with which the air was loaded, through
out the whole OF western Washington,
forming coating of rich. productive soil,
averaging in depth from four to eight
| feet. The soil OF all the valleys in the
eastern part Of the state is volcano ash
and the bedrock is lava.
Another indisputable evidence OF the
existence of this great inland sea or lake
is to be found in the masses OF rock in
various forms and shapes that must have
been carried in ice bergs. The origin Of
these rocks must have been in the north
eastern part of the region, and their sharp
fracture preclude the possibility of their
removal by glacial action. They must
have been carried away in ice bergs which
broke from the loot OF some glacier and,
| floating south and west, melted in a
warmer current and deposited its conglo-
merate mass OF earth, metals and rocks.
And this theory is borne out in numerous
instances. In this connection a little
story is recollected which illustrates the
point. Five or six years ago prospector
near Spokane located ton OF rock car
rying free gold. He pounded some OF the
gold out in a mortar and found that it
was very rich. He believed that he was
immensely wealthy, but as soon as the
holder was gone the gold gave out. 1t
was only pocket, Now that boulder
had evidently, about eight or ten thou
sand years ago. been carried in an ice
berg from the Rocky mountains and de-
posted where found. II will be observed
that, according to Young's theory, the
lake extended from the Rockies to the
Cascades; from the Selkirks to Oregon.
taking 10 Washington and portions Of
Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British Co
lumbia. In this connection ii is also in
teresting to state that the suppositi.n Is
that all the free gold OF the Cascades came
from the Rocky mountains, either by
glacial action or in icebergs. This is evil
denced by the general characteristics and
condition of the gold itself. The gold
here is the same as the gold OF the Rock
les, the scales are coarse and bear the
identical general characteristics, running
about $40 and $l7 an ounce. 1t will be
recalled that the gold OF California, Colo
RADIO and certain other districts runs from
$40 to so ip ounce, being OF different
character and not belonging to the same
body. Prior to the upheavsl OF the Cas-
csdes the glaciers from the western slope
OF the Rockies carried gold over TO the
glacial plain and much of il was deposit
ed before the formation OF the lake. The
old river channel contains gold in pay
/ ing quantities. Many OF the gold fields
OF western Washington we're covered up
/ with lava at the time of the upheaval
and have never been found. II is stated
by an old miner that there is not handful
OF gravel in the hole state that does not
-. l.. Il