The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-05-10
THE GLACIAL PERIOD
EVIDENCES or IT TO BE SEEN ON
THE PACIFIC COAST.
A Field For the Student OF Glacial Phs-
nomens nj the Berkeley University.
Professor Joseph Ie Conte Talks Inter-
estingly Upon the Subject.


the student of glacial phenomena need
not go beyond Berkeley 10 pursue his stud
les. just behind the university, declares
the professor, there once existed glacier
which has left behind every evidence of its
presence including terminal moraine
now vanished, which, he says, the regents
are seriously thinking of restoring.
Il never talk about geology" he said,
"but some one asks me, How long how
many years ago. Is 1t since the glaciers
covered the greater part of North Amer
icaY Geologists never measure time by
years, but by geographical epochs. But,
however, the glacier may be said to have
reached It's greatest development about
200, 900 years ago. 1t Is certain that its
decline took place not more than 10, 900 or
20, 900 years ago.
Was man alive at that timer am
also asked. He was Not while the gla-
sier was at Its height, however, but while
II was declining, or, that Is to say, about
1000 years ago, In my opinion.
$50 10 Is that the glacial epoch In Cali
fornia dates back to the same time as the
great glacier which extended as far south
as Pennsylvania, the Ohio and Missouri
rivers and thence northward 10 the Pacific
ocean. Its most southern point on the
western slope, however did not extend to
California 1t stopped almost on the
boundary between this state and Oregon
and extended northward over portion of
Alaska not covering IL ALL mind you, but
only the southern portion, where remnants
of IL still remain.
"California was cut off from the main
glacier She had n private glacier manu-
factory OF her own which covered the Sier-
ra Nevada az far south as 82 degrees south
latitude Every canyon, every valley, ev-
cry crevice, was filled with ice. In the
Tuolumnc and Yosemite valleys the gla-
cier was particularly extensive, covering
upward Of 40 or 90 miles. Evidences Of its
presence are abundant and more clearly
defined than were those of the great gla-
cier, while remnants still remain on many
OF tho Sierra caps notably Mounts Shasta,
Lycll and Ritter
Take our Contra Costa hills. They
were Ice capped and had parts of glaciers
wearing grooves along the sides AT Berke-
ley l have found evidences OF glacial 40
tion. It came right down Strawberry can
yon, wearing the ground smooth along its
path, but 1t had respect for the university
and stopped right above IL, leaving a ter
minal morainc, which, forming dam,
soon created u small lake which disappear
ed when tho moraine vanished.
Tho regents area seriously thinking Of
restoring IL. They could build right across
the creek where the moraine took lodg-
ment and form lake just like the one |
that existed there before
Lot MS look at tho larger Sierra gla- |
,iers-the Yosemite, for instance. The |
yosemite valley was filed to the brim |
With Ice. There were no falls there then.
md tho Ice covered everything. If you 60 |
'iding on horseback over some parts of
he valley, you must be careful the animal
ioes not slip, for in many places you will
Ind tho rock as smooth and polished as
lie, which Is evidence of glacial action.
\ gain, you will find bowlders half as big
3 this room, composed Of coarse grained
.ranite, which can be traced back TO the
cry ledge from which they came, miles
way No other power but the glacier
ould have moved them to their present
osition.
Then there was the great Tuolumne
lacier, In my opinion tho very best Of all,
ovoring tho whole valley for about 80
allies TO a depth of from ZOO to G. 600
'ot. It touched upon Mount Lyell, Mount
ibbs and Mount Warren, all Of which
ERE tributary to It. A stranded line Of
'ecs around the sides Of these mountains
lows the altitude of the glacier and indi-
ltes where the mornine finally settled.
"Hctch Hctchi valley was once filled to
le brink, and where oil Is dry now a lake
rmerly existed At the northern end of
le valley the cliffs have a sheer descent OF
1ndreds OF feet, the walls being so smooth
nd polished that they glisten like mirrors
the sun. They were worn that way
: the glacier. The southern wall IL diff
rent, however, being covered with n
'owth of vegetation. This end Is shaded
ON the sun, and the rocks, becoming !
oist rotted, orumblcd and gave way to I
vegetation producing surface
THE cause Of the glacial epoch In Cali
rpia was the same as ON tho Atlantic !
asst. The altitude of the North Amer :
m continent at that timo was Uniformly 5
OW feet higher than at present produc. +
q proportionately colder temperature, \
nich caused leo TO form, and tho ice re-
ting on the temperature caused fur 7
CT decline, and so on until the glacial 4
riod was reached =
There is no doubt that the islands i'm =
Pacific ocean were at that timo con- 7
cted with the mainland The best evi. 7
nee we have of the pretertiary timo Is T
mammoth. The skeleton Of one Of T
ese animals was found on tho Santa
'rhara Islands. IL must have come orig r
illy from the mainland, and that only
len they were connected -,
. The well marked terraces all along the =,
lst at attitudes from the present level OF .,
ocean 20 l,200 and l, 500 feet show :,
Y marked subsidence OF the continent :,
demonstrate that IL must have sunk -
m It's high altitude 10 very much below -
present lcvcf During that period the :,
Q joaquin, Napa and Sacramento val. -
. were all under water Even San Fran.
co was entirely submerged. San
,ncssco Examiner.