Milford chronicle., 1895-08-16
FOSSIIlIzED TREES.
IMMENSE FORESTS THAT HAVE TURN
ED TO STONE.

An Insight Into the Mighty Operations Of
Nature-onc of the Many Wonders Of
the Great Yellowstone National Park
Fossil Forest Ridge.
The Yellowstone National park is
oalled the wonderland Of America, and
since the destruction of the New Zea-
land geyser area it is perhaps entitled
10 be called the wonderland Of the
world, for within its limits the most
varied Of natures workings may be OBJ
served. It's hundreds of hot springs and
Reysers, it's precipitous canyons and rush
ing cataracts, its snow capped mountain
peaks and mirrored lakes make it Of
kurpassing interest. The lover Of nat
ural scenery may hnger long over its
beauties and its wonders.
From the geological point Of view it
lis also Of great interest, for here may
be found rocks that range in age from
the most ancient of which we have any
knowledge to those in process of forma-
tion at the present moment. The SUI
perheated waters Of the hot springs and
Reysers hold large amount Of rock
making material in solution, which is
deposited about the openings Of the
Springs on the cooling of the waters, and
in this way building up a mass Of great
magnitude. These springs and geysers
are constantly breaking out in new
places, often on the borders or in the
forests of living trees. The trees are
killed at once by the hot water, and on
becoming withered and dry begin soon
to take up the rocllmaking solution by
which they are bathed, and thus to pass
into the fossil state.
Conditions similar to these, or at least
favorable to the preservation Of fossil
forests, appear to have existed from
remote time, for there is evidence to
show that the fossil forests were pre-
served before the most active of the hot
spring phenomena were inaugurated
These fossil forests are located in the
northeastern corner of the Yellowstone
National park, at place known locally
as Amethyst mountain, or Fossil Forest
ridge. This is really a mountain some
ten miles long and rising nealry or quite
g, 900 feet above the general level Of the
valley. If it were possible to cut a sec
ton down through this mountain, as a
slice is cut from a loaf of bread, there
would be found a succession Of at least
10 fossil forests, one above another
that is to say, at some remote day, geo
logically speaking, there grew a great
forest, which was covered up by tho
elected material from great volcano,
in size Mount Etna, that is
known to have existed some miles to
the north. The trees were entOmbed in
an upright position, and under the ac-
ton Of silica charged waters We're fossil
lied The action Of the volcano ceased, !
and quiet was restored for a sufficient
length of time for a second forest to be |
developed above the first. Then came |
second ontburst from the volcano, and |
this forest was buried and fossilized like
the first, and so, in turn, have the dozen
or more forests fourished and been en- /
quilted.
Then came the final quiet, the rum
bling of the volcano ceased, and its fires |
were extinguished. But Immediately
the action Of the elements began, and
Ing through long ages, have carved out
this mountain, in the heart of which
may be read the story Of its origin. This
appears to have been unao-
by any Of the violent move
nents so often characteristic Of mountain
and consequently when the
softer material is worn away from
round the trunks they stand upright in
he exact positions in which they grew
The first forest to be visited is in
he vicinity of Yancey's, stage station
N the mail route from the Mammoth
Hot Springs to Cooke City, Mon It is
bout q mile west of the junction Of the
1amar river and the Yellowstone, and
N the middle slope Of low hill AS
ne approaches the locality, several
runlzs are observed standing on the hill
ide, which at a distance seem quite like
he stumps Of living trees, and even a
iearer approach barely suffices to reveal
heir true nature, as they are covered
With lichens and blackened and discol-
red by frost and rain. They are, how
yer, veritable fossil trunks, standing
pright ON the steep hillside, in the
anne positions in which they grew. The
argest trunk is 1875 feet in circumfer-
nee and about 10 feet in height 1t is
weathered and must have ,
cen much larger when living, for the
ark is in no place preserved. The 9TH
rs-and there are dozens Of them-are
lightly smaller, and have been wealth ,
red down until, in most cases, only a !,
sw inches can be seen above the sur
zoe. So perfectly are they preserved
nat each stump shows the annual rings
J distinctly visible as in freshly cut
wing tree, and even each tiny cell, with r
s fine and delicate markings, is abso- !
ltely perfect (
The next forest is some 10 OF 2 miles d
istant, along the Lamar river, on the J
,uth side of which faces the Fossil For \
It ridge In some places perpendicular +
ifs many feet in height may be seen.
hese cliffs have worn away, leaving ex- Y
osed huge trees, which may be observed +
ON distance of mile or more from .
le valley, standing out in bold relief, n
it has been aptly said, like the pill Y
rs of some ancient temple. A closer n
ew shows these trees to be from to G
feet in diameter, and often go or 80 a
ct high, with their great roots run h
ng off into the solid rock. A great Ii
che in the face of the wall marks the n
ace from which one of these trunks n
IS fallen. Some Of the remaining ones .
pear just ready to fall while others
oject but little beyond the face-show- st
z that the mountain is filled with the d
mains Of these trees. Epoch. Ia
Boston's Horrible Awakening. -
''Table board" in Commonwealth
80. - a IL