The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-13
Observation-Disclosures
A Glacier Passed Over Shawnee
County $4,000 Years Ago.
ITS END TOUCHED BURNETT'S HOUND.

Interesting Paper ON the terminal
MOraine i'm Shawnee County,
Where All the Boulders Como From.
One of the principal features of the
meeting of the Philosophical society last
night was a paper by B. B. smyth, the
secretary of the society, on "The Termi-
nal Moraine of Shawnee County"
Mr.. Smyth, has found good evidence
that an immense glacier which reached
almost entirely across the United States
ended in Shawnee county, one of the
points being south of the city at Shun-
ganunga creek. Mr.. Smyth says that the
hollows to be seen inTopeka were scooped
out by the ice of the glacier and he
figures that where Topeka now stands
there was at least hundred feet of solid
ice. The moraine is the earth and stone
carried along by the glacier and de-
posted by it. According to Mr.. Smyth
the glacier was in existence 10000
years ago, and probably melted within
short time.
Mr.. Smyth says in his paper:
'Stretching east and west across the
southern part of Shawnee county, from
point one mile north Of Richland in the
southeast corner to a point on the west
county line about four miles south of
red rock boulders, scattered along on
the surface or only slightly embedded in
it. This line is the more conspicuous by
reason of the brilliant cOloring of the
| rocks and their extreme hardness. There
is nothing like them in any place in the
county, or in the state for that matter.
They are all strangers.
''For ten or twelve years. since teach
| ing at Richland, l have been interested
| in tracing out this line in the eastern part
of the county, and have walked repeat
eddy over every foot of it from the east
| line of the county to Burnett's Mound.
! The boulders are found continuously on
the south edge of the bluffs north of
| the Wakarusa from the east line of the
county to the mouth of Lynn creek; the
| line follows up Lynn creek to Berryton;
| it continues in the same general course
/ past Pauline and school district No. II
to the southeast corner of section %,
| half mile from the ridge south of Bur
nett's mound Here it turns sharply to
the north and runs along the crest of
ridge on the east line of section 10,
across the 81. l. Lee place and to the
Herman place just south of the Shunga-
| nunga, two miles north of the turning
point Here it disappears.
"a recent attempt latter much pre-
vious searching) to find the lost moraine,
in company with DR.. William Smith, re-
suited in finding it in an unexpected
place. namely, covered up in the bottom
of the Shunganunga creek, and extending
for two miles up the valley of the creek,
| and reappearing on the Major Sims place,
| south of the creek, and in line with that
part of the moraine on the east side of
| the mound. From this point it continues
across the county in line west of north,
and agreeing with that portion in the
eastern part of the county.
"The first evidence of it in the creek
bottom is by the creamery just north of
the Herman place Here there are a
number of large boulders. the largest
nearly spherical and about three feet in
diameter. They are all we'll water worn,
and are all boulders lying in the creek
bottom. This specimen, almost as per-
feet in form as an ostrich egg, was picked
up in the creek bottom"
Mr. Smyth here showed specimen
and made the following conclusions from
his Investigations:
'"rhis Shunganunga creek existed dur
ing glacial times very much the same as
it is now.
"When the ice field reached the creek
in it's southwark progress it crossed the
lower portion of the stream as far up as
section 10, half a mile northeast of the
mound.
"From that point, near the creamery
up to and beyond Burnett's cabin, dis.
lance of two miles, the ice never crossed
the Shunganunga except for very shor
time.
ga strong torrent washed the base O.
the ice over that course of two miles
laying bare the bedrock and even cutting
through it in the lower part of the
course.
"The ice dumped its load into the bot
tom of this dsnuded valley.
"This deposit was not merely dropped