The evening times., 1895-11-22

DR.. James A. Mitchell, professor of nat
urai science at Mount st. Mary's College.
Emnitsburg, Nd, has made an important
discovery OF fossil tracks In Frederick
County, Nd During an examination cf a
red sandstone quarry he came across rep
titan footprints. He had slab uf the stone
feet 6 inches in length and feet 5
inches in width cut out and sent to the geo.
logical museum at Johns Hopkins Uni
versity.
President Gilman of the university, in a
letter to Dr.. Mitchell, says the discovery
"is a most valuable contribution tn our coi-
lection OF Illustrations of Maryland
geology" He further states that DR..
Clark. professor Of organic geology at the
university, informed him that the descrip-
ton of the discovery by DIR. Mitchell will
be highly Interesting contribution to the
geological science Of this region.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCOVERY.
DR.. Mitchclrs description furnished the
Johns Hopkins University is as foHews:
THE Newark system. a name first ap-
Piled by Redrieid In 1856 and afterward
employed by Russell for the red sandstones
and snales OF the Jura-Trias in the eastern
portion uf America, has been for many years
past subject OF study Ia geulogjsts inter-
ested in the correlation vi the various rorma-
tons of the Mesozoic period. The deposits
extend from Nova Scotia tn the Caroinas
following the line Of the Appalachian sys-
tenn OF mountains. and are located in the
heart OF the most thickly settled portion Of
our country, a circumstance which has great
ly facilitated their study Owing, how
ever, TO the conditions of deposition, the
paucity of fossils and the various changes
which the strata have undergone, a salts
factory solution of the difficulties relative
to the age. origin, extent ETC., OF this i'm
portant system has not been as yet ar
rived at.
''Of the several regions most fully studied
M Y be mentioned the Acadian, Connecticut
River Valley. Southbury, New York, yir-
giIiia, Richmond, and deep river areas. The
pecuiiarities OF each have given rise to var
iOus hypothesis sufficiently explanatory OF
their origin. The glacier hypothesis, which
has at various times been adran ced. is now
no longer considered conclusive, and has
given place TO the estuary and lacnstrine
hypothesis which does not exclude the pos
sibility OF local glacier action. The theory
of estuary, or more properly lacustrine or
igin would seem to be well supported by the
structure and situation of the MARYLAND
area
GENERAL OUTLINING.
Until the recent work undertaken and
now in progress under the auspices of the
United States Geological Survey little more
than I general outlining of the Newark sys-
tenn in Maryland had been accomplished.
For the earlier work We are indebted to Du-
catei and Tyson, formerly State geologists,
while the later work has been chiefly done
by Keith, OF the United States Geological
Survey.
"A glance at the recent geological map of
the State, prepared for the Worlds Fair
Book of Maryland, will show US the general
limits of the Maryland area OF the Newark
system. Entering the State near Emmits-
burg, where it has width OF at least fifteen
miles, we find 1t taking a southerly course,
instead of the usual lsouthwesterly direction,
since 1t here runs parallel to the axis of the
Catoctin Mountains Throughout the greater
part of its course-from Lewiston to Point
of Rocks-its width is greatly diminished,
ranging from three to four miles 1t is
flanked on both sides by pre-Newark forma-
tioDs; on the east by Trenton limestone and
other metamorphosed Silurlan and Cam
brian rocks, and on the west by Cambran
sandstone. West OF Frederick City there oc-
ours an Outcrop of Trenton limestone which
causes freak in the continuity Of the New
ark strata for more than mile. AS in the
o ther areas, so also in this do we find erup-
tive rocks Two prominent dikes run for
some distance nearly pa rallel with the gen.
era! trend OF the system, one extending all
the way across the State. The bulk of the
trap, however. is conferred north of Emmts-
burg.
discoveries Of fossil footprints in the
New York-virgiDia area have been con-
fined to New Jersey and Pennsylvania in
the latter State the most southern locality
being at GOldsboro'. York county. where