The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-09

usent Of the Hthos eavesope. which re-
suited in the perfection Of tEe coal beds.
sSc1 pressure and ac. 1mpsnslns hett be-
Ing necessary 10 change the peaty uSn4ifc
mass TO true bitaminous cos. ms lat
eraf movement should not be confused
WITH the subsequent raising OF TIE noafa-
tains- The formation of the olyrnpics and
Cascades took place n tire Miocene f-is-
IT Is found that MoInt Rainier stands on
this platform and constituted one u The
active volcanoes % the later Nsccene
time Only the upper s.,s0 feet or Mount
Rainier is o. volcanic origin. resting On
granite Platform soont 500 feet high
during the formation of the coal beds
a suh-tropicai climate prevailed here
This gradually changed until the glacia,
time. wnen the modia.asions o- HE SUI
face took place. resulting In he present
forms.
The Key 10 the Influences which were at
WORK here was not discovered until last
year, when Israel 9. Russell. professor Of
geology in the University of Michigan.
round that sheet OF ice corresponding
10 tne siaiaspina glacier OF Alaska, which
ne had carefully studied. would account
Tor the very peculiar drift. iii and strait
ned ciays which cover the Puget sound
country. The Malasoina glacier for TWEEN
" miles inland from its face is covered
WITH similar deposits, which are foun1 OH
top Oh the lee aid constitute nils Of solid
earth, which have supported generations
OF forests
In this great valley between the Cas-
cades and the Olympics successive gla-
ciers OF similar character have covered
the plain probably for four or FIVE dis
tinct cold periods pushing their way
from the north. meeting with resistance
In the south, and piling themselves up
luv" ieet high. On the very gradual or
SLOW process OF thawng. they have de-
posted their burdens of ground-up rock.
forming dams across the valley, and thus
making immense lakes. giving rise to the
stratified condition of the deposits. and
nnaliy leaving the main drainage cham
rels TO become our Puget sound
Mining Engineering. a. a Profession.
Mr.. Willis stated at the outset of his
second lecture that he had been requested
10 ADDRESS number of the students on
the SUBJECT OF mining engineering as a
profession. and he could tell what he
knew on that subject In few words.
A mining engineer must be everything
that every other engineer is. and a great
deal more He then gave sketch of the
duties of mining engineer. The first
thing ne must do is To ascertain the value
and extent of the ore in sight and then
decide whether working the mine would
De business proposition or specula-
ton. He must be able to test the char
acter of the ore. to examine the surround
ing rocks. and ascertain what conditions
would bear in the vein In which the mine
Is situated The next question is whether
the ore would pay for its transportation
TO the nearest smelter. Then he must
survey TO learn the best means of trans
portation. whether by wire trolley.
switchback. etc. Then in the development
OF the mine he must know what machin-
cry Is necessary, and he must under
stand the different methods of mining.
He must be a man who can handle men,
an administrator and, above all, he must
be man Of undoubted integrity. He in
stanced a case of some capitalists con-
templating an outlay of sl.ooo.000 on some
Mexican mining property. The mining
engineer engaged 10 make an examina-
ton completed his work in six weeks and
received as his fee $50 90. The reason for
such fee was the mans reputation for
absolute integrity. They could trust abb
solutely to his verdict. The quality of
administration is seen I'm the management
of the local coal mines. The superin-
tendents must be practical men. One of
the chief qualifications of the superin-
tendent or engineer is a care for the
safety of the men. One of the most sue
cessful superintendent he knew was a
Welshman who had begun work in .
mime when years old, opening ana CLOS
ing doors He had gained his knowledge
through hard experience.
The opportunities for mining engineers
in this state are most excellent, as the
mineral resources of the state are practf-
caliy unlimited. undeveloped and of great
variety. student in this state has the
opportunity of gaining the practical ex-
perience. important to him as the
scientific education.
Notes.
Nathaniel l.. Gardner a student of the
University of Washington. who has with
drawn to teach school at Coupevflle. has
just sent fine specimen for the museum
II is a mature male specimen of goss-
hawk in excellent pluniage. The scien-
tiic name is Accipiter atricapillus strait
illus.
Bradney r. Griffin. one of the members
of the Columbia university expedition to
Puget sound. is at work on a monograph
OF the Nemertean worms of Puget sound.
He collected great deal Of interesting
material last summer.
DR.. A. ]. Van Deuburgh. of the Cali
fornia Academy of Science. Is at work on
monograph OF Pacific coast reptiles.
He has asked an exchange of materials
and data from the University of Wash
ington collectors.