Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-27
OF INTEREST TO BIOLOGISTS.
Discovery OF Glacial Rocks ON the
Eastern shore


ONANCOCK, VA, February 22-(Spe-
cial)-Several days ago the Dispatch cor
respondent visited the region lying be-
tween Messengo and Muddy creeks, in
the northwestern part OF Accomac, and
was eaaJled by personal inspection to
verify the statement recently made that
that part OF the Eastern Shore PENN
sula is strewn with pebbles and boulders
OF the glacial epoch AS is generally
known, there are no native rocks on the
Eastern Shore OF Virginia. Artesian
wells have been sunk at several points
TO the depth Of more than ] 200 feet, and
as yet the bedrock has not been reached.
The strata through which the pipes have
been sunk are composed OF shells, sand.
and marsh mud. showing that all this
peninsula has been built up by the waves
of the sea, and by the detritus brought
down by the streams from the higher
regions. And yet the region lying be-
tween Messongo and Muddy creeks Is
strewn with rocks of different kinds,
some Of them Weighing several tons.
These rocks are generally found several
feet below the surface OF the ground,
and their smooth subangular surfaces
show that they have been planed down
by the action OF ice and water. These
rocks are of different varieties-quartz.
limestone, sandstone, and granite being
found in great abundance. Last summer
farmer living on the southern side OF
Messongo creek was pfoughing his corn,
when the plow struck an obstruction be-
meath the surface of the ground, break
Ing off the point He dug around it. ana
found 1t to be a large rock. He continued
to dig until near nightfall, when seven
OF his neighbOrs Joined him, and though
they all priced away at the rock with
levers, they were unable to move it.
BOULDERs OF GREAT SIZE.
This is only one of the many boulders
Of similar size to be found imbedded in
the mud OF that region. Specimens of
these rocks have been submitted to Major
Jed Hotchkiss, the wellknown geologist,
of Staunton, Va. who has given it as
his opinion that they We're brought to the
Eastern Shore by the ice of the Glacial
Epoch and that the sandstone Is identical
with that to be found in parts of New
York. 1t has hitherto been supposed
that the terminal moraene Of the glaciers
of the great ice age are 10
be found on the Atlantic coast
farther south than the lower end
of Long Island, nor does the discovery
Of glacial rocks and pebbles on the East
ern Shore of Virginia dlsprove this hypo-
thesis. The rocks here are not found In
heaps and layers, as in the Alorainal re-
gion, but scattered here and there In !
confusion. II Is known |
hat during the Glacial Epoch the south |
arn part of the Susquehanna Valley was |
under water, and 1t is reasonable to sup |
pose that the southern end of the ice cap |
broke up and fioated off as icebergs oves /
what is now the upper Chesapeake region, |
melting and dropping pebbles and bould-
srs as they reached the warmer water or
he southern seas. II is not improbable |
hat some of these icebergs ran aground |
n the shallow water Of the region, and as
hey melted dropped the detritus they
on the sea floor which has
since been elevated above the sea-level.
While the district in which these glacial
deposits are mainly found lies between
dessongo and Muddy creeks, yet the peb-
)les and boulders are found from the
mouth Of the Pocomoke river down to
iuilford creek, a distance OF about fifteen
niles. In sinking wells in this region
arge boulders are frequently met with
t from two to fifteen feet below the sur
ace, and the bottoms of the wells are
ometimes I'm a stratum OF gravel and
ebbles, while the earth above consists
of sand and loan. Strange TO
ay, these glacial deposits on the Eastern
hore have up to this time escaped the
office of scientific men. Oystermen say
hat they frequently dredge up large
Quantities of rock from the bottom or
'ocomoke Sound. just Off the region de-
cribed above. Major Hotchkiss declares
he discovery Of these glacial deposits
0 be one of the most interestings facts
! recent geological investigation.