New-York tribune., 1899-07-30
ARIZONA'S PETRIFIED FOREST.
ONE OF NATURES GRI

ONE OF NATURES GREATEST MUSEUMS.
From The Chicago Record.
The Territory Of Arizona is a vast museum OF
natural curiOsites including many OF the NEST
wonderful IN ali the world. The atmosphere
the climate the mountains the soil. the rivers,
the forests are filed with phenomena many Ok
which exist nowhere else. In the desert three
hundred miles square, with Flagstaff as CEN
tre. spread out variety or wonders OF
which the people Of this country have HttIe or
10 conception. but If they were in Europe or
Asia thousands OF our citizens would cross lhe
ocean to see them Being within only two or
three days journey OF Chicago, and easy or ac-
cess by frequent trains Of sleeping ana dInlhs
cars and other modern luxuries OF travel they
are overlooked by the multitude ana are prac-
ticaiy unknown. ~
To my mind, next 10 the Grand CANYON OF mo
Colorado. the most interesting ana lI'pf-sslve
of the natural wonders Of this great Arizona
museum is the petrifed forest, which covers
nearly one hundred square miles, WItmn eaSy
distance either on foot or horseback, from BHi-
ings station. on the Santa re Rallroau' bul ~
can be more easily reached by carriage from
Holbrook where better accommodations can 10
found The Government explorers nave chrls-
tened Il Chalcedony Park.
The surface OF the ground for miles ana hiles
around is covered with gigantic logs three or
four feet in diameter, petrihed 10 the coIG'
Many Of them are translucent Some are al
most transparent. All present the most beautl,
ful shades Of blue yellow. pink, purple. req anu
gray Some are ike gigantic amethysts' some
resemble the smoky topaz, anu SOHic d4N 10
pure and white as alabaster Al places inc
chips Of agate from the trunks that nave
crumbled he a foot deep upon the ground anu
II ie easy 70 obtain cross sections OF uees sHu"
INC overv vein and even the bark Compara-
.,,.r,- LITTLE Of this agate has been used IN manu-
featuring although il is easy TO OBTAIN Manu-
fac-uring jewellers of New-YOrk have maze
table tops and boxes and other articles rom
stri,e nat have been sent them. and If the ma
t.rial were rot so abundant its beauty Wouia
command enormous prices. Nhere you can se.
"a carload Of jewelry for nothing you are H0'
''' if1.e-fve view Of the petrihed forests on
sunny day suggests a gigantic kaIeidose"pe -
Th4 surface Of the earth resembles an IhInlts i
variety of rainbows. The Geologists say lnIs
o., az main now five thousand feet above me
sen was once covered by forest when vas
submerged for ages IN water strongly c"drNtu
with minerals. until the tibres or tHe uc'9 W VIZ,
.b.r.,ctIv soaked and transformed into ettrhai
stone Many Of the trunks are stun packeH III a
7.,..ef+ ,f fine CLAW which was EFT 10y thc recel-
verized much Of the clay and carried 1t on N
the air exposing the secrets that nature uuFleu
ono rreat tree spans a deep guch forty feet
Nd II lies whore it feu centuries perhaps
o,--e are ana is a most beautiful specimen OK
+ petrifed wood The rings ana the DARK an 20
easily traced through the transuceht aEdtt, anu
g. is firm enough and strong enough 10 liS' hS
,r.ry centuries as Il has already spent III it'
peculiar position. II IS undoubtedly the onty
bridge of agate in the world, ana alone is "o''h
. q long journey 10 s'r- ..-.7 -. ,,i,i, the
m, Indians of the Southwest used 10 VlSI' nc
petrlGcd forests frequently to Obtain aSa'- ~,
their arrow and spear heads, ana IN M i "a "a
- 90 tt.r.d over the entire continent by eX-
change between the different tribes from Inc me
Tethrnus Of Panama TO Behring STRAIT Inc
great devosit here explains where al the drI1"- .
80, - ,noes agate came from and other
,yearons and implements Of similar materlal
mat are found in the Indian mounds ana graves
Of the Central and Western states. In 'he s'"ie e
ace me agate Of the petrihed forest was INC
,er, hest material that could be obtained Ior
both the implements Of war and peace OF I.le
aborigines scalping knife could he mace NeIy
easily from one Of the chips or agate ana cuuiu ,
ha rround 10 a very fine edge. Many crystals
were used for jewelry and ornament also