The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-22
WONDERFUL CEDAR TREE.
one in California Said to Have "a
Fabulous Age.
FROM the New York Tribune.

ION Tue new AolA tribune.
A cedar tree whose age has been reck-
oned by biologists at 5000 years has been
found in California. standing in an excel
lently preserved state, The hbers so per
feet and the wood SO strong that 1t was
cut up and used FOR timbering in the con
struction of mining tunnel This re-
markable instance of the preservation Of
organic remains was found in the heart OF
a mountain. perhaps 500 feet below che
summit This mountain is a spur of the
Sierra Nevadas, near the Forest Hin d.
vide, In Placer county. between the north
and middle forks of the American river
The mountain Is lava capped with one
of those singular table tops which show
that there was once "a day when all those
ravines with which the region now abounds
did not exist, and that what is now the
crest OF the mountain was once the dow
est plane in a topography vastly different
from that which exists to-day. For all
of these millions of tons of lava material
We're incumbent upon river bed and it
was on a bank of this river thai this cedar
tree grew, and here It was found standing
100 feet in hight $4,000 years az
ter its submergence. The lapse OF time
since It was thus sealed 30 the world can
not be more than an approximate ton. IL IS
known that its inundation occurred dur
ing the ploCene period. and lhat this was
pliocene tree, the biologists of Califor-
mia are united upon the estimate that the
pliocene period ended about 5000 years
ago.
The ancient river bed on the bank of
which the tree stood contained gold, and IL
was In quest OF this that the vitals of the
mountain were probed and the tree discov-
cred Several small oaks, having the APP
pearance of what Is common in the arid
aNta ENa1t
also found upon the same and opposite
bank of the dead river but they were in
significant as compared with the majestic
bearing and perfect preservation of this
strong and noble cedar. All Vestige Of
needles had disappeared but some of the
elongated tips of its branches remained.
and many cones were found upon ID. These
crumbled TO dust as soon as brought to
the air, as also did the bark, but the
wood was firm and sound and the trunk
| being about three feet in diameter at its
base, the roots tough and of the tenacity
of seasoned wood
The existence of this tree demonstrates
an important fact in the geology of the
Sierra foothills II shows that the lava
flows did not come of sudden eruptions, as
has been supposed, but that the dement's
which subsequently sealed the entire re
gion were preceded by showers of scoria
and dust which came through the air and
were cooled in transmission, and settled to
the depth Of the hight of this tree; and
| that subsequently the molten wax from
| the volcanoes mouths flowed down and
| Theoretically plastered over that which
| had become thus packed This is the ir-
! resistible conclusion, as, IL the molten
| mass had flowed down Immediately over
| the country and so closed up the rivers,
as was once thought, undoubtedly the
| heat Of the liquid lava would have burned
the trees, ana there would have been no
| traces of them remaining.
Another fact Is aeo affirmed by the dis
| covery of the tree; that is that the vol
| canic quotations moved from the north.
| This Is shown by the bark on the northern
| side of the tree being badly warped and
| worn, while that upon the opposite side
was comparatively intact II has always
| been the opinion of biologists that not
only the gold deposits. but also the lava,
| flowed from some indefinite place in the
| NORTH as many evidences seem TO sug-
| gest them to be of northern origin, but at
no time has such perfect substantation of
this theory been evolved as that produced
| by this tree.
Some bones, identified as those of a
| mammoth, were found In the same stream
| bed, but all the tissues Of the animal had
| disappeared, showing again that the dust
| and cnder submergence was gradual as
| the muscles and skin of the beast had
| opportunity 10 ulSHOtNf anu peisS AWAY ga
| operation which required the presence OF
oxygen TO effect its perfect eradication.
| But when the sealing flow came and closed
all orifices and crevices, the access OF ar
was entirely shut Off, and, so locked up,
| the cedar endured intact and was res
| cued to the wonder of modern eyes.
The antiquity and vast importance of
| the tree from a paleozoc as well as geo
| logical standpoint did not, however, seem
| 10 impress the operators of the mine, as,
| since they were Obliged to cut 1t 10 pieces
| to get il out of the drift, and removed as
| an impeachment TO their work, they further
reduced it II lengths and tagging, ana
| drove Il back into the excavation as sup
ports. For this reason even the botanists
| did not get a chance to inspect IL in order
10 make comparative studies between il
| and the several species of cedar which eX-
| ist to-day-an investigation which would
| have lad not only the most curious and
extraordinary interest for those engaged in
| il. but the results Of which would have
| shown how in the evolution Of species even
plant life has borne ITS share