The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-23
THEY ARE INTERESTING.
Professor Gould on the Formation of
.ArbuckIe Mountains.

A
Clss. " Could, and q party OF students
paid visit TO the Arbuckie mountains.
Many interesting things were found, and
Professor Gould mas written on the for
| nation of the mountains The article is
as follows:
The mountains were named for Fort
Arbuckle, and the fort for Gen Mathew
Arbuckle, a veteran OF the Mexican war
and the survivor Of numerous Indian
fights They extend for practically nifty
miles, east and west, although the name
is usually applied TO but the western half
OF the range. or that part lying west of
the vashfta river. The distance across
the range varies from FIVE TO ten miles.
In general, the mountains consist of
a strata Of limestone of great thickness,
which in long gone ages have been
thrown up into great dome or fold.
Afterward by means of the eroding power
of water the center of this dome has been
worn away, in places down TO the under
lying base rock which here consists of
granite-like rock known as rhyolite
Around the edge of the main range and
trimming it on ali sides Except where COW
cred by later deposits} there are foTma-
tons OF limestone, sandstone and flint
standing on edge, or in some cases they
have been even overturned and stand
reclined at an angle OF 40 degrees from
their original position. Great lodges of
limestone sometimes 50 feet thick and
100 or more feet high, stand or edge in
many places all around the mountains.
Lying within this fringe of vertical
rocks and comprising by far the greater
part of the range is a heavy. massive
gray limestone. Nobody knows how thick
it originally was, but certainly several
miles thick. It is most wonderfully
faulted and folded. cut. up into all sorts
of shapes. tilted. slanted. on edge and
overturned in seemingly all possible posi-
tions.
Within The limestone area there are sew
ersl localities where the older granite
rocks out-crop. West OF the Washita
there are two of these localities, known
as the East and West Timbered Hills.
The limestone is usually grass covered,
but on the granite there are growths of
timber, mostly jack oak, that make these
hills conspicuous for miles As stated
before, however, these rocks are not a
real granite. bu1 are known as rhyolite
il is a reddsh-brown. hard rock that
weathers very slowly into rather smooth
slopes. These hills are the core of the
mountains. the nucleus around which all
the other rocks are flanked At the high
est point they are about 1.4eo feet above
sea level. or 100 fee above the Washita
river.
Near the middle of the range from east
TO west proper the Washita river has
cut a gorge. Precipitous bluffs tower
hundreds of feet above the foaming water
below. Along the, sides of tins canyon
the Santa Fef railroad runs in rosi-bed
that has been blasted out of tho solid
rock. So narrow is the gorge that no
wagon roadlhas been made along it. The
only roads across the country leave the
bottom and find a tortuous course
through The limestone hills around the
gorge.
The only place where timber is at all
abundant in these mountains is either
on the Tinbered hills near the center
of the range. or among the upturned
rocks around the base OF the mountains.
As stated before, the tree that grows
most abundantly in the center of the
range is the jack oak, while along the
bluffs and ravines at the foot of the
and number of other trees are found
Rising in the center of the range and
flowing into the Washita are a number of
creeks. These in almost every instance
take their rise in a single bold spring
Such creeks as Colbert. Honey, Falls,
Sulphur. Buckhorn. Franks and a num-
Der of others are examples. The water
i'm these creeks is so thoroughly impreg-
mated with lime that on exposure TO the
air it is precipitated in the form Of
travertine dams which extend across the
channel. Practically all the streams men,
toned have these dams. The streams
consist of a series of still reaches. in
terspersed with small waterfalls, giving
10 the region degree Of picturesque
ness not TO be expected on the plains.
From the earliest advent of white
men into the region reports of mineral
finds in these mountains have been COM
mon. Unfortunately, however. the re-
ports have so far failed of realization.
The whole range is full Of prospect holes.
some of them recent and others dug so
long ago that they are practically ablit-
Grated. There is scarcely a square mile
on the mountains that does not contain
shafts. and il often happens that dozens
of holes may be found on as many square
rods. In some instances shafts fifty feet
deep have been dug, all 70 no avail. II
seems thar there nave been found at
various times small amounts of lead and
zinc; Just enough to lure the credulous
miner on TO EFFORT to find more. and
never enough TO pay. For the average
mind does not seem to be able 10 distin-
{ rfch har Hr n nd
mineral in paying quantities.
But not only lead and zinc. but also
gold and silver have been and are still
being sought There are a number OF
men living in cabins among the mountains
who firmly believe that they have dis
covered something of value We're it not
pathetic it would be bumorous-the Faith
that some Of these men have in the pres
ence OF wealth in the rocks. Ii IS per
fectly useless to argue with them. 20 try
TO convince them that their hopes are
without foundation They viii not he
convinced. and so wear their lives away
/ prospecting Tor minerals that are never
! found Suffice Il to say that those who
understand the nature Of mineral de-
/ posts would be very much surprised Il
any Of the precious metals should b.
found in paying quantities in these
mountains.
There are. however. some deposits OF
value. OF these the most valuable are
asphalt and building stone. The asphalt
is found in considerable quantities in the
I limestone rocks. and bears promise, OF be-
coming produc, OF much commercial
! Importance. Already Il il qslsrris-i ~ p
number Of places. There are az lesst two
mills where the product is ground prepar-
story 10 transportation 10 Kansas city
$50