Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-04-10
INTERESTING GEOLOGICAL DATA.
Notes OF Geological Reconnaissance In Valencia Coun.
tyby Douglass ". johnson.

In the February number of the Am
erican Geologist occurs a long article
on the geological features of eastern
son, formerly student at the Univer-
sity of New Mexico. Following are ex-
tracts from the article:
| Southeast of Albuquerque New Mex
leo, and east of the Manzano mountains
lies region of low plains bounded on
the west by the wood foothills of the
Manzanos, and on the east by a low
and barren ridge terminating at the
north in the hills of Pedernal and at
the south in the Animas hills The
abrupt exposure Of the Jemez mesa
bounds this broad valley on the south,
while on the north the plains continue
almost unbroken to the San Pedro and
Ortiz mountains and the rough country
east of these groups. The whole south
ern portion of this valley is comprised
in what is known as the Antonio San
doval grant" and is especially noted
for the salt and alkali basins which oc-
cupy it's central portion.
The low ridge referred to as marking
the eastern limit OF the southern por-
ton of this valley is not well defined
boundary line, but merely gentle rise
above the general level of the valley,
east of which the plains stretch un-
broken by any prominent landmark to
the horizon. In two localities on these
plains east of the dividing ridge are
found basins more or less alkaline and
saline; the first near the village of Pi-
nos Wells, southeast of the Animas
hills some II or Is iiytses, the second
northeast Of the village about IS miles.
During the summer these different ba-
sins were visited by the writer in COM
pany with Harry N. Herrick, in the in.
terest of the University geological sur
vey.
The geological conditions are ex-
tremely simple. There is constant dip
to the east, or possibly a little south
of east quite marked along the west
ern border Of the valley but becoming
less noticeable as one passes further
east and away from the axis Of the
carboniferous uplift, which produced
the Sandia, Manzano and more south
ern ranges. until it is almost if not
quite imperceptible at the exposures
about the most eastern of the saline
basins. A few miles northwest of Bor-
rendo springs there are several imper-
feet exposures alternating lime and
one of the low rises and not until we
looked down into the basin, with it's
level floor covered with snow-white
salt stretching far away to the south.
did we realize that we We're in the vi
cinity Of the lakes. The lake bottom
is usually from some 30 to so feet be-
low plain level or from 50 to 100 feet
below the tow of the surrounding ridge.
AS we journeyed further southwark
we passed beyond the limits of the ter
ritory affected by the storms, and
reached the so-called Salinas. This is
evidently the great salt lake for the
ranches within the radius Of 100 miles
or more. The almost pure product is
hauled in wagon loads to Albuquerque,
Santa Fe, White Oaks and other places
equally distant. The lake is somewhat
round in shape, and perhaps quarter
of mile in diameter. The water,
which attains a depth Of some three
feet or more in places is a supernatural
ted solution of sodium chloride.
On the surface of the lake float thin
particles or scales of salt, and from the
top Of the basin, the bottom looks as If
covered with snow. At the bottom of
the lake is thick deposit of pure
crystalline salt, the cubical crystals be-
ing very large and we'll preserved. The
salt is secured by driving wells out into
the lake and loading the wagon from
Tho rich deDosifq IN thu Ioko ho%tov,, r