The Dolores star., 1902-06-13
COLORADO VOLCANOES
HUGE GRAND RIVER LAVA BED.
Seen From the Denver & Rio orande
RaiIroad-Immens Crater One
Thousand Feet Deep-lndians
Have a Tradition Of an Eruption.

In view of the recent volcanic dis
turbances III Martinique, among the
sights of particular interest along the
Taylor state road between Glenwood
Springs and Gypsum are the lava bed
and extinct volcanic crater at the east
ern end of the canon of the Grand,
says correspondent OF the Denver
News. No name has ever been given
TO this formation.
The lava lies in vast black bed
somewhat higher than the grade of
the railroad which skirts it, extending
several miles up the valley and across
its entire breadth. When 1t came
down from the crater in its molten
state 1t formed dam which backed
the Grand river up and formed IL lake,
traces of which are still in existence.
The sudden cooling caused by its CON
tact with the river shaped the molten
mass into all sorts of grotesque figures
standing above the general level of the
bed.
Some agency, probably the steaLl
arising from the water, formed in the
mass large subterranean chambers, not
unlike great unbroken bubbles. \
number of these chambers are CON
nected by small natural passages. The
walls of chambers and passages are
hung with stalactites some of them
eight and ten feet in length, but not
larger in circumference than an ordi-
nary lead pencil.
There are evidences that these cham
bers We're mt one time used us habitn-
tions. probably by Indians, many Ibo-
riSinal relies being found in them.
Skeletons of human beings have also
been found.
t1.. q
early days been located by prospect
ors for gold and silver, and some
good assays have been obtained The
ground has been found to carry values
In spots only, however, nnd is not OF
sufficient average value to pay for
mining and smelling, and as mining
proposition has been abundantly
proven delusion.
The theory was advanced q few
years ago by some Leadville men that
since this mass no doubt had been
boiling for ages while in the crater
from which it originated. the specific
gravity of the gold and silver had
caused these precious metals to settle
IL the bottom of this vast crucible.
The top of the Stag having poured Off
to fotin this lava bed, they argued thar
the immense button of precious metal
had settled at the cotton of the crater
and that by sinking through the crater
they would arrive at Il mine of fabu-
lous wealth. They spent thousands of
dollars sinking shaft, but finally con-
cluded that the possibility of having
to dig to the center of the earth was
too appalling and operations ceased.
The lava bed is covered in spots
with sage brush, some deposit of earth
having formed on its top. The sur
rounding hills also show traces of the
lava, black streaks appearing in their
otherwise red and yellow sides.
The crater is located one mile up
from the main thOroughfare through
the valley and can easily be reached in
a half hours climb. A good trail has
been built up its sides and down into
the crater itself, which is about loo
feet deep and half mile long by Il
quarter of Il mile in width Three of
the sides are abrupt, but can be
climbed. while the side toward the
bed is Il gentle slope.
Settlers in the valley tell stories of
the days when the Rio Graude road
was built through the valley. Slight
earthquakes are still not unusual in
the vicinity. One morning there was
II more than ordinarily severe shock
anu every llhllaH OH Ine STaue leIt MS
job. They thought of old Vesuvius at
home and We're unwilling to trust
themselves to the tender mercies OF
an unknown volcano.
The last eruption of the volcano
must have occurred only IL few hun
dred years ago, for when the first
white settlers came into the valley the
Utes told them that their old men re
membered the time when ''heap big
fire" came down the mountains.