The Grit-advocate., 1902-06-13
COLORADO VOLCANOES
HUGE GRAND RIVER LAVA BED.
Seen From the Denver & Rio Grande
airoad-lmmense Crater One
Thousand Feet Deep-lndians
Have a Tradition Of an Eruption.

'dSC d TdOlllOU OF dH CTuPtIoT.
In view of the recent volcanic dis
turbancc> in Martinique, among the
sights of particular interest along the
Taylor state road between GlenWOou
Springs and Gypsum are the lava bed
and extinct volcanic crater ut the east.
crn 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 n 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 it came
down from the crater in its molten
state il formed Il 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 stea1n
arising from the water, formed i'll the
mass large subterranean chambers, not
unlike great unbroken bubbles. A
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 no,
larger in circumference than an ordi
nary lead pencil.
There are evidences that these cham
bers Were at one time used as habita-
tions, probably by Indians, many abo,
riginal relics being found in them
Skeletons of human beings have also
been found
Portions of the beds have in the
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 and is not OF
Il sufficient average value to pay fol
mining and smelling. and as mining
proposition has been abundantlH
proven delusiOn.
The theory was advanced few
years ago by some Leadville men thai
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 settlS
il the bottom of this vast crucible.
The top of the Stag having poured off
10 form this lava bed, they argued thai
the immense button of precious metal
had settled at the bottom of the crater
and that by sinking through the crater
they would arrive ut II mine Of faDu-
Ious 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 1000
feet deep and a half mile long by ii
quarter Of mile in width. Three Of
the sides are abrupt, but can be
climbed, while the side toward the
bed is gentle slope.
Settlers in the valley tell stories of
the days when the Rio Grande road
was built through the valley. Slight
earthquakes are still not unusual in
the vicinity. One morning there was
n more than ordinarily severe shock
and every Italian on the grade left his
job. They thought of old Fesuvius At
home and were unwilling to trust
themselves to the tender mercieS Of
an unknown volcano.
The last eruptiOn of the volcano