The Nome nugget., 1904-01-23
Questions...
 and Answers

Un this column questions of general interest will be answered. Address all communications to J. Potter Whittren care of THE NuGGETD
 Ques.-Can you explain how alluvial soil gets npon the tops of mountains :? While out prospecting for quartz in the kOugarok district last summer found patches of alluvial soil way up on the tops of high peaks.
 DAHL CREEK. Ans.-We all know that alluvium is the earthly deposit made by running water of streams or lakes, especially during times of floods. It is found in different forms and under different names, viz. flats or bars, on either side Of the streams and. at times, in the cen ter, according to the nature of the country, gravel bars and banks, which we are very familiar with, sand bars, and when in the center of the mouth of a river it is called its delta. A good example is the delta of the Mississippi river and the Nile, of Egypt. There is also another deposit called silt, which is of the same material, found in bays and harbOrs, where it forms the muddy bottoms and shores.
 One must not confuse these two de- pOsits with till, which is the unstrat- fled sand, gravel and stones with more or less clay, known as glacial deposits, for they are different to a marked de- gree. If one will examine the alluvial soil, the main feature which will stand out as worthy of notice and to be re- membered, is that all the stones or gravel are worn smooth and are rounded off, which is characteristic of all water worn material. A good example of water-worn material is the stones and gravel found on the beach and in the bottom of we'll washed streams. In deposits of glaciers (glacier till being more familiar name) all the material is sharp and angular. If one should take up handful of glacial till, they will notice that every piece of rock in it has sharp edge or corner, while in alluvium, we find them all rounded off and smooth.
 1 have given the above description to enable you to understand the nature of the different deposits you are likely to | come across in your stampedes over the country, and to be able to distin- guish between alluvium and glacial de- posits In order to understand how al- luval soil gets upon the tops of mOun- tains you will have to draw mental picture of how the land lay ages ago, which should be as follows: This soil was deposited through the agency of running water, and this particular sec tion cf country was at one time the bed of river, the bottom of lake, or per | haps it bordered upon the sea or ocean, near the mouth of some river, at the time this soil was deposited, which, ac- | cording to geology, is correct. Then | picture that particular section of the country containing the alluvial soil be- ing elevated by earthquakes or any in- | ternal action, or by gradual elevation with corresponding depression in some other section of the world, and it will enable you to understand how the soil got there.
 Ques.-The other evening a cake was rallied, with chances from one cent to 2 dollar. Quite number were present, but nobody could figure out the amount the owner would receive for the cake, that is, without adding up all the fig ures from one cent to one dollar. Can you give fixed rule for working prob. lens of this kind? M.
 Ans.-Multiply the extreme by the mean, and to the product add the mean. Example,: The cake was rallied for chances ranging from one cent to one dollar. One dollar (the extreme) times fifty (the mean equals fifty, and adding the mean (which is fifty cents) we have $50.50, the amount received for the cake.
 Ques.-Will you please tell me, or give me some idea of the size of the largest pyramid? s.
 Ans.-The largest of the pyramids was 48l feet in height, and S53 feet on the sides. The base covered eleven acres. The stones were about 60 feet in length and there were POS layers.
 To letter signed Student.
 The questions asked do not come under those of general interest, and would be of little, or no value, to the public. You can find a good solution for working the problem in any stand. ard text book on astronomy, which has the theory of wave worked out in full, with all the formulas which go to prove the same. You will find them very tedious.