The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-06-08
|GREAIDESER
CENTRAL sOREGON.
NM Extensive Tract ot .Neatly SEeyel,
81 Land Covered With sand and aslss
{; Dust.
IlFronl NeM York Suns.

(From New York, SUM-
"a One Of the least known regions Of
the United States is Central Oregon.
1t presents well.marked contrasts,
ranging from the nearly level surfaces
Of the dessert valleys, where the gen.
eral elevation Is about 1900 feet, to
the rugged snow.clad submits of5the
Cascade Mountains, the loitiestS Of
which, Mount Jefferson, reaches d
height. OF 1o.S5O feet. u n
Almost in the exact geographic cen;
ter Of tic State is what is known as
the Great Sandy Desert, an extensive
tract Of nearly Lowell land which has
been termed sandy on account Of the
thick sheet OF pumicoous sand and
dust that2coyers large portions OF it,
The length OF the desert Is In the
neighborhood of5.16O miles. and It's
width is from 30 to 80 miles,
So nearly uniform Is the surface
that one might drive throughout its
length without meeting any greater
obstruction than tho rugged sage
brush, and, to Indicate the nridlty of
the region, without finding a single
watering place for mon or animals,
The borders of this vast tract arc In.
definite, as It Is bounded by noun.
tains, both of volcanic origin and
formed by supheayal, between which
lie the extensive plain that unite to
form tho central plain. +
Prominent Elevation.
On thogplain itself there arc prom.
inent elevations, either isolated buttes
or groups Of hills or tmountains. which
are rendered especially conspicuous
because Of the general smoothncss Of
the surface from which they rise as
well as by the stcepness, and in some
instances. the ruggedness OF their
sides. The most common and con,
spicnous elevations are due to vol.
canic eruptions.
In travelling west from Burns to
Sisters a number Of the volcanoes
were found In the first half Of
tho journey, and farther west
u number of ancient craters, or much
eroded volcanic peaks, and numerous
young volcanoes were located. These
young volcanoes are situated for the
most part In the northern part OF Lake
county and In tho southwestern par
1of Crook county.
4 ( Their cones, so recent In many In
stances that erosion has not We
broken their crater: rims, are SO nj,
merous that so or more frequently car
4 be counted in a single view, whileB i
change Of a few miles In tho position
4 Of m observer brings perhaps as
many more within tho range Of tho
vision. Il III % ,,E
\ lle. topography OF the whole region
Is characterized by the broadness 81
Its elevations. which Is due III q minor
way to the presence Of cmlhences
left by widely extended erosion. but
principally to the constructive volcan;.
lc activity. The valleys between tho
mountains. buttes, hills, etc. are In
general lovcl-noorcd. ls
Sheets OF basalt which have in.
yaded the valleys and given them lev.
q floors occur widely throughout this
section, and In many localities form
the present surface. These lava sheets
range in thickness from an average
Of 50 to 100 feet, 5upto probably sever.
al hundred feet. Sli "a
Volcanic Products.
Following the spreading out OF the
volcanic products, both liquid II ana
fragmentary, came a heavy ana wide.
distributed shower OF pumlceou,s
fragments ranging in size from, dust
particles particles to masses Of hlghlyyesicular
pqml!clesgtwo to three feet in diameter.
which which still remains on tho plains q, and
mountains and ranges In thickness III
to1at least 70 feet. al ~
5l'hls covering lies on It like aigsrresat
snowfall over IN extent Of several
thou and square miles, particularly
east o. the Cascades. Not only has
It produced many changes III; tho mi.
nor features, but on account Of its az.
IRENE ne peo1rosity It isone OF the leading I'M
factors lac g rs controlling the agricultural
value Of the country it covers. +
ms MS portion portion Of Central oregon
forms the extreme northern end of;tbe