Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-07-21

Mining congress- July 10, lSll'
My work In the United States geo
logical survey has led me to spend
a number OF summers in studying the
geology of northern California anc
Oregon. The results as far as pub
lished, are contained Ia the reports
OF which a list is given in leafleI
Issued by the survey, together with
information as TO how they may bt
obtained. Copies Of this leaflet ant
some Of the reports may be seen Ia
the exhibit.
In response to the request OF the
committee to address the congress,
have prepared a sketch map Of north
ern California and Oregon, showing
by colors the general distribution
of the geological formations and
thus illustrating at the same time the
general distribution OF the most i'm
portant belts.
My thanks are especially due to
Prof. Fayette A. Jones, the courteous
and efficient mining engineer of the
oriole, who kindly placed at my dis
posal the facilities Of his excellent
laboratory.
The mountain belt OF the Pacific
states includes a number OF distinct
ranges. On the north there are the
Cascade range and the Coast range
OF Oregon separated by the VILLAIN
ette or Sound valley. On the south
are the Sierra Nevada and the Coast
range Of California separated by the
great valley OF that state.
About the 0regon-C California boun-
dary. where all these rafges appear
to meet, there Is group of noun
ain ranges and peaks extending from
Rogue river In Oregon to Mad river
In California that constitutes dis
tinct range, which was named many
years ago by Major Powell, the Klam-
ath mountains. Grants Pass is among
the hills OF the klamath mountains,
quite distinct from the Cascade range
east OF Ashland and Medfoyd or the
Coast range of Oregon farther north.
wish to urge the more general adop-
tion of this useful comprehensive
name. klamath mountains. Their
dinstinction is chiefly geological
The Cascade range exteads from
LASER Peak In California north
across Oregon into Washington. The
Sierra Nevada extends southeast In
California. The Coast range of Cal
ifornia from Mad river southwark
and the Coast range OF Oregon from
Rogue river near the coast north
ward, while the klamath mountains
lis chiefly In the drainage Of Klam-
utn IlNtI III OuiliOIulu.
The colors on the map indicate the
character and geologic age Of the
rocks.
Red separates the layas chat flow
ed from great volcanoes Of the Cas-
cade range from Lass0u Peak Mt
Shasta and the others to M Rainier
In Washington, The red band is the
western edge Of the grea, lava field
that covers much Of California. Ore
gon and Washington, :. Is OF terti-
airy age aud much Of 1t has flowed
out and covered older aOrllcrous
gravels In the older rltor channels
OF tertiary time.
The yellow color represents the
tertiary and later sedlmental forma-
tions, which contain the coal about
Coos bay and along Rogu, yiver val
ley, as we'll as the later deposits,
which IN the Sacramento aui other
valleys.
The green color represents the
rocks, chiefly sedimentary, formed on
the ocean bed just before tertiary
time, They belong to the uretaceous
age, aud occur at Riddles and Ash
land In Oregon and Reddmg IA Cal
itornla,
The tertiary and cretaceous rocks
In many places lie flat or dip but
gently They are rarely much dis.
turbod and are not much altered
They are younger than the great met.
alllferous deposits OF the older rocks
Next comes the blue, which sep.
arates the purassic rocks. Chey were
Involved In the crushing and noun,
tain building that formed the Sierra
Nevada and klamath mountains and
contain a portion OF the valuable met.
allferops deposits, formed at that
time. The northern llde OF Calltor,
mia was formed then In Iurassic rocks
and II Ia interesting to note thai
jurasslc rocks are abundant ON IN,
borders and within the klamath
mountains, The belt OF iurassic slate