The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1912-09-06
ONCE BOTTOM OFAXAZD SEA.

feet above the surrounding country
and suggesting. In form at least, a par
tial restoration of the great Uinta an
ticline. During the ice age there were
80 separate glaciers. or rather glacial
systems, the longest Of which was
over q miles, and each system con
sisted OF from two to eight glaciers.
Today there are no glaciers and the
outlines Of the mountains have been
vastly modified by the action of these
powerful ice streams, for no agency.
excepting that which caused the origi-
nal continental uplift, eXerts such
vigor and force in changing natural
outlines as does the glacier. Like the
mills Of the gods, it grinds slowly and
exceeding small, but with vast power
and irresistible force.
Busy Nature.
Long before the age of the Uinta
tains themselves were pushed upward
through the earth's crust. Nature was
busily engaged storing up vast sup
plies Of material of economic value
against this coming of industrial"
man. First, in the dim, distant car
boniferous age, shocks laid down over
an immense field, slightly to the north
west Of the Uintas, millions Of IONS
of phosphate rock. resulting from
countless myriads OF small marine ami
mails which inhabited this great an
c.ent basin. Then came the period OF
huge reptilia Int other giant forms
the plesiosaurs, the m~egatheriums and
great winged creatures, half animal,
half bird. Later, in the cretaceous
age there flourished a magnificent veg
citation, comparable to the oaks and
other hard woods of today. These
grew and matured and died and grew
and died again, In an almost endless
round. each generation contributing
its mite to the vast coal deposits Of
the region. Today all about the Vim
tas, in many places a mile below the
surface, are found the coal beds, con-
tanning billions of tons of fuel Of Gre
taceOus age, far younger than the car
boniferous deposits of the Appalachian
mountains, but yet excellent coal One
bed stands "a feet thick of solid coal,
one of the greatest coal seams in the
world.
Toward the close of this coal period
occurred the great uplift which formed
the mountains. Then, following the
uplift, the region enjoyed for a time
almost tropical conditions. the antithe-
sis Of the ice & which was to fol-
low. During this age of warmth many
Of the higher orders Of animals -four
ished in and around the Uintas; at
the base Of the mountains have been
found the remains of many monke.s,
csmels, the terrible saber-too:ked
tigers and other associated Jungle
inhabitants, all now extinct, but their
remains everlastingly preserved in the
volcanic ashes derived from ancient
upheavals. The huge dinosaurs, or
giant sloths roamed the lowlands In
great numbers, feeding upon the lux
urious vegetation and constituting the
natural prey Of the great tigers. Then
followed the Ice age and these mon
sters were either driven southwark or
eXterminated. There Is no record in
the rocks Of the presence of prehis-
toric man, the earliest fiat skulled
cave dweller; but some incline to the
belief that he may have, with his
crude stone implements, disputed. and
ever more than held his own with the
great beasts Of the period.