The chronicle=news., 1913-02-17
The Petrifed
Forests Of Arizona
nv Dr Oscar 5. Brown in Dons!ss
International"

nv Dr Oscar :. Brown in oons!.s
international"
In east central Arizona Is one Of
the most magnificent nntr:nl wond-
| crs of the world. the pat,'f'" forest
In Apache county. Arizona. are acres
and acres OF petriIied wood varying
In siz. from the end OF your finger.
to trunks OF trees more than zen feet
In diameter and over 200 feet in
length. The forest il divided Into
five distinct tracts. all eaEily access
sihls from Adamnna. n station on tho
santa Fe railway. Tho first. or the
Rainhow forest. is distant about five
miles, and covers about four thons-
and acres. Here on" sees the brok-.
en- trunks oi trees tossed about hap
hazard. in lengths ON some two 10
four feet. The wood has every color
oi the rainbow. 1, is an appearance
much like flint. Here u huge log
jurs out over the traveller. anu looks
much liz" canon. 50 much 50 thai
scome one has named IL "bcwey's
Cannon" Another formation some
iiity feet high. has becn named tho
Eagles Nest from the fact that
for four successive years pair of
hold eagles built their nest on the
Ton. which Is inaccessible 10 man or
beast.
Til" trunks of tn. trees seem To
hav" washed here, as In the bed OF
IN ancient river, and To have been
covered by sand and mud. This COW
cilng In tim" has changed To sand
rock and III. cntir. country around
ma. b"ep elevated. and III" clements
hay" worn away III. soft earth an
der this layer and allowed the perri-
fled ire" trunks IN the snnd rock To
break of into lengths mostly about
three feet III many Instances. these
pieces hay" fallen down into wnshcd
places which are more than one hun
hIcd feet below ih. balnnc. Of tn"
trees and rocks. In other instances
,h,y ~" lcft projecting from III.
.and rock much like guns from a fort
In ihi, first forest. H. tn. natural
bridge. which IL r"'riiied log ~
inr across u riyin" SON. sixty or
feet tn width aud about tn" same IN
d"pih. This trunk. measured hy the
writer, is on" hundred and eight feet
long, and about five feet IN diane
Tor. Her" IN" guide has his hands
full plotting the iimii tourists over
III. bridge. for no one has seen the
forest who has not crossed tn.
Bridge" From this forest ar" taken
most of tn" specimens ;" much 'rca-
sur"d hy the visitors.
ii"r" likely you're to meet people
irnin all parts OF I'll" world: noted
fci"niis's coming for knowledge; til"
ubiquitous globe tTuitcT," who
"oin.s onl. to Il. able to say he Ind
g""n the "ibr"st:" IN" s.hoolm.rm
with her 'It.lr note book and pencil:
III. railroad man and his family on
their annual vacation. bay. oven
mot IN" "astcrn farmer who walked
III" "H;!r" distance that h. might sc.
III" worlds wonder as h. "xrrrS.h
II TO me.
Til" second forest IL ah"u, ihr."
mil"s south al til. first. Ia IL the
trees ar" NOR" intact. and. while
cracked across tu lengths much like
timber sawed into single belts
they ar. lying pieces. Two immcn~.
trees lying side by sii.. til" "rwiu
glstc.S' ARE over two hundred feet in
length. and about four feet In diu-
! meter. On. rinc" In this forest Ia like
! an eastern chip ward. whcr" wood
has been chopped and chips thick ON
til. ground Th" coloring here is
much III" same as the first. In area
IL Is about two Thousand acres.
Passing southwest about five miles
one reaches IN" tHifd forest. Her"
ih" trees are much better preserved.
being IN full lengths. Many OF III.
trunks are from on. hundred. up TO
one. which by actual measurements
is almost four hundred feet In length
III" color In 'his - not 40 brirIi ~
In the first. Tie wood has moro the
appearance. oi agate with some cay
stalls mixed.
During III" past year John Muir
discovered two new forests to th"
north and east OF the others that had
not been known prior to his writing.
They I'll In a much desired missing
link" IN scientific knowledge regard
Ing the petrifici forests.
The north sigillaria forest" is bv
FAR III" most Interesting. lying min"
miles TO III" north of Adamana. and
contains many ficly preserved spcci' |
mems OF the carboniferous period. |
some OF the tree trunks still stand |
ing as they grew. The general seem '
cry here. Is. to say the least. very
peculiar and pictur.suu" and | might |
say gruesonc. The trees al !
most lack any Ol III. fancy or varic- /
gated coiors soen in some Of the 9TH ,