Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1917-07-26
old BIT OF LAND
SUBMITS of Siskiyou Mountains
Above Water Ages Ago.
Border Guardians Between California
and oregon Were Growing Forests
When Most Of Europe.
Was Sea.

According to biologists the SUBMITS
Of the Siskiyou mountains, the border
guardians between California and Ore
gon, constitute one of the oldest bits Of
land In the world. They were, assert
the scientists, growing forest when
the greater part of Europe was still
heneath the water. They We're the
hilocks of low fiat island hundred
miles in length when the Pacific ocean
reached eastward to the Rocky noun
tains. Gigantic saurians basked in the
shade of the Islands trees, and the
leviathan of the Scriptures swan about
its shores. Finally the Pacific slope
emerged from the ocean and the island
became the backbone of mountain
range. Siskiyou tunnel. at an eleva-
tion of 1000 feet, extends through
solid bank of ocean shells, and for Its
length of 300 feet follows the shore
line of the ancient island, as indicated
: by the sandstone which once formed
its beach.
Two miles east of Slskiyou tunnel"
says Il writer In 1.-THE Sacred SUBMITS
Of the Siskiyou." pilot rock rises
from the very vertebrate of the barrier
to lift its sheer walls 600 feet In the
air. Pilot rock is chimney that
burned out in hotter fire than was
ever known by man. 1t was one Of the
fiues through which the molten lava
spouted To form the range. So terrific
was the outburst that 1t left the
strange, Enthusiastically shaped chimney
standing there against the sky. 1t was
TO come into use. in the due procession
Of events, as one of the great signal
towers of the western wilderness, to-
ward which. on a hazeless day. the red
/ hunters and warriors for d hundred
miles around would turn a watchful
eve. Besides the rock was the meet
ing place of chiefs. They called 1t Sis
ki-you, meaning the council ground.
| The result of their deliberations was
made known from this chimney top.
The Indians used finger Of black
smoke by day and tongue of red
hame by night. When the chief of
the Shastas died, the word was flashed
from the mountain that bore the tribal
name. was repeated from Pilot rock,
md presently the Indians of the Nc
Loughlin peak region. far to the north.
were making mourning signs.
when gold was discovered around
Treka, in northern California, the set
'lerS of the Mazamas country In Ore
sOn wished to join the rush, but knew
no southwark trail. II was then that
chieftain, whose daughter had been
brought back to health, led his white
benefactors to peak and pointed
ACROSS 80 miles of shiinmering valley
and hill 10 Pilot rock. BY the right
side leads an easy trail the wrinkled
leader said. His friends were instant
y oh their way and they had picked up
fortunes at Yreka before their neigh
bnrs of the Mazamas could break their
way through II tangled waste In which
they could find no single sign OF a
road.
in the days of warfare with the
native tribes the whites came to know
md dread the almost incredible powers
IF Pilot rock. AS often as a punitive
expedition approached the barrier
range the whites we're spied by sharp
eyes. the warning was klndled upon
The rock. and the faithful sentries had
,
could struggle up to the red tower and
luench the signal flames. Throughout
the MOdoc wars runners brought fire.
quent word to the renegade Captain
Jack from this clearing house of the
news. No wonder the Indians lighted
all the peaks around with altar fires
and called them by a name which
meant the Sacred SUBMITS of the Sis
kiyous
Gallant General Candy knew and
hated Pilot rock. General Fremont is
said 10 have included 1t IN his explora-
lions and in his plans. Often Joaquin
Miller sought the place for inspiration
aud lingefed until there burst from
his lips some new song of the twin EN-
plres that unrolled below his eyes. A
host Of pilgrims of the adventure trail
have halted there to rest, and to avail
themselves of the far-reaching out
look from this vantage point"