The Huttig news., 1917-08-04
OLD BIT OF LAND
Summits of Siskiyou Mountains
 Above Water Ages Ago.
Border Guardians Between California and Oregon Were Growing Forests When Most of Europe
 Was Sea.

ACCOlulDs lO StOlOSiStS tiiC 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 a forest when the greater part of Europe was still beneath the water. They were the hillocks of low flat island a 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 a mountain range. Siskiyou tunnel, at an eleva- ton of 1000 feet, extends through solid bank of ocean shells, and for its length of 3,100 feet follows the shore line of the ancient island, as indicated by the sandstone which once formed its beach.
 Two miles east of Siskiyou tunnel" says q writer in "The Sacred Summits of the Siskiyou,' "Pllot rock rises | 1IOHi tDt very NtIItDIue LII lltc DdIIftI to lift it's sheer walls GOO feet in the air. Pilot rock Is chimney that burned out in hotter fire than was ever known by man. It was one of the fues through which the molten lava spouted to form the range. So terrific was the, outburst that It left the strange, fantastically shaped chimney standing there against the sky. It 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 hazeless day, the red hunters and warriors for a hundred miles around would turn watchful eye. Besides the rock was the meet ling pfuccs of cnief.. Tney cnfIcu IT SISz fki-you, meaning the council ground The result of their deliberations was made known from this chimney top.
 "The Indians used a finger of black smoke by day and a tongue of red flame 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, and presently the Indians of the Me Loughlin peak region, far to the north, were making mourning signs.
 'When gold was discovered around Yreka, in northern California, the set tiers of the Mazamas country in Ore gon wished to join the rush. but knew no southward trail. It was then that chieftain, whose daughter had been brought back to health, led his white benefactors to a peak and pointed across so miles of shimmering valley and hill to Pilot rock. By the right side leads an easy trail.' the wrinkled leader said. His friends were instant y on their way and they had picked up 1 fortunes at Yreka before their neigh bors of the Mazamas could break their way through a 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 and dread the almost incredible powers of Pilot rock. As often as punitive expedition approached the barrier range, the whites were spied by sharp eyes, the warning was kindled upon the rock, and the faithful sentries had vanished before the enraged soldiery could struggle up to the red tower and quench the signal flames. Throughout the ModOc wars runners brought ire 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 name which meant the Sacred Summits of the Sis kiyeus
 Gallant General Canby knew and hated Pilot rock. General Fremont Is said to have included 1t in his explora- tions and in his plans. Often Joaquin Miller sought the place for inspiration and fingered until there burst from his lips some new song of the twin em- pires 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"