The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1919-12-26


Is not affected by lornados or lrop
teal storms lother than sand storms
and lightning ON account OF the
airdity. Lightning and thunder arr
frequent IN The rainy season Of the
year, the former being the cause Of
so many forest fires. In winter the
higher regions experience much
snow, some even falling on the
Painted Desert
There being something like 1900
feet difference IN the elevation Of
The highest and The lowest parts OF
The country gives one an idea why
there ~ such a variety IN the vege.
tation Below 5000 feet there H.
little aud IN wide areas none. At
10000 feet ~greasewood, sagehrush,
Juniper and phones are seen-lhc
same at 1900 feet with much grass
Above 1000 feet forests Of market
able timber are found. Oak, pine.
spruce, aspen and willow with occa-
sional parks loored with grass are
evident Berry bushes, numerous
varieties Of flowers and pasture
land give II a likeness 10 humid
regions Of semi-tropical lands. u h
estimated by the Indian Office that
On Navajo Mountain alone there h
i2.0O0.0oO feet Of spruce, and the vel
low pine Of the entire region will 90
over 2,0O0.o00.00 feet board meas
ure.
The population consists almost
entirely Of Indians. divided into
three great tribes-the Navajo, the
Hopi, and the piute-of this number
all except n small tribe Of about 200
piutes. and 1000 Hops. are NavaIos.
The Hopis are direct descendants OF
the in-dwellcrs. and are peace
fully Inclined. They are the rem.
nants Of rich tribes mentioned In
the writings Of the early Spanish
explorers who inhabit the Land Of
Tusayan.r The Navajo are almost
IA wnrlike as their relatives the
Apache. farther 10 the South. The
Piutes are even more fierce and
less under the influence Of civili-
zation than the Nayajos, which nc.
counts somewhat for their almost
total extinction. Among the Indians
live about COO white people. mis-
sionarics, government agents and
traders. Only once In a while a lone
prospector had the hardihoOd TO
brave the red Indian until the open
Ing Of the country on the First OF
November by act OF Congress. Now
there are hundreds OF lreasur,
seekers there.
The rock exposure in the Navajo
Country shows chiefly sedimentar,
lof the Mesozoio age.
There are some beds Of Permiau
age revealed by crosin In a few 10.
calities. Strata Of Pennsylvania
form show In the walls Of most Of
the deeper canyons. such as th'
Colorado and the San Juan. WhaI
gcologisis call " young rock" In Thu
region are probably Of the Eocen'
} series. The character Of rock mos
frequent IL a sandstone, although
There Is much limestone. Conglom-
crate is scattered all over the coun.
, try and the whole region is 80 bro.
/ ken mp that II appears 10 the un.
informed as II II is all conglomeral'
; The oldest strata In the country ar
| found In n locality only, as IA
as any investigators have found
This Is In the canyon called Quart
zite Creek.
InEeous rocks r well distributes
over the Navajo country. They ar
: seen IN the picturesque beauty O
D bikes. sheer walls. mesa knob.
, necks, etc. They are mainly of
4 darker color than the scdimenlar.
h rocks. In the Ives expedition. J. 5
.4-. uaar. -. -.II.I 4.