Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-05-29


carved and colored, is one of the natural wonders
of the world
Curiousy enough, Mrs Rinehart omitted mention
of the one feature that, in the opinion of many,
does entitle Glacier to a place among the unique
national parks--its Lewis Overthrust' and the
gorgeous coloraton of its mountains. Zion Ma
tional Park in Utah, Bryce Canyon in Utah, likely
to be made the Utah National Park, and Grand
Canyon probably surpass Glacier in coloration, but
their cOlors are down in the depths, while Gla-
cier's are flung up into the sky.
Now don't be scared by the Lewis Overthrust.
Here's briefly what the biologists mean by the
term: The rock nearest the center of the earth
is called Archean and the biologists know very lit
tie about It. The next oldest strata the Algon-
khan, which were laid as an ocean bottom sedi-
ment something like 80,000,000 years ago. It is
this Algonkan group that are exposed in Glacier;
nowhere in the world are they displayed in such
area, profuson and variety and in such magnif-
cence of coloring.
These Algonkian rocks lie in four differentlycol-
ored strata, all of which the Glacier visitor may
see for himself. The lowest is the Allyn limestone.
about 1000 feet thick 1t weathers pale buff
There are whole yellow mountains of this on tho
eastern edge of Glacier. Next above lies a
stratum of Appekunny argillite, or green shale.
about 340O feet thick. 1t weathers every possible
shade Of dull green. Next above that lie about
1900 feet of Grinnell argillite or red shale It
weathers every possible shade deep red and pur-
pie. On top is about 1000 feet Of Siyeh limestone,
gray and running in places to yellow. Horizontally
through the middle Of this limestone is broad
dark band called the diorite intrusion.
Now when these brilliantly colored strata were
thrust up from the bottom Of the sea- they were
practically level Then there came a gigantic
squeeze The strata yielded in long irregular,
wave-like folds Finally they crackeu and then
broke. One broken edge, the western, was thrust
upward and over the other This western edge
was thousands Of feet thick. 1t overlapped the
eastern edge ten to fifteen miles.
This Is the Lewis (Range) Overthrust. 1t is this
overthrust that accounts for the inconceivably
tumbled character Of the vast rocky masses. There
is sag where the park lies. horizontal line
drawn straight across Glacier would pass through
the bottom of the Allyn limestone on the east and
west boundaries and in the middle of the park
through the top of the Siyeh limestone. 1t would
cut diagonally through the green and red shales
on both sides of the Continental Divide.
The uni4lformed tourist doubtless says to him
self as he heads the f1ivver west Three fine
tional packs In a row-Rocky Mountain, Yellow
stone and Glacier All three in the Rockies sand
on the Continental Divide Probably all much
alike. See osae and I've them all.
That shows the necessity of the campaign of ed
ucation that the federal government and the Ma
tional Parks association and many out-of-door- or
CARNATIONS waging to get the American peo-
pie to see their national parks with understand
ing, as well as emosionally
For Rocky Mountsin, Yellowstone and Glacier
are essentially different Rocky Mountain is solid
granite most astonishing aggregation of lofty
peaks and beautiful valleys perched on the top
Of the Continental Divide Yellowstone is volcanic,
with volcanic activities everywhere in evidence.
Glacier is sedimentary rock. twisted and jumbled
and gorgeously colored
Congress has just passed an act authorizing the
making of budget for road building purposes in
..Lo1<,
over three years. If funds are appropriated, Gla-
cier's tentative allotment is $10O000a This would
doubtless hurry the Transmountain Road to COM
pletion. Speed the day!