The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-05-30

erosion. gorgeousiy
carved ard colored. is one of the natural wonders
of the world
Cusfously enough Mrs. Rinehart omitted mention
of the one feature that in the opinion of many,
does entitle Glacier to place among the unique
national parks-its Lewis Overthrust" and the
gorgeous coloration of it's mountains. Zion Ma
tonal Park in Utah, Bryce Canyon in Utah. likely
to be MADE the Utah National Park, and Grand
Canyon probably surpass Glacier in celebration, but
their ce1ors 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 oldest strata are the AIgon-
khan, which were laid as an ocean bottom sedi-
ment something like S0.OJ0OO0 years ago. It la
this Algonkian group that are exposed in Glacier;
nowhere in the world they displayed Ia such
area, profusion and variety and in such magnifi-
cence of coloring
These Algonkian rocks lie in four dlfferently-col-
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 bun
There whole yellow mountains of this on the
eastern edge of Glacier. Next above lies a
stratum of Appekunny argillite, or green shale,
about 3,400 feet thick 1t weathers every possible
shade of dull green Next above that lie about
2,200 feet of Grinnell argillite or red shale 1t
pie. On top is about 1000 feet of Syeh limestone
gray and running in places TO yellow. Horizontally
through the middle of this limestone is a broad
dark band called the dorite intrusion.
Now, when these brilliantly colored strata were
thrust up from the bottom of the sea, they were
practically level. Then there came gigantic
squeeze. The strata yielded in long irregular
wave-like folds. Finally they cracked and then
broke One broken edge the western was thrust
upward and the other This western edge
was thousands of feet thick 1t overIapped 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 A 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 would
cut diagonally through the green and red shales
on both sides of the Continental Divide
The unfnformed tourist doubtless says to him.
self as he heads the fivver west. Three fine ma
tonal parks in a row-Rocky Mountain, Yellow
stone and Glacier. All three in the Rockies and
on the Continental Divide. Probably all much
alike. See and I've seen them ALL"
That shows the necessity of the campaign of ed
ucati0n that the federal government and the Ma
tional Parks association and many out-of-door
CARNATIONS are wagng to get the American peo-
pie to see their national parks with understand
ing as we'll as emotionally.
For Rocky Mountain. 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 gorgeousy coiored
Congress has just passed an act authorizing the
making of budget for road building purposes in
the national parks, carrying total of S7,500.O0O
over three years. If funds appropriated. Gla-
cers tentative allotment is 81 100000 This would
doubtless hurry the Transmountain Road to COM
pletion. Speed the day