Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1925-08-19

VOnS through Tie Dbl dOOO ANStASS
damned high so it was compelled 10
find a new course. A glance at the
tonographic model of the state will
show that it curved eastward and went
around the east end rather than across
the Baraboo range.
Channel Cut in Solid Sandstone.
In cutting it's new channel it en-
countered soft sandstone ledge rock at
Kilbourn, and carved in it a wonderful
gorge that is visited by more than
hundred thousand people each year.
This gorge is known as the "Dells OF
the Wisconsin," AS described by Mar
tin in one of the bulletins of the state
geological survey, this is one of the
most attractive scenic features of the
state. The banks of the river are
clothed in picturesque, coniferous for
ests, its course is cut deeply in solid
sandstone, diversified by unusually
well-deveIOped crOss-breeding and
conspicuous joint planes. Weatherlng
and stream erosion have carved the
river banks into bold cliffs, sharp
chasms, and striking, isolated rock pill
lars. One may observe, as the geolo-
gist Norwood did in 1847 singular and
beautiful effects, architraves, sculptur-
ed cornices moulded capitals, scrolls
and futed columns are seen on every
hand: presenting, altogether, a mix
ture of the grand the beautiful and
the fantastic.
Several small streams join the Wis
consin in the Dells. Each has cut its
own little gorge of most fantastic
form At the upstream end of the
Dells is the famous and-Rock"- a
small fiat table top of hard sandstone
supported by a slender pillar of soft
sandstone below This table top or
stand" is only a few feet from the
main ledge, but between the two there
is a deep drop, sufficiently awesOme to
give the Jump across thrill that some
of the more venturesome enjoy.
WauSau, High Point In State.
But we must return to the trail of
the glacier. The features we have de-
scribed line in the region of sand
stones and MISUNDERSTANDING beds
deposited in ancient sea bottoms when,
at various periods, all the southern
part of the state was covered by the
great seas that extended over nearly
the whole Mississippi valley. North of
this region is found an area of still
more ancient rocks. Its present as
pect gives to the casual observer no
hint of the high mountain ranges and
volcanoes that once existed here.
Long millions of years before the
great glaciers came-even before the
sea that deposited the sandstone came
over the land-these mountains of
granite and gabbro and lava flows had
been worn away, leaving only a high
plain. During much of the time of the
ancient seas this plain stood out as
great island. Herein is most inter
esting story for the geologist who
reads it in the rocks.
Glaciers Filled Valleys.
The great plain was carved into hills
and valleys with relief of only a few
hundred feet by the time the glaciers
came down from the north. Here and
there a hill of hard quartzite stood 500
to 1000 feet above the valley, like
Rib Hill at Wausau-the highest point
in the state-but these were rare.
Here also the glaciers filed the valleys
and in most cases they buried the
hills as we'll, covering the whole coun-
try with a mantle of glacial debris
that probably averages between a hum
dred and fifty and two hundred feet
in thickness. In the old valleys that
were only partly filled, numerous lakes
and marshes were formed. Here is
found the justly famous lake region of
northern Wisconsin, the delight of the
fisherman. the camper and all others
who love the out-of-doors.
Lakes Fill Large Area.
Most of the lakes are small, close to
one another. irregular in outline, and
connected by streams which twist
sinuous course between them. The
$50 lakes and ponds of Villas county
occupy l40 square miles, or over fiji
teen per cent of the area of the coun-
ty which itself is nearly as large as
the state of Rhode Island. These
lakes are the favorite fishing grounds
of the Middle West. Astounding in many
species of game fish, and the habitat
of that wolf of the waters" the mus
kelunge
The many marshes in the lake re,
gion, called 'muskeg" by the Indians,
offer an ideal refuge for birds. Most
of the surrounding country is covered
with a second growth of timber and
all through this area is the fayorite
deer hunting grounds in the fall
months. Writing in 1879, the geologist
F. H. King, thus wrote of the lakes in
this section of Wisconsin.
In many places in this northern
country the streams uncover rock
lodges and beautiful waterfalls result.
The falls of the Black River. south of
Superior is the highest waterfall in