White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-07-30

A chapter from the dairy of Calvin
Clawson, pioneer prospector and
writer, in which is described the pet
rified forests in Custer county, was
recently published by Brazilla w
Clark in the Idaho Falls Times-Regis
ter. Many people of Idaho probably
never heard of this natural wonder OF
the state, and for that reason is de.
scription as written by this respected
pioneer is reprinted in full:
Idaho has within the borders of
her vast domain many natural won.
ders and stronge objects of interest;
romantic lakes and picturesque noun
tain ranges; great river falls; vast,
wild prairie scenes; mines of fabu.
lous wealth cropping through the sur
face; hot sulphur and iron springs
living fountains of sparkling soda
water; subterranean water courses,
and in brief, something of almost
everything that combines to make a
state useful and interesting alike to
the resident and the transient visitor
and tourist.
But the fossil fields of Custer
county, of which very little is known,
still add something worth while to
the already we'll provided old Curl
osity Shop of the state. The locality
known as the 'Petrified Woods is
easy of access, being situated three
miles south of the Salmon river
about midway between the towns OF
Clayton and Challis, and eight miles
from the noted mining camp of Bay
horse. At Marshall station, on the
south band of the river, begins cut.
off road or elbow as it is called,
leading through the hills to the Black.
Foot-Ketchum road, which has been
in use for years past by, Wood river
and Salmon river freighters. 1t is a
good half hours drive up this wagon
road from the Salmon river stage road
to the so-called 'petriied forest
For years past cattlemen and
others having occasion to go into the
hills south of the Salmon, have
brought away many rare pieces of pet
rified wood, bark of trees and other
manner of odd things usually picked
up in localities like this, and they had
wonderful stories to tell of the great
stone trees and stumps that stood
upon the hillsides, big as Egyptian
obelisks.
"But it is only few years past
that people in the vicinity began to
go there on purpose to see for them.
selves the strange sights of which
they had heard so much. To many, it
seemed impossible that there could be
trees 20 to 40 feet in circumference,
looming up where nothing but scat
tered bunch grass, stunted grease
wood and gnarled sagebrush consti,
tute the only visible life of the Sal
mon river bad lands.
"Yet, once seen, it is very easy to
be convinced that these are, or once
were, trees-and mammoth ones at
that, though they be now only dead,
stolid monuments of the departed
glory that must have environed this
whole country when in it's tropical or
semi-tropical grandeur. When trees
like these grew and fourished, the
vegetable life of the Salmon river
could not have been other than super
latively grand and glorious.
Whether the trees are kin in the
California redwoods, or the yellow
pines of Oregon and Washington, or
of kind foreign to the trees of our
day, is left for the eye of science to
speculate upon. 1t does not require
the aptness of an expert to prove that
at present they are of the hardwood
species.
"It is only about Is minutes walk
from the road to the petrifactions
The country is made up of low hills
and quite deep ravines, but is entirely
accessible. The formation is princi
pally sedimentary, and near the foot
hills, approaching the river, sandstone
is visible in places. The petrifactions
are very similar to those of the bad
lands of Montana, Dakota and Wyo
ming, and in the same kind of coun.
try. Similar sections in the states
mentioned are prolific in fossils and
petrifactions and the bones of many
large animals and>reptiles are annual
ly exhumed by the different geological
and other parties sent there in the
interest of science.
$50 far, no bones, I believe, have
been discovered in the Salmon river
fossil fields; but when once scientific
explorations are begun with that