USA > California > Napa County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 3
USA > California > Lake County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 3
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Again, it may safely be asserted that time enough has elapsed since these volcanoes were in a state of activity for the accumulated debris of the mountain top to fill up the crater to a level with the top of its continually receding rim, and even to wear the rim down, and leave the solidified debris of the crater as a peak at the summit. That this debris should be solidi- fied is reasonable to conclude, from the fact that the dikes which were formed in the mountain side, and now called ledges, have been filled up with solid matter since then. In regard to the rapidity with which atmos- pheric causes acted in the earlier stages of the work we have just been describing, as compared with the action of the same causes now in the same mountain sides, we would say that it must be borne in mind that in that early time the rocks had not yet become as hard as they now are. Lava does not become the indurate rock that we now find it in a few days or years even, but it requires ages of pressure and chemical action to cement the particles together as compactly and tenaciously as they now are.
In considering the results accomplished by the action of the elements, time is an important factor, as it is in the consideration of all geological phenomena. Truly, "a thousand years is as a day with the Lord," and "the mills of the gods grind slowly." That long ages have passed since this lava flow occurred, is evinced by many circumstances, the two most prominent of which we will note. First of these is the Petrified Forest, which has been
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overrun and buried by an overflow from some volcano, not improbably St. Helena. That it was among the last of its eruptions is also likely, too, from the fact that depth of deposit upon them is not very great, many of the trees lying exposed upon the surface of the ground. Still ample time has passed away since that, to them, fatal day, for them to become solid stone by the slow process of petrefaction. It is claimed by some that a great portion of this process occurred simultaneously with their burial in the lava, but such could not have been the case, for there could have been no element of immediate petrefaction in this lava. The truth is that the silica was held in composition with the lava, and it had to be disintegrated from that union, and deposited particle by particle in the pores of the wood, until the very hearts of those monster fathers of the forest were permeated and converted into stone. Now, this was not accomplished in a day nor a year, but more likely a good beginning was not made in the first century. That the trees did not decay is accounted for in the fact that they were en- cased in a bed of lava, and hence hermetically sealed, as it were, and thor- oughly protected from the action of oxygen or the elements. It will thus be seen by this that long ages passed by before the process of petrefaction was completed. Then who shall say how long these trees have lain here in their present state ? Shall we presume to say that the process was com- pleted only yesterday or last century ? No, indeed, but rather, from what can be seen of the action of time on the surrounding country, it is proper to presume that they have lain in their present condition for ages. We are led to conclude, after a careful survey of the field, that a long period of time has elapsed since the lava flow occurred which entombed these trees.
A second point to be considered in discussing the element of time in this proposition is, that either at the time of the lava flow along the range, or subsequent thereto, the water of either an inland sea or the Pacific Ocean washed high up the side of the mountains. Now, the sides of the moun- tains may possibly not have been so much elevated as they are now. In fact, it is very evident that they were not, for it is impossible almost to con- ceive of the water of the present ocean as ever having been as high as the shore line of this old body of water was. Some may be led to question the assertion that there ever was a sea or body of water of any kind whose waves lashed the rock-ribbed mountain sides of Napa Valley. A casual observer, in passing up the valley, will observe, extending from the lower end of the range, all the way to St. Helena Mountain, a bluff or ridge of rocks, broken down and disappearing in places, being greater in some places than in others, but still having a well-defined existence all the way. The first question suggested is, what could have formed that extensive cliff ? The answer is, and can be only one, and that is, that it was at one time the shore line of an ocean, sea, or bay.
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Now for the application of this fact to the subject under consideration. This sea or body of water had its shore line here along this cliff or bluff just described at the time- these eruptions occurred, or at least some of them. We are asked on what grounds do we venture such an assertion as this, and we answer : there is indubitable evidence to be produced to prove it. Two, that may be easily visited and examined, will suffice for the whole array of examples that might be mentioned. First, the road leading from Napa to Berryessa Valleys leads through a grand body of volcanic ashes, and the traveler will observe that the shore line is very high at this place, and the gorges have almost perpendicular walls, showing the action of the waves upon this soft bed of ashes. Again, a few rods to the north of the Napa Soda Springs, it will be noticed that the lava flow is deposited in terraces, and at the base of them all there are evidences of the surge and wash of the waves of a body of water, which are revealed in grottos and caves bur- rowed out under the shelving lava. There is one place where the terrace extends from hill to hill across a cañon of goodly size, filling it up com- pletely as far as it flowed. But all this proves nothing as to the assertion that this body of water was here at the time of this lava flow. But we argue that these terraces are formed only on account of the fact that the water was present, and in a large body, too. And why ? Because, when the stream of molten matter came into contact with the water it naturally cooled very fast, and soon an outer wall or crust was formed, which held the lava in check behind it until a terrace was reared which reached the surface of the water, then the lava began to flow over this rampart or bar- rier which had thus been reared across its fiery path, and descended the mountain slope under the surface of the water until another terrace began to be formed, and the same process was repeated. Thus would we account for the terraces that are to be found in the lava flows in the mountains of Napa County, and we not only consider it feasible, but look upon it as the only correct solution of the problem.
We now come back to the original proposition-the element of time. If what has just been stated above be true, then there are two problems which confront us, both of which contain the element of time very fully developed. These are, that either the waters of the sea at that time stood much higher than they do now, or that the mountain range had not then attained any- thing like its present elevation. If the former were true, how long indeed must it 'have been since this last flow of lava occurred, and what, indeed, could not the forces of nature have accomplished in that incomprehensible space of time, that it took the waters of the Pacific Ocean to recede to their present level ? The statement that is made, and with seemingly quite good reason, too, that the Bay of San Francisco was originally closed, could not affect this at all, for the shore line of this body of water was far above
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History of Napa and Lake Counties-NAPA.
it all. The level of these shore lines would cause water to pass out through Big Valley or the Russian River, in Sonoma County, the low flats of Marin County, and, indeed, directly over the barrier that was supposed to exist at the Golden Gate. In accordance with human comprehension, the time that has elapsed since then more nearly approximates eternity than it does any measurement of time. That the Pacific Ocean did reach this far up on the mountains at one time there is no question, but that was during the Silu- rian or Devonian period, but not later than that, for the Pacific Coast was among the first to come to the surface, and was among the first to be in- habited.
The other question to be solved is, whether or not this mountain range has been elevated to its present position since this lava flow occurred. This has certainly as much the element of time in it as has the other, for we may rest assured that mountains do not grow in a day, but that it took long weary ages for the forces of nature to rear the majestic head of St Helena to its present lofty position. If we had the exact altitude of this shore line all the way along the range, we could, perhaps, come nearer to a definite conclusion concerning the question of elevation of the range ; but even that would not be proof positive, for this line might have formed at different stages of the recedence of the sea, or of the elevation of the mountain at different places along the range. We started out with the proposition that enough time had elapsed since the flowing of lava ceased in this section, for all traces of the craters of the volcanoes to disappear by the action of the corroding tooth of time, and we think that we have proven it conclusively. Whatever else may have been brought out along this line of thought, we are sure will not be without interest to the general reader.
It is a matter of great interest to follow the course of a lava flow, and trace out its various effects upon the rock it flows over. Of course, all boulders and what meager soil there was then upon the top of the surface or bed-rock was taken up by the stream, and we now find them incorporated in one mass. It is no uncommon thing to see a jutting crag of what appears to be a solid stone, which upon examination, proves to be only a conglomer- ate mass of boulders cemented together with lava. At the place referred to above, where a cañon is terraced over with lava, near the Napa Soda Springs, there is a very large boulder of Devonian stone incorporated in the body of the lava, and in the face of the terrace. It is slowly going to pieces by the action of the elements, while the lava around it remains almost intact. There is a layer of soft volcanic ash on the under side of this boulder, between it and the bed-rock. on which the lava bed rests. The interstices of this rock are filled with sulphur, which, when broken, show a display of fine yellow crystals. The pieces of this boulder which have
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been carried down the stream, show in strong contrast with the multitude of the predominating lava boulders of the section.
Another point of interest is to study the line of union between the lava and the underlying bed-rock. This line is well defined, and is easily traceable along the face of a ledge, no matter how tortuous it may be, and there is no mistaking one for the other, as they have nothing in common, except here and there where small crevices occur in the bed-rock which have been filled by the melted lava. At this terrace, mentioned in the last paragraph, there is a fine chance to study this phase of the doings of nature. Here, the bed-rock is a shale which was laid down in strata, but the strata were warped and twisted about greatly before the lava rolled down upon it. It is soft and crumbles down easily, at least on the surface where it has been subjected to the action of the elements. Being much softer than the lava above it, it was cut out much faster by the action of the waves in the days of that old sea, and hence, quite good sized caves have been formed. In places near this, the water has also hollowed out caves in the very face of the lava.
It is a matter of interest also to note the different kinds of lava, or rather the various forms it assumed, and the variety of colors which distin- guish it. Beginning at the hardest form it assumes, probably basalt will stand at the head of the list. It is hard, flinty, brittle, and withal very durable, and is much used for paving streets or macadamizing roads. Trap comes next in the scale-is a blackish-blue or a bluish-black rock, and is only distinguished from basalt in that it is usually full of little nodules, which look like small cobble stones incorporated in the body of the ledge. Of basalt, we have not seen any very extensive ledges in Napa County, though there are numerous boulders scattered almost all over its volcanic regions, showing that it must abound in quarries somewhere. Of trap, we have seen neither ledges nor boulders in any quantities to speak of. The reader is referred to the geology of Lake County in this volume, for an extended description of this particular species of lava. Both of these are fine-grained and compact rocks, and all composed of the same material.
Next in the scale will come the coarse lava that is made up of differently colored and composed parts, giving it an appearance of granite at a short distance away. Some of this is good for building purposes, but the most of it is unfit for use in any direction. Then comes the fine working white lava, which makes splendid building material, such as is being used by Col. J. P. Jackson, in the erection of the buildings of the Napa Soda Springs. Then comes the soft, light, fibrous material, that is neither stone nor clay, but a cross between the two. It is in this that the greatest display of colors is to be found. It is often almost pure chrome, being yellow and red.
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The red ranges from carmine to dark blood, and many of the shades are truly handsome.
Another effect of volcanic action, or rather lava flow, is to change the character of the rocks over which it flows, so that their true character is no longer discernible. Rocks thus changed are termed metamorphic; that is, rocks transformed or changed by heat from their original form or character.
We have now so fully gone over the ground in regard to the various phases of volcanic action and its effects that it will be only necessary to designate hereafter where the results of these agencies and phases may be found. We have taken the section of the county which we have referred to above to illustrate these phases with, because it was the most accessible ; and should any one desire to verify the statements made, they could easily find the location and see for themselves. Seeing is truly believing with many.
We will now proceed to locate the various other sections of the county where igneous or volcanic forces have been active in forming and moulding the surface of the country. The eastern slope of the range of mountains on the west side of Napa Valley, is almost a counterpart of those on the east, except that the lava deposit is not so heavy or so general. There is a large amount of outcroppings of very old rock; also, much metamorphic rock. There are many boulders of a coarse sandstone which belongs to the Tertiary period, but we do not know of any defined quarries. We had the pleasure of giving the interior of the Oakville Quicksilver Mine a thorough examination, in company with Professor William Denton, one of the most renowned Geologists in the United States. We found that the ledge was of a serpentine character, and that the wall rocks were of a metamorphic nature and that they belonged to a very remote period. On the surface there were evidences of a lava flow, but not so extended and not so recent as on the eastern side of the valley.
Passing to the east side of the range of mountains lying on the east of Napa Valley, we find that the whole face of the range is covered with evidences of volcanic action. The terraces of lava and the shore lines are present in great profusion. Especially is this true for a few miles north of where the road to Berryessa passes down the grade to the head of Capelle Valley. Passing along north-westerly, we pass up to Chiles and Pope Val- leys, and still the evidences of lava flows are present; and so it continues to the very summit of St. Helena, as it is on the western slope of the same range. The flow of the lava in the section was from west to east, or from the summit to the base, as it had been on the other side of the ridge ; hence, we are again led to believe that it emanated from craters in the chain.
We now come to a section of the county where the two elements, fire and water, came into direct competition, as it were. Sand and limestone of
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the Tertiary period are prominent features which extend to the eastern limits of the county, and the peculiar thing about it is, that in all this sec- tion the eastern slopes of the mountains are covered with scoria and ashes, while the western slopes are covered with boulders of lime and sandstone. Of these a full mention will be made a little further on. The range of mountains between Pope and Berryessa Valleys shows volcanic action on both sides of it to quite an extent, but it predominates on the eastern slope. At Knoxville there is a very interesting study for the geologist. There the lava flow extended over large fields of serpentine, which have been wrought into all manner of fantastic shapes and contortions by the action of the fiery floods that swept over it at some remote period. In many cases it seemed to melt the serpentine, and when that substance became cooled, it assumed much the appearance of melted glass .. In other instances it resem- bles the "slag" that comes from iron furnaces. Very much more might be said on this branch of our subject. Indeed, a volume could be written on the geology of Napa County alone, by entering into all the intricate details of the matter.
We will now pass to the aqueous agencies which have been at work in shaping up the surface of the country. The work of these agencies are not so obtrusive as those of fire, but are nevertheless wonderfully potent factors in the grand scheme of making a world fit for the existence of man. Most of the valleys have been changed greatly in shape and appearance by the action of water, while many cañons and gorges have been cut out directly by it. The hills have been rounded, the mountains made shapely, and the valleys filled with rich alluvium by it ! By it, sand and limestone have been deposited in grand quarries, from which men now draw vast sources of economical supplies. By the action of volcanic forces these layers or strata of aqueous rock have been warped, twisted and changed generally, until it is hard to designate them at times.
Let us take a glance at Napa County and see where we find the bodies of aqueous rock. In the mountains west of Napa Valley there is much of interest to be found in this connection. Here, at different points, may be found rocks from all the geological periods. On Dry Creek, as stated above, on one side the Devonian and Silurian rocks appear, while on the other the Tertiary are to be seen. In many places there is a crust of lava deposited on these rocks, but when this is pierced by the action of the elements, road grades or shafts in mines, the underlying aqueous rocks are discovered. They are mostly of a sandstone nature, although shale and slate are not uncommon, and also a large amount of limestone is to be found in this chain of mountains.
Crossing over to the east side of the Napa Valley we find that the lava deposit is so heavy as to almost entirely hide from view all traces of the 2 *
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History of Napa and Lake Counties-NAPA.
underlying aqueous rocks. The deep cuts in the grade up the western side of St. Helena Mountain has exposed a considerable of this character of rock, but that, and the place mentioned above as being just north of the Napa Soda Springs, are the only places we have seen this side of the range. The leads, veins, and ledges of the mines in the Calistoga mining district are of course all the result of aqueous action, but they do not belong to any general system of rocks, nor is there any means of deciding when this action occurred.
Crossing over into Chiles Valley we find that the coating of lava ex- tends to the very base of the mountains on the west side of the valley. A small stream skirts along the edge of the mountains, which is the divid- ing line between the igneous and the aqueous formations, and in its course it carries along with it boulders, in about equal proportions, of both kinds. The soil of the valley is argillaceous, showing that it has been made up mostly from detritus from the aqueous rocks which lie in the eastern slope. In this slope there is an entire absence of lava or igneous rock of any kind whatsoever. The rock is a sandstone of the Tertiary period and rather fine in texture, and the coloring matter is the peroxyd of iron, which does not appear in any great quantities.
Passing southward from Col. Chiles' place we find that in the course of a few miles the character of the soil changes, and a belt of adobe is found. This soil is always the result of decomposed limestone, hence we know that a bed of that stone "has been at one time in existence in that locality. A little close observation reveals the fact that boulders of limestone are still to be found here. Shale, slate and metamorphic rock have also been ex- posed by this road grade.
Crossing the valley and passing by the school-house, on the way to the place owned by Messrs. Priest, we come into a grand body of sandstone, which extends to the summit of the divide. Here again we strike into a coating of lava, resting on shale and sandstone. In the ridge to the east of the Priest house there are some queer freaks of nature. The surface is covered with lava and lava boulders, with here and there out-croppings and ledges of serpentine, sandstone and metamorphic rocks. Some years ago, during a quicksilver excitement in Napa County, some miners started a tunnel into the eastern side of this ridge, but were obliged to abandon it shortly, for after they had pierced the coating of serpentine and lava they came into a great bed of sand, drift and boulders, which was so loose that it could not be timbered up and made secure. It seems strange at first thought that the top of a mountain should be composed of loose material like that, but it was evidently covered over by the lava flow, and encased inside of that substance when it cooled, and has so remained a prisoner to the present day, and subsequent action has elevated it to its present alti-
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tude. Quite a number of boulders of limestone are to be found near the soda springs, on the Priest place, and the peculiarity of it is that they are found only in spots. The resultant soil-adobe-is also in spots, the body of the soil being of decomposed lava and sandstone. Boulders of gypsum are also found, and ledges of it are said to exist in that vicinity.
Passing northward we come into Pope Valley, which is divided into two distinct sections by a low ridge or range of hills. This range is composed of soft sandstone, with but very little lava. The slope of the mountains to the east of the eastern section is composed chiefly of sandstone, with shale, slate and limestone also. The grade to Walters Springs reveals much shale and limestone. Along Pope Cañon the lava flow has been immense in places, but the underlying stratas of aqueous rocks are visible in many places. A few rods to the north of Mr. Walter's house there is a ledge of limestone, and it is the only one we saw in the valley, although the evi- dences of the former existence of large bodies of limestone are visible on all sides. From Mr. Walter's place northward to Mr. Philip Palmer's place, and beyond that for some distance, the soil assumes the spotted character alluded to above, being adobe and argellacious in turn, with occasional spots of red soil, the result of the decomposition of volcanic matter.
At the Ætna Springs, and on up the valley to the west of them, the whole of the surface of the country is covered with serpentine in massive form, over which a flood.of lava has flown and left its traces on every hand, while underlying the serpentine is a large body of beautiful porphyry. This extends to the summit of the range to the north, and the Phoenix and Washington Quicksilver Mines are located in this belt. At the summit there is an outcropping of a very ancient rock, probably of the Silurian period. It is glassy and flinty, and very hard and durable. Strange to say, as we pass down the northern slope of this range, we soon come into a body of Tertiary sandstone which is coarse and not very compact. This belt of sandstone continues down the mountain side, and up the opposite range as high as the Oat Hill Mine, and even beyond that, attaining a much greater elevation on this side of the cañon than it does on the other. It is worthy of remark, that this body of sandstone is uninterrupted from its beginning on the south to the altitude of the Oat Hill Mine on the north side of the cañon, and that there are no evidences of lava or serpentine here, and also that the range on the south side, where it begins, belongs to the St. Helena group, while that in which the mine occurs on the north side is a part of a separate system. The Oat Hill, or Napa Consolidated, and Ivanhoe Quicksilver Mines occur in this belt of sandstone, and it is the only place in the county where cinnabar occurs in a body of sandstone, and we doubt if there is another such a phenomenon in the State of California or the world. The cañon spoken of above seems to have been cut right out
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